Toongabbie Anglican Church Vision 2020
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Toongabbie Anglican Church
Vision 2020
Vision month 2020 Raj Gupta
Lead Pastor
What a year it has been! Who would have time last year, and it seems only right to reflect
thought that 2020 would unfold with such back with thankfulness upon God’s many and
challenges – for our world, country, city, and great blessings. This will be our focus in Vision
also Christian people seeking to stand firm in Month this year, starting with this booklet.
Christ.
We can be so thankful to God through the
No one could have foreseen the events of challenges and opportunities. And, at the
2020. Churches were forced to close their same time, we need to continue to pray for his
doors for the first time in over 100 years. The guidance and strength as our church enters into
practice of meeting together is so central to the the “hybrid church” phase and seeks wisdom in
Christian life - to standing firm and growing planning to help ordinary people encounter the
in the Gospel. We have all been so powerfully extraordinary God in a post-COVID world.
reminded that the church is about Christians
meeting together, rather than any building. And, as we think about the future, let
us ordinary people not forget about our
While case numbers may be dropping, the extraordinary God.
issues around the pandemic are by no means
over. As we begin to reflect back on the 2020
year, despite its challenges, we can also see
Do you not know?
extraordinary blessings. Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
In being forced to transition services to the the Creator of the whole earth.
online platform, we have discovered that people He never becomes faint or weary;
from around the world can watch. In moving there is no limit to his understanding.
courses such as Christianity Explored online, He gives strength to the faint
likewise, we have discovered that our efforts to
help people know Jesus need not be confined
and strengthens the powerless.
to our local area and have found that the online Youths may become faint and weary,
forum opens up all kinds of possibilities. In and young men stumble and fall,
having online prayer meetings, we have found but those who trust in the LORD
even more people have been able to join in. will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
Accordingly, Vision Month this year will be a
little different. We always want to be a church
they will run and not become weary,
that looks forward. This said, we had to put they will walk and not faint.
on hold many of our human plans from this Isaiah 40:28–31
2
Contents
Looking back & looking forward
Pages 4-5
Vision and 2020 reports
Pages 6-23
2020 goals & Priorities for 2021
Pages 24-25
Financial partnership
Pages 26-27
3
Looking Back with thankfulness
& Looking Forward with prayerfulness
Our Story
Dirt roads and paddocks are now built up; the For over 130 years, the people who comprise
Parramatta Council area is the fastest growing TAC have been so transformed they have then
in the country. But despite change, outside and sacrificially worshipped God, loved each other
within our church, TAC continues to be a place deeply, and served our community by sharing
where thousands of people have encountered the message of the power of Jesus. In addition,
the unchanging truth of God’s extraordinary people have felt the love and support of a
love. church community that is there for them in all
circumstances. Many comment on the welcome
The extraordinary God offers rescue and hope they have received from their first visit.
to ordinary people like us through his grand
salvation plan. That’s why he sent Jesus: God Through people and events, God has, and
proves his own love for us in that while we were continues to be working. We are all now part of
still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). It is this story, as we journey into the next 130 years
overwhelming! (unless Jesus returns).
Our vision
we are Ordinary People Encountering the Extraordinary God.
Our vision is to be an ever-growing, diverse church family. The grace
of Jesus unites and transforms us to worship God wholeheartedly,
love each other deeply and serve our community boldly.
4
“
With such unique challenges this year, our
focus for Vision Month will arise from our
”
thankfulness for everything God has done
through the uncertainty of 2020, and our
prayerful dependence on him to direct and
shape our future steps.
How do we get there?
This vision shapes our prayers and our plans.
As a church it shapes who we are and what we
do. It is the foundation of our 5 M structure,
which shapes this Vision booklet.
MISSION
A follower of Jesus and an effective church
must invest in:
• Mission - helping people encounter Jesus Membership
• Membership - connecting and caring within
our church family
• Maturity - growing as we take steps in our
faith journey
• Magnification - celebrating the greatness of MATURITY
God in lives of worship
• Ministry - joyfully and boldly serving our
church family and wider community.
