Renewed and strengthened focus on proclaiming Christ

Insights asked leadership across Uniting Financial Services, Uniting, Uniting Resources and Uniting Mission and Education to reflect on the year that was and the year that will be. Together they hope that Christmas will be a time of blessing and renewal. This time, hear from Uniting Financial Services – Executive Director, Warren Bird.

My fourth year in this wonderful role as the Executive Director of UFS comes to a close with a great sense of anticipation. Something is stirring within the Uniting Church, in this Synod. There’s a commitment and passion among the leadership team to make sure that all the Boards of the Synod are working to support the Church in a renewed and strengthened focus on proclaiming Christ.

It’s exciting to be working with Simon and Jane as the Synod’s appointed leaders. They are people that all Church members can be proud of; followers of Christ who are generous, thoughtful and faithful. I also have a new set of ED colleagues following a turnover of all the other positions this year. We’re all here to serve and to work hard to improve the quality of the service that the Synod’s Boards provide across NSW & ACT.

My great hope for 2019 is that a stronger bond of trust can be developed between those of us who work for the Synod and all members of the Church. Out of that bond, I hope that creative, gospel-centred new relationships can be forged. I’m pleased to be able to point to several situations in which I’ve been involved over the past few years where a new sense of being ‘on the same page’ has developed. I’m looking forward to UFS taking another step in that direction in 2019 when our core banking system upgrade project is completed and our partners – investors and borrowers – can enjoy a better experience in their financial dealings with us.

I also hope that we can all be better listeners. That we’ll listen to each other better, to understand what we all face, to know how to better serve one another. More important, that we’ll listen to God better, studying the scriptures for the revealed divine mind and prayerfully discerning what it means to be disciples of Christ in today’s rapidly changing world.

I hope that we all realise that it’s not about us, it’s about Jesus. It’s not about our pet projects (however vital they may be), it’s about making disciples for Jesus; and it’s not about our institution. It’s about our relationships and our communities. Please pray for us who work for you by working in the Synod. Pray that we’ll be filled with wisdom, with love and with courage.

Wishing you every blessing this Christmas and for a New Year full of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.