Our Foundations
As an amalgamation of 4 previous congregations, we recognise that Ipswich Uniting Church represents the sum of, and hopefully, the best of, what we were.
We will express those foundations that were most important to our previous congregations. We have previously identified these as being:
Trust
We affirm God’s faithfulness, expressed in Jesus Christ, and confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit, and continue to grow in our trust of God. As we trust the Lord our God, we are becoming more courageous and vulnerable in deepening our relationships of love and trust with one another.
Service
We are called to follow Jesus’ example, not to be served but to serve one another compassionately in a unified community. We have the responsibility to serve God’s world, locally and globally. God has given us the gifts and talents to creatively enable us to develop a culture of servanthood.
Mission
We believe that we are all empowered to share the journey of Christian mission to our communities and the world. We are called to reach out, communicate and influence our community through our actions and words that God can bring hope and grace to our world.
Faithful Commitment
As an exercise of spiritual discipline, and community, our members attend church regularly and demonstrate their faith by actively participating in activities run by their local worshiping community. In doing so, we display a strong sense of belonging and witness.
Care for One Another
We believe that as the body of Christ, caring for one another is an important aspect of discipleship and church life. Through intercessory prayer, support for families, as well as intentional welcome and inclusion, we build each other up.
Biblical Witness
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we acclaim the Old and New Testament Scriptures as the unique prophetic and apostolic testimony that guide our worship, witness, and service. We lay hold of the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion as signs of God’s grace and faithfulness, as revealed in the Scriptures.
Our Values
With our feet firmly planted in these foundations, Ipswich UC will experience a rebirth as we bring ourselves together relationally, physically, and missionally. As one people, we will seek to hold the following values as core to our life together. At this stage, these remain only words. Together we will learn what they mean for us and how we will express them.
• Relational
• Inclusive
• Future focussed
• Innovative
• Justice oriented
• Grace filled
Our Vision
As an expression of the church we are building, the church council has developed a vision:
To be a church of growth: living our values in a way that sees us grow in discipleship, faith, mission, size, and influence in order to preach the gospel in Ipswich and the world. Relying fully on God’s grace, we will grow together in every way that God calls us.
As we come together relationally, we will spend time together discerning our preferred future.
Our Strategic Priorities
• Growing together
• Reaching out
• Making disciples
Our strategic engagement
We will be a multi-generational church with a primary focus on family ministry.
Our strategic action plan
Growing together
We will grow together in community so that we can encourage each other in discipleship.
Our impact will be seen in an increase in average weekly worship attendance of 5 – 10% annually.
Reaching out
As an expression of our discipleship, we will love and serve others locally, nationally, and internationally.
Our impact will be seen through each service and outreach activity of our church having a stated in (community), out (service), up (worship/devotion) dimension.
Making disciples
In response to Jesus’ Great Commission, we will create opportunities for people to hear and respond to the gospel.
Our impact will be seen in 50 new commitments to Jesus Christ by 2033.
