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Our Mission Plan

Our Mission Plan

Dapto Mission Plan 2023-2025

1.    Mission Statement:

Dapto Uniting Church … seeking to be recognised as followers of Jesus Christ working in and for the community.

See an explanation and expansion of this Statement here.

2.    Vision:

Dapto Uniting Church is to grow God’s Mission so that the congregation is:

  • intergenerational and intercultural,
  • strong in service,
  • utilising God’s wisdom and love for mission

3.    Values:

Dapto Uniting Church has the following values:

  • Welcoming
  • Prayerful
  • Acceptive
  • Multicultural
  • Caring with emphasis on the lonely and marginalised
  • Spiritual – providing a sense and presence of God
  • Flexible – open to modifications
  • Relationship orientated
  • Relying on and offering the hope and encouragement that God is to life

4.    Culture:

Dapto Uniting Church is a welcoming, inclusive community, with Christ at the centre of the community.

5.    Innovation:

1. New Gathering Activity

Goal:

To establish an alternate group activity as a new worship experience, separate to the Sunday morning congregation. The intention would be to mission to younger people and families on a Friday evening or at a time to be agreed. We don’t know yet how often we can hold this activity. It is intended to be an intercultural and intergenerational space.

This venture will be seeking to tell the good news of God’s love for everyone. It will also aim to nurture new believers. As we develop relationships with the younger people and families, we will look to respond with loving service to all who attend.

 

Strategies:

  • Acceptance by Church Council, Elders, and Congregation
  • Establish a committed group to pray, plan and set up such a venture
  • Plan an initial gathering with meal
  • Invite baptismal families, Messy Church families and other families who haven’t been involved for a while.
  • Advertise – social media and personal invitations. Increase the effectiveness of our online presence. Ask for assistance for our website from Synod media group.
  • Listen to the needs and requests of those for whom this activity will operate.
  • Continuous modifications, evaluations, and invitations.
  • Build the leadership team to include people who are involved in the activity.

 

Personnel/Resources:

Minister in placement with a team of 5 or more people committed to this mission, as well as a Catering team for preparing the meal.

 

Timeline:

  • Begin to form a mission team – July 2023
  • First meeting – early in 2024
  • Further development by the people attending

2. Growth of Existing Missions – building bridges

Goal:

To develop bridges from our current activities such as Op Shop, Craft Group and other Fellowship Groups, Markets, etc, so that strong relationships can be developed with the people who are currently reached by these ministries, and a spiritual component is built into each program that is appropriate and enriching in the hope of building discipleship, which may take the form of an appropriate discussion based on a need, or a question that brings in a Christian perspective, or a discussion about the spiritual aspects of life.

This will involve telling the good news of God’s Kingdom. This often raises many questions regarding Christian faith.  Building trust, friendship and relationships will be important within each group which may require listening and some service activities

 

Strategies:

  • Establish a committed group to pray and plan.
  • Perhaps begin by inviting people attending the Op Shop, Craft and Fellowship Groups, and Markets to special occasions at our church, including the new activity outlined above.
  • Suggest the group activities start with a prayer and have a message at each meeting. The message may take the form of an appropriate discussion based on a need, or question that brings in a Christian perspective.
  • Create a variety of simple items to be handed out at current activities to invite them to other church activities. There may be a number of different items to be handed out, each with a separate focus.
  • Look at ways to sustain the vitality of our current membership.
  • Request assistance from Synod to maximise the impact of our website and other promotional material, including adding a donation facility on our website page and in online worship material.
  • Develop methods to maximise the effectiveness of our Facebook page.

 

Personnel/Resources:

  • Creative people to develop the items to be handed out.
  • A team of people to develop strategies.
  • Ask Synod to assist.

 

Timeline:

  • Ask for volunteers to be on the team March 2023.
  • Ongoing activity.

3. Op Shop Maximisation of Activity

Goal:

To investigate the viability of options to maximise the impact of the Op Shop. Such options may include the construction of purpose-built premises on the church property, or other options as investigation and discussion ensues.

It is the aim of this venture to maximise the opportunity for the Op Shop ministry to tend the needs of the customers, and proclaim the good news of God’s Kingdom to them

 

Strategies:

  • A time of prayer and discernment by the members of Church Council.
  • Proceed with the design process towards submitting a Development Application to Wollongong Council to gain further information.
  • Discuss options for finance with Uniting Financial Services.
  • Liaise with the Presbytery Finance and Property Committee.
  • Liaise with Synod Property Services.
  • Apply for Grants to assist with funding.
  • Do specific fundraising for the project.
  • Keep the Congregation informed as the project progresses.
  • Consider other options as the process develops.

 

Personnel/Resources:

  • Church Council
  • Congregation
  • Finance and Property Committee
  • Presbytery Finance and Property Committee
  • Uniting Financial Services
  • Synod Property Services

 

Timeline:

  • A time of prayer and discernment by the members of Church Council as well as investigations into various options for the Op Shop was had over a period from about May 2022.
  • We continued to investigate options and a feasibility study for the Op Shop.
  • After prayer and discernment, the decision was made to go ahead with the Development Application (DA) process at a special Church Council Meeting on 26 October 2022. Congregation was then informed and updated from time to time after that.
  • We instructed consultants to prepare the necessary paperwork, plans, etc to submit a DA which was submitted to Wollongong Council 24 October 2023.
  • We secured Development Approval from Wollongong Council to construct a shop on our own grounds behind the hall 21 March 2024.
  • We optimised the layout of the current Op Shop, as well as rationalised our pricing structure from April 2024, and have found great improvements in the operation of and returns from the shop.
  • We met with our local Federal and State Members to request their assistance with obtaining grant/s in May 2024.
  • We requested and obtained support for continuance with the project from the congregation at the Annual General Meeting in September 2024.
  • We instructed consultants to prepare construction plans on 30 September 2024.
  • We have requested assistance from Presbytery minister, who requested assistance on our behalf from PPFC and PSMC in October 2024.
  • We will request possible assistance from other congregations in due course.
  • We will continue to build up finance for the project through fundraising, investments and requests for donations and advances ongoing.
  • We will prepare a Business Plan for the Op Shop around November 2024, to be approved by Op Shop Committee and Church Council in January 2025 (and revise ongoing).
  • We will apply for suitable government grants as they become available from December 2024, with assistance of the offices of our local federal and state members of parliament.
  • Aim to have plans approved by Certifier April 2025.
  • Request Synod approval of the construction at the appropriate time.
  • Put the project to tender with suitable builders around May 2025.
  • Consider tenders and consult with designer to choose builder July 2025.
  • Determine financial needs and sources July 2025.
  • Pray, discuss, and discern further as more information comes to hand.
  • Consider all options, ongoing. Next steps will depend on outcomes of further developments and progress as well as ability to obtain funds.

 

6.    Review

This Mission Plan is a living document that will be reviewed on regular basis and modified as needed.

7.    Approval

This updated Mission Plan was approved by Church Council at its meeting on 25 January 2023