You’ll see reports on each of these areas in the
coming pages.
MAGNIFICATION
With such unique challenges this year, our
focus for Vision Month will arise from our
thankfulness for everything God has done
through the uncertainty of 2020, and our MINISTRY
prayerful dependence on him to direct and
shape our future steps.
5
An ever-growing diverse church family This vision makes us ask hard Is this a safe space for children, questions of ourselves. Do we for vulnerable, broken and reflect the diversity of culture, hurting people? Are we a church age and education that we see family by name only or do we around us? Do we have room to really care for each other? welcome more people in? Is our church a place you can invite Let’s pray that we might be an people to? Can people connect ever-growing diverse church with us easily online? When a family! new person enters our property are they made to feel welcome? 6
SNAPSHOT:
Connecting Online
My weekly online TAC service and Judy and myself found the online services
Tuesday night bible study was a great and we appreciate how professionally
wonderful constant in a time of change they were done.
and uncertainty.
It has been great to get back to real church
on Sunday afternoons.
Being able to meet together to sing,
pray and hear God’s word faithfully The Batsons
preached was such an encouragement.
Studying the Psalms and Prayer helped
me in my daily walk with God, to hold
onto Him who is ever constant.
Anne
After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation,
tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before
the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with
palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb! Revelation 7:9-10
7
MISSION & Membership
REPORT Ben Allen
The challenges presented by the COVID-19 Please pray for opportunities and boldness to
pandemic have forced us to think creatively invite friends, neighbours and family to join
about how we help people encounter Jesus us at church. And when people walk through
when it is difficult (or, in some cases, not our doors, please have eyes to see them, and
possible) to meet face-to-face. hearts to care for them regardless of any and all
barriers.
We are thankful to God for technology which
has enabled us to meet online throughout This year has also seen the launch of Life@TAC,
this period. We have been able to run both our new membership course. We have worked
Christianity Explored and Alpha on Zoom through the COVID period to produce all of
this year, which has provided opportunities to the materials online, making it even easier to
connect with people who may not have been participate. The course gives people a closer
able or willing to attend a course in person. look at the mission and vision of our church. We
Praise God! hope to see many of our new and established
members completing this course in the coming
It’s been lovely to see our church increasingly months.
reflect the diversity of our surrounding
community, but we still have a long way to go.
Systems, signs and social media are great, but
if we are really going to achieve this vision of
being an ever-growing diverse church family, it’s
really down to you and me (and God of course).
8
Thanks-
giving
project
External Project
Enabled Healthcare, India
Target: $10,000
As well as focusing on our own needs,
we take the opportunity each year to
Gospel Partners make a difference beyond our church
ministries. Last year we supported
This year we’ve The Reillys, serving with The Sanctuary Women’s Shelter in
welcomed home Pioneers Castle Hill as they support women
missionaries Peter and families affected by domestic
and Sarah Sholl and violence.
their family. We are so
thankful to God for their This year we are supporting
service in Mexico and Enabled Healthcare, a network of
their hearts to reach healthcare workers and volunteers
people with the Gospel in northern India who share the
of Jesus. Please pray as love of Jesus through their tangible
they adjust to life back The Felthams, preparing to service. Hannah and Rial Kidson
in Australia, and for serve with CMS in Kenya from our morning congregation
the important work of served with Samvedna, an Enabled
MOCLAM to continue in project, in recent years. Enabled’s
Mexico. work in Education has led to the
establishment of three schools,
As a church, we supporting children in villages in a
currently support nurturing and relevant educational
Compassion, Freedom environment. Funds are required to
for Faith and the support these schools, particularly
following families: during these COVID-affected times.
