As we start term 3 we also enter stage 3 of our process of discernment. This is a year-long process where we are seeking the invitation of God into what he is doing in our community. Organisationally, we hope to create a five-year strategic plan. As a faith community though, we don’t simply want a bunch of our ideas, but to hear from God.

In term 1, I invited us to prayer for guidance. We also produced a couple of papers that outline where we are as a community of faith. In term 2 we appointed the discernment group and invited our congregation to submit their sense of where God may be leading us. The discernment group prayerfully reflected on all those submissions and identified seven focus areas for us to consider moving forward; areas where we sense God may be leading us.

In term 3 we are going to hold a day of discernment – Saturday September 17 – to consider more deeply those areas. You’ll begin to hear more about that in the weeks to come. One of the things we are going to be encouraging our community of faith to do is to join together for 40 days of prayer, beginning on August 8 and finishing on September 16.

I’m looking forward to discerning together where God is inviting us to join in his work in the world and would encourage you to pray and to save the date of September 17.

See you Sunday!

Marc Rader | Senior Pastor