Graeme has a passion to see the Church community reimagine itself, finding ways to keep engaging with the people in the changing world we now live in. He has been the Uniting Church Minister at Living Faith since 2009, and celebrates the deep faith that led our two different communities to become one. As well as having a deep love for Jesus Christ and his mission, Graeme also loves scifi, the mighty Bombers, and above all, his amazing family.

Living Faith Church Commitment

The Church Council strongly encourage all LFC members who are on rosters of any kind to have WWCC cards and to attend Safe Church training in order to make a strong statement that at LFC we value the safety of our children and those of our congregation at risk.

We commit to the following actions to keep children safe:

• We embed a culture of child safety and ensure that policies and procedures are implemented

• Encourage the training, supervision and support of employees and volunteers

• We adopt and implement evidence-based standards to recruit and screen employees and to engage volunteers and others who work with children

• Encourage access, equity and diversity

• Manage risk, promote safety and respond to concerns

• Actively explore opportunities for child, family and community participation

This summary is an abridged version of the Uniting Church and Churches of Christ clear commitment to zero tolerance of child abuse, and the creation of a safe and just culture.

Further information can be found on:

UCA Keeping Children Safe webpage www.ucavictas.org.au/keepingchildrensafe/

CCVT Safe Places webpage www.churchesofchrist.org.au/communities/safe-places-1/resources

Living Faith Church Safe Church Contacts:

Carol Schofield – 0409 331 476

Alistair Clough – 0424 229 993

Kate Clough - 0411 523 153

Our Vision

Everyone Closer to God

(John 14:6-9)

Our expectation

We’ll become more like Jesus together.

(2 COR 3:18)

To test if something is in line with our vision, we will measure it with the following questions:

- How does this build existing relationships with God, or encourage new relationships with God?

- How does this develop and empower people to lead one another, or others closer to God?

- How does this help people, either within or outside LFC become more like Jesus?

- How does this encourage people to journey in faith together?

- How does this allow God to work and us to work with God?

To see If it is working, we can ask the following, assuming an affirmative answer means we are seeing our vision lived out.

- How have relationships grown in our faith community? With God, with each other, with those outside our community?

- How have we seen members of our community empowered, and up-skilled to lead one another closer to God, whether in a leadership role or not?

- How does our faith community reflect the character of God?

- How are we known in the wider community for being like Jesus?

- How have we seen God working, and our work being aligned with God’s?

- Has this brought everyone closer to God together - including those in leadership or serving roles?

Our key focus areas

The key focus areas, are a secondary metric to our vision. These are the core things we will focus on improving, growing resourcing in the next season. If our Goal is what directs us, these show the core areas we will invest in to achieve that. Another key purpose of these, is to help us prioritise our resources between multiple activities or ministries that will help us achieve our goal.

Our key focus areas are:

TRANSFORMATION

The Holy Spirit causes ongoing meaningful change in our lives. We seek this out and will help each other to find God and become more Christ-like.

Measuring questions:

- How does this invite ongoing meaningful change in our lives through the holy spirit?

- How does this help people become more Christ-like together?

- How are we providing opportunities for the holy spirit to work?

SERVING

Motivated by Christ, we join God in actively showing love, living out God’s call to Justice and using our gifts for God’s purpose.

Measuring questions:

- How does this work with God, in showing love and pursuing justice?

- How does this help us find, grow and/or use our Gifts for God’s purpose?

FAITH

We trust in God. We seek to grow our understanding of Gods word and our shared story. Our trust in God sustains us and is our hope for the future.

Measuring questions:

- How does this help us deepening our understanding of God, his word or our shared story?

- How does this help build our trust in God?

- How does this this activity bring us hope or fuel us, by relying on God?

ACCEPTANCE

Reflecting the love of God, by affirming the image of God in each of us, valuing one another and celebrating our differences.

Measuring questions:

- How does this actively affirm the image of God in all involved?

- How does this value people the way God values them?

- How does this celebrate our diversity?

- How does this value and welcome input from a diverse range of people – for example people of all ages?

- How does this include or welcome input from to people who find it hard to be included or contribute?

- How does this build relationships between people of different ages?