9
TOONIEKIDS REPORT Rachael Stabback
Whilst our usual programs like with the tech side of recording,
ToonieKids Church, ToonieKids learning stories, leading games,
Crew, ToonieKids Week and even singing, dancing and talking to
school Scripture haven’t run for puppets. It was also encouraging
much of this year there has still to hear from families about how
been lots happening in Kids their children have been engaging
Ministry during 2020. And we have with this content at home and
much to thank God for! to see pictures of the challenges
they completed at home. It was no
The ToonieKids team have been small task to pull this together and
working very hard to continue to I am very thankful for those who
connect with and teach the Bible to contributed to make it happen in
the kids of our church and in our both big and small ways.
local community. They have been
writing personalised letters to kids, It has also been very exciting to have
filming videos, calling families and scripture and Kids@Play resuming
praying for the children in their during term 3. We can thank God
programs. for this and continue to ask for
opportunities to continue building
This year has also seen the creation connections with our community
of Kids Church Online! Singing, through these ministries!
games, challenges and Bible
teaching all in one video. Heading into the new year, we need
So many people have stepped up more people to serve on our teams.
to help make this happen. People Please complete a response form if
editing videos each week, helping you’re interested in helping out!
10Youth REPORT
Ben Allen
Our One80 youth a growing group of junior
community has both youth who are bursting
thrived and suffered with energy and keen to
during the COVID season. be together.
Thanks- We are so thankful to
God to now be meeting in
person on Friday nights
and Sunday mornings.
Another challenge is our
Sunday morning One80
Garage program which
giving
While our period on is stretching our leaders
Zoom was not a hard across two services—we
thing for the youth and really need two more
leaders to make happen, volunteers to make this
the in-person relational sustainable.
project aspects were sorely
missed.
A new highlight of my
week is the senior youth
Please thank God for the
fast re-connection with
many youth in Term 3.
Please pray for a number
SRE Boost Growth Group that of youth we are missing
Target: $5,000 started on Zoom during to return, and for some
COVID lockdown and motivated volunteer co-
now continues on Zoom leaders for One80 Garage.
We weren’t able to hold our annual every week. We love
SRE Appeal this year, so we are hoping wrestling with God’s word
to raise additional funds to support and then trying to live it
scripture in our local schools. out.
Donations to the education fund are Unfortunately, our time
tax deductible. See the response form on Zoom has meant we
for special instructions if you wish to have lost contact with a
claim your gift as a tax deduction. number of youth who
now haven’t returned to
One80. And yet we have
11The grace of Jesus unites & transforms us
‘The grace of Jesus unites and As we come to Jesus messed up
transforms us…’ This short and broken, the great news is
phrase is the powerhouse and that he doesn’t leave us there.
the beating heart of our vision We are called to be transformed
statement. No growth, diversity, and renewed - to take off the old
worship, love or service is going and put on the new (Ephesians
to mean anything unless it’s 4:20-24).
powered by the gracious love of
Jesus. Our prayer is that as we read
and hear God’s word taught,
Jesus is the great uniter. In his as we share life and pray for
death for us and in his rising to each other, God would do his
new life, he unites us with God. powerful, transformative work in
And those who trust in him are our lives at every age and stage.
united as family, so we are ‘all
one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians
3:28).
12Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the re-
newing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good,
pleasing, and perfect will of God. ROMANS 12:2
SNAPSHOT: Jon Flood
Prayer Pastoral Assistant
A real joy this year has been the my name, I am there among them
opportunity to join together in (Matthew 18:20). Secondly, praying
prayer online. Before COVID we together spurs each other on in
didn’t think of doing this, but it our personal prayer lives - Rejoice
has been such a blessing that we in hope, be patient in affliction, be
definitely want to keep doing this. persistent in prayer (Romans 12:12).
Our meetings have been either
in the evening or during the day, We can be so thankful for God’s
and a wide range of people from gracious gift of prayer and the
across our church family have opportunity to meet, pray and
participated. encourage one another online.
