I’m pleased to report that 2023 was a year of celebrating initiative. We have heard and seen churches and communities of faith throughout our union taking initiatives with new activities or programs in new areas and with new people. It has been exciting to see and celebrate with churches as they take risks to see the kingdom of God released in new and different ways.
This focus on initiative was also supported by our annual internal research which identified a more positive outlook for the year. You can read more on this on pages 3 – 5.
Among our BUV Support Hub strategic priorities for 2023, some of the key initiatives we focused on were:
- Developing a union wide prayer initiative and encourage participation – in 2023, we launched online corporate prayer meetings, Let’s Pray Together and saw a gradual increase in attendance. We encouraged and incorporated prayer in each
initiative we undertook and have initiated plans for a specific BUV Prayer Week to kick of the year annually from 2024. - Defining, demystifying and exploring what evangelism
looks like in the future – In 2023, our discernment process focussed on evangelism with discussion at 6 consultation forums and Members’ Dinner. We gathered information that will be utilised to develop our mission strategy into the
future. - Roll out of Professional Pastoral Supervision (PPS) for all pastoral leaders – In 2023, we advised all pastoral leaders that from 2024, PPS will be a mandatory requirement of BUV accreditation. In addition, we added 40 Supervisors as BUV
Recognised Professional Pastoral Supervisors and will continue to add to this number in the following months, ensuring all pastoral leaders can be accommodated.
In addition, we also participated in some fairly substantial advocacy in 2023 with education and information provided on The Indigenous Voice to Parliament, our Stand with Myanmar advocacy and fundraising campaign with Baptist Mission Australia campaign and our contribution to the national Baptist Converge event at Parliament House in October.
I wish to thank both our Union Council for their guidance through yet another year; and our Support Hub Leadership Team and their team members for another year of diligence and dedication; both working towards our vision of being a union of flourishing churches with Christlike followers who join with God’s redemptive work in society.
Rev Daniel Bullock
Director of Mission and Ministries