Wesley Mission Annual Report 2020 - Flipbook - Page 8
Our Christian community
Finding hope and connection in Christ
Care and connection without physical
contact
Our food and care ministry, Wesley Connect and its
volunteers found safe ways to respond to requests
for help they received by email and phone.
Wesley Mission is one church with many vibrant and diverse congregations.
Our desire to follow Jesus Christ is what unites us and sustains us.
Continuing to worship and remain connected
during COVID-19
Responding to increasing restrictions and
lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19,
Wesley Mission’s worship services moved online
from mid-March with services delivered in English,
Indonesian, Mandarin and Samoan.
Ministers and teams quickly upskilled to capture
messages, prayer and music at home using basic
equipment. As lockdown measures increased,
these steps facilitated a collaborative approach
that retained many of their familiar elements.
Emails were sent out, letters were posted and
phone calls were made by a network of lay leaders
to ensure everyone received support in their
preferred format. Week by week, congregations
added different opportunities to connect with our
senior members who were eager to embrace new
technology.
Samoan congregation finds an international
audience
Pastor Watson Pualilo and his family adapted
Wesley Mission’s Samoan Congregation service to
bring the message of Jesus Christ in a relatable
format online. And while a small congregation of
less than 50 people, their online presence has
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expanded their reach with services watched over
8,200 times and Samoan speakers joining from New
Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Wesley International Congregation reaches
all ages
Wesley International Congregation used creativity to
help congregation members of all ages remain
connected to church.
Kingdom Kids leaders from both our City and Ryde
congregations made video resources to support
under-five’s and primary school aged children.
DIGJC youth hosted live Zoom sessions on Friday
nights and Senior Pastor Andy Chin, with Pastor
Cory and Pastor Jeane recorded Bible studies and
podcasts to help people find inspiration and
encouragement during the crisis.
A very different Easter Mission
Easter Mission is an important period of mission
engagement, with events traditionally held in
Sydney landmarks across Holy Week. This year,
with restrictions in place cancelling regular public
events, celebrations moved online.
Wesley Mission Superintendent, the Rev Keith V
Garner AM welcomed the world to his back deck in
a series titled ‘The Isolation of the Cross’. A new
episode aired each day on Wesley Mission’s
website, YouTube, Facebook and on UCB radio in
the UK. The last seven episodes reached more than
83,000 people, with nearly two thirds of the
audience from outside Australia.
While Wesley Mission’s Easter Sunrise Service is
usually broadcast live from the Sydney Opera
House, this year, with the appropriate health
restrictions in place, it was filmed in our regular TV
studio. As one of the first major cities to welcome
Easter Sunday, people tuned in from around the
world to be part of the celebration.
“The location changed, but the message didn’t. We
thank God in a time when gatherings are not
permitted that this clear Christian message was
brought directly to people in their homes,” Mr
Garner said.
Morning Cuppa with Rick
Wesley Mission’s Senior Minister Rev Dr Rick Dacey,
launched a daily thought shared online and on
social media to provide people with a sense of
regularity whilst working from home. The ‘Cuppa
Community’ grew to include regular contributors
from as far as Malaysia and the remote Orkney
Islands off the coast of Scotland. The group
became a place of support, encouraging everyone
to ‘have a hope-filled day’.
“If it’s a family identified as needing emergency
food relief, we put together a hamper of food and
groceries that for an average family will last about
two weeks. We coordinate with them to drop it off
at their location with a no-touch delivery. We ring
when we’re nearby, and when we arrive, we put the
hamper down so the person can come and pick it
up. We can also have a socially distanced
conversation to check in with how people are
going and see if we can offer any other help,” said
Chaplain Dave Wu.
New Minister welcomed by Wesley Chinese
Congregation
Rev Jonathan Chen was officially inducted to our
Wesley Chinese Congregation in February.
Jonathan’s heart for practical mission was sparked
when he was invited to speak at Wesley Chinese
Congregation’s family camp two years ago.
“The past 10 years in the Anglican Church, my
ministry became a routine. So, I prayed to God
for a possibility to explore the mission area.
I think mission is God’s ultimate purpose,”
Jonathan said.
Growing together in ministry and mission
After unanimous agreement to invite Agape
Indonesia Church to become a Wesley Mission
congregation in 2019, leaders are continuing to seek
God’s direction on what it means for us to be one
integrated church.
Agape is a dynamic and growing community of faith,
with a significant ministry to university students,
new Australians and Indonesian speakers in Sydney.
Led by Pastor Stephen and Susana Tanuwijaya, this
congregation has been enlivened by our journey
together.
Safe Church measures demonstrate care for
each other
Over the past year, Safe Church training has been
provided by the Uniting Church Synod of NSW &
ACT, including policies, tools and congregational
resources. Leaders, elders and people in ministry
roles from each congregation were verified to hold
current Working With Children Checks and a
register was established to ensure clearances
remain current. These policies also align with child
safety practices already implemented across
Wesley Mission’s community services.
Chaplaincy support
At Wesley Mission, we recognise that all people
have wide-ranging physical, emotional and
spiritual needs throughout their lives, whether
related to their work or not. Wesley Mission
chaplains offer a safe, non-judgemental and
supportive presence in the ups and downs of life,
regardless of a person’s personal convictions or
religious background. Our chaplains are here for
staff, volunteers and people in need.
Many of our congregation members want to serve
and come alongside vulnerable people and staff
across Wesley Mission. As our chaplains work
across our congregations and community services,
they can establish valuable links between people in
both areas, enabling us to live out our commitment
in both Word and deed.
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