Online prayer meetings work on a
couple of levels. Firstly, something
powerful happens when God’s
people come together in prayerful
dependence on him - For where
two or three are gathered together in
13Maturity REPORT Raj Gupta I believe that 2020 will be looked back on banning of meetings being a catalyst for so as particularly significant for our Christian many being proactive in joining online groups. maturity. The heart of maturity at our church The online possibilities were also a catalyst for revolves around Growth Groups. I was so new online youth group Bible studies to form. encouraged that almost all groups were able to And, turning to the importance of prayer, we transition online within a matter of weeks of in discovered new ways for prayer meetings to person meetings being banned. happen. Of particular encouragement were the We have every reason to thank God for such numbers of mature age groups that were able provisions, and please continue to pray for to navigate technology and “meet” online. Yes, wisdom to know the optimal shape of small online meetings are not the same as in person groups into the future. ones. However, under the circumstances of the year, they have been the best that we could manage and still enable meeting over God’s word to encourage each other in love and good works (see Hebrews 10:24). In fact, one new group even formed with the onset of COVID. While they have had in person social things, their mode of meeting has only been online. And, we noticed the 14
SNAPSHOT:
growth groups
Our Growth Group formed just as members. The first time that we all met in
everything shut down at church. In our person was wonderful! You miss so many
group we have people from across all physical cues when you don’t meet face
congregations at church and we met only to face and there is just something about
on Zoom for many weeks. physically being in the presence of other
believers that is of great encouragement. It
Meeting only on Zoom has its challenges, is good for our souls.
it is definitely not the same as meeting in
person, but it is also a great blessing. It We have all met in person a few times now,
enabled us to meet, study the Bible and but continue our bible study on Zoom. We
pray together in a time when it wasn’t have a lovely group, full of Godly people
possible to otherwise. We didn’t even have that are of great encouragement to me.
to leave the house!
Sally
As restrictions started to ease, we were
invited around to the home of two of our
15Worship God wholeheartedly
‘Teach me your way, Lord, comfort, pleasure and the
that I may rely on your other false gods of our society.
faithfulness; give me an
undivided heart that I may Wholehearted worship
fear your name.’ In Psalm means that our friends and
86, King David prayed for community notice a difference
a heart, mind and life that in the way we work, parent
is transformed by God’s and spend our money. And as
faithfulness. we welcome our community to
join us to worship together on
This is what we want for Sundays, they’ll see a whole
ourselves as part of this family transformed by Jesus.
church. Our vision is to
be a people who live in Let’s pray that as people see us,
wholehearted worship to they will want to know more
the God who made us, loves about the life, community,
us, saves us and calls us his hope and purpose that only
children. We don’t want to Jesus brings.
be half-hearted worshippers,
chasing money, significance,
16My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in
God my Saviour. Luke 1:46-47 (ESV)
17magnification &
Ministry REPORT Murray Colville
This time last year, I was stepping out of kid’s person (many at both morning services). Our
ministry to give more focus to our church team of online church anchors stepped out of
gatherings. I was also taking on a ‘Ministry’ their comfort zone onto our TV screens. The
role with the aim of supporting teams and amazing kid’s church team provided online
leadership across our church. What actually content and have now doubled their morning
happened was, half a year spent figuring out programs. John, Elizabeth and Greg continue to
online church. And the other half, figuring out spend most Mondays working on our property...
how to come back together. I could go on.
This meant less ‘big picture’ ministry planning In many ways, we can see how God has
for me, yet I’ve seen so many ways that people prepared us for this unexpected year. And it is
have stepped up to serve. also obvious how he has blessed our church
with many who are willing to serve each
The tech teams (and in particular Jordan) have other and our community. Amid changes and
put in a huge effort to reconfigure everything for uncertainty, I look forward to the Magnification
online streaming. Oliver, Rich and Nash took on and Ministry teams encouraging us in our
a lot more video editing work. The musicians wholehearted worship and bold service in 2021.
pre-recorded songs and are now serving us in
18Thanks-
giving
project
Future Training Fund
Target: $15,000
Here at Toongabbie Anglican Church,
we want to be training and equipping
men and women to serve in gospel
ministry. In past years, it has been
a great joy to see members of our
church undertake Ministry Training
Scheme (MTS) apprenticeships and
we hope to be able to train others in
this way in the future.
This fund would enable us to take on
a ministry apprentice in the future.
It may also be used to train others
serving in various ministries at TAC.
19Love each other deeply ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ (John 15:12). To love each other as Jesus loves us is really challenging. We believe that being part of this church is not like turning up at a class to get your name marked off. It’s more like being part of a family. And like any family, its messy and we don’t always do a great job of loving each other. We make our share of mistakes. But we do life together, in Growth Groups, in lounge rooms and cafés. We gather on Sundays at church. In this, our prayer is that you can be part of giving and receiving deep love modelled off Jesus’ love for us. 20
This is my command: Love one another as I have
loved you. JOHN 15:12
SNAPSHOT: Col Adamson
Christian care Christian Care Coordinator
John writes that we love God because he first us, and to grow them in appreciating Christ who
loved us, and Paul reminds us that as those who brings us into this glorious relationship.
are brought into God’s family are now one new
humanity; loving each other in ways which The Christian care team has been set up to
would otherwise be totally foreign to us. Love, support all of us; to provide wisdom, particular
care and compassion for others is not the task care, support for small groups and leaders
or role of a selected few, but of all who have and (as time and energy permit), to the wider
received compassion from the Lord. community.
This care is care “with an edge”. In 2 I have been greatly encouraged by the natural
Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul writes with praise relational care, which I have observed across
to the God…. the father of compassion and our congregations through the normal
comfort, who comforts us in our troubles; so connections, Growth Groups, staff and other
that we can comfort those in any trouble with links. For these things we give thanks to the
the comfort we ourselves have received from Lord.
God. To comfort others with the comfort we
have received from God, is to care for them in If you do have any needs at all, please do not
such a way that brings them to the source of all hesitate in contacting me (col@tac.church).
comfort; to grow them in grasping the height,
depth, length and width of the love of God for God bless.
21Serve our community boldly
Bold service of our community community with what they
points us in two directions. really need, not just what they
want. And what our community
Firstly, we serve and care really needs is Jesus.
for each other in our church
community - in contributing So, as we serve our community
to Sunday and midweek by providing events, workshops
activities, in all kinds of up-frontor support, as we invite them to
and behind-the-scenes ways. ToonieKids Week or Christmas
Ministry simply means service, celebrations, we keep Jesus
and we are all called to love central. We don’t stop teaching
and serve the body, the church about him and pointing to him.
family. As we make friends at the school
gate, in our workplaces and
But there is another direction to sports clubs, we remember what
our service - it’s the way we serve it is that our community needs
the community that doesn’t (yet) more than anything else.
know Jesus and isn’t (yet) part of
our church. Let’s pray that we would have
boldness to serve each other
And here is where boldness and our community powered by
really matters. Boldness the grace of Jesus, pointing our
means taking risks and needy world to him.
making decisions to serve our
22God’s Church, Our Ministry
Target: $20,000
Thanks- The people of our church are so generous in so
many ways, giving time, effort and money to see
giving
our vision become a reality. It’s a true partnership
between congregations, church members, paid
and volunteer leaders. Each bit of the body playing
its part. While we know to some degree what
the coming year holds, there are always surprise
project
challenges to face and opportunities to grasp hold
of.
Each year, alongside our thanksgiving projects we
invite you to give to ‘wherever it’s most needed’.
It could be an air conditioner that needs repair,
the costs of our Christmas outreach, subsidising
training for a junior leader, meeting a budget
shortfall or something else entirely.
23Our 2020 goals
When COVID-19 hit, life seemed to change Despite the strangeness of 2020, we are so
overnight. While our priority has remained thankful to God for the progress we have seen
to help ordinary people encounter the on a number of our goals for the year.
extraordinary God, some of our goals have,
understandably, been put on hold as we have Please pray for the staff team in planning
adapted to government restrictions and the for 2021 and thank God for his goodness in
increased challenges of ‘doing church’ during a providing for us through such a difficult season.
global pandemic.
KEY
completed
Progress Review in progress
deferred
Identify and remove barriers to participation and engagement in our church gatherings
1 Upgrade of carpark to multi use area Review community elements of 6pm
Review of child safety & check-in Progress property investigations
Change auditorium orientation
Invest in deliberate discipleship through kids and youth transitions
2
Establish Children’s Pastor Establish youth involvement in church
Develop 3-year program for One80 Garage Run summer Growth Group for school
Host parent forums leavers
Establish a process to help people use their gifts for serving in church
3
Develop Ministry team and processes Implement online training platform
Support existing Ministry leaders
Establish a Christian Care ministry
4
Establish Christian Care Coordinator Develop a care team
Renew our regular first step (evangelism) course
5
Select a suitable course Explore how to equip Growth Groups
Run a course each term in 2020 Train leaders to run course in 2021
24Priorities for 2021
MAGNIFICATION • Develop online church as a missional opportunity.
• Develop teams to sustainably maintain the pattern
of four Sunday services.
Mission • Continue the pattern of one evangelistic course per
term.
• Partner with Anglicare to provide community
support seminars as service and mission outreach
opportunities.
• Develop the Mission support team.
membership • Establish Membership leaders, teams and processes
at each service.
• Continue roll-out and utilisation of the Life@TAC
course.
• Develop 6pm community.
Maturity • Provide better one on one support and training
opportunities for Growth Group leaders, especially
by developing cluster leaders.
• Preaching team to take part in workshop or
development program together.
Ministry • Develop process for helping people figure out how
and where to serve.
Kids • Shape Sunday morning kids’ programs as an
invitational opportunity.
Youth • Establish new Youth Pastor.
Other • Progress property development or alternative
options.
25Financial
partnership
Jesus has shown us the most extraordinary this world. This can be thought of as being a
generosity - he gave his life so that we might conduit (to distribute God’s blessings) rather
be forgiven and have eternal life. We have the than a reservoir (that stores up for ourselves).
absolute privilege of being stewards of what The Bible teaches us to be generous to our
God has entrusted us for his purposes, as local church, mission around the world and to
we store up treasures in heaven rather than the poor.
Pledging
Our church is funded almost entirely by the frequency for the coming year. We understand
giving of those who attend. At Toongabbie that we are facing a prolonged period of
Anglican, we ask and invite people to annually uncertainty and that circumstances may change,
indicate their level of giving. This helps you to but we believe that this is still a helpful exercise.
regularly rethink and pray about your giving
as circumstances change, and to train yourself We offer a variety of ways in which you can
in growing in the ‘grace of generosity’ (2 give to TAC – for example, BPAY, credit card,
Corinthians 8:7-8) over a period of time. It also internet banking and cash (including with
helps the church leadership plan wisely for the dated envelopes). For more information about
year ahead. the Biblical principles and practicalities about
giving, please refer to the ‘Giving’ booklet on the
During Vision Month, we invite all regulars at church website.
TAC to indicate intended regular giving and
though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, so that
through his poverty we might become rich. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:9
26Thanksgiving Projects
Contributing to one of our thanksgiving
projects is a practical and tangible way of
expressing our thanks to God for his goodness
to us. At the same time, it helps enable vital
ministries and special opportunities to take
important steps forward.
This year’s projects are as follows:
1. External Project 4. god’s church, our ministry
Target: $10,000 Target: $20,000
Supporting Enabled Healthcare, a network of Supporting the work of TAC ‘wherever it’s
healthcare workers and volunteers in India needed’
You can find more information about these
2. SRE Boost projects throughout the booklet.
Target: $5,000
Supporting School Scripture A response form can be found at:
Donations to this fund are tax deductible www.tac.church/vision
3. Future training fund
Target: $15,000
Supporting future training, particularly through
the Ministry Training Scheme
27Find all of our Vision Month resources, including the response form, at: www.tac.church/vision
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