A crisis for some is an opportunity for Riverina

There is much in rural New South Wales Uniting Churches for urban congregations to envy.

The very faithful remnant knows that even the prolonged impact of climate change is providing additional opportunities to minister within their communities.

Take a look at the Presbytery of Riverina.

They have a sophisticated and intelligent lay leadership, dynamic multicultural work, energised youth activities, an imaginative approach to ministry, enviable community appreciation and an exemplary utilisation of support from Assembly, Synod and other presbyteries.

Presbytery secretary is John Rumens. He draws attention to Griffith where irrigation has led to a multicultural population.

There are now two Uniting Church ministers there of whom one, Abera Abera, is a Cook Islander supported by Synod’s Mission Support Fund.

There are another three Pacific Islanders in ministry in the Riverina, including an intern at Wagga Wagga.

Of these, Mr Rumens says, “This is a fascinating reversal of the previous pattern of Australian missionaries to the Pacific. Now we are the beneficiaries of their labours.”

Riverina, Central Riverina and Southern Riverina youth committees are leading teams of excited and dedicated lay people in coordinating the energised youth activities.

The numbers attending events are quite impressive: more than 400 at the ecumenical Kids Camp Out for under-12s at Narrandera, 60 at Presbytery Snow Camp, 40 at Black Stump, 120 at one Blighty Bash for high schoolers and 160 at the other Blighty Bash in November.

Darren Wright, a lay Youth and Children’s Worker who started in January 2007 says, “I am only there to assist and support these volunteers who are, quite simply, working their bottoms off in order to minister with the young people from the region.”

The promising leadership potential and real signs of hope for the future were shown in the two under-30-year-old representatives at the 2007 New South Wales Synod.

A significant change in ministry patterns began in 2006.

The first decisive step was for presbytery to be divided into four sectors.

Within each sector, congregations collaborated.

The Ardlethan, Coolamon and Temora cluster decided to fund a resource minister to develop the lay members’ ministry skills.

The Rev. Anne Ryan was inducted in this role in July 2006. The arrangement has benefited the congregations involved and the Junee congregation has now expressed an interest in joining.

Then, the Rev. Tony Davies began as Presbytery Ministries Development Officer in August 2007. He also is developing the dreams of Uniting Church people for dynamic mission in their communities from his base in Narrandera.

“While I have only been here for a short time, I am constantly amazed at the quality of the lay leadership I encounter around the Presbytery,” Mr Davies says. “These are the real ministers. We clergy are there merely to encourage and cheer from the sidelines.”

They are now also investigating the potential of a mobile minister to resource, support and care for the dedicated lay people who are already doing fabulous work.

The concept is for someone to work with a congregation for short intensive periods of two to three months, and then to move on to the next place, allowing the congregation to continue the work.

As well, there are six people undertaking periods of discernment about becoming ministers of the word and a number who are likely to undertake lay preacher training.

Despite few paid ministers (12 across the 31 Uniting Church congregations), congregations are responding to increased community needs as families cope with the stress resulting from drought-related loss of income and mounting debt.

Uniting Church members have organised for families to receive cash, hampers, community barbecues and holidays on the coast or in Sydney.

Waged Riverina members have donated generously towards these projects and all can pray, nominate people who are hurting and deliver the packages to distribution centres.

And, as Darren Wright points out, with no full-time ministry agents in many communities, it’s often left to the lay people in the community to take on the funerals and pastoral care.

They are certainly moving with God and transforming community.

Fred and Ann Humphreys, retired farmers from Urbenville, started work as pastoral visitors to the farming community in the Riverina on January 21, 2008.

They visit farming families who are understood to be struggling. Many are facing the possibility of having to leave their farms.

February was a crunch time as that was the time when many bank loans fell due for payment.

While the church could not pay their bills, it could at least send someone to sit with them in their agony.

Riverina Presbytery is not sure how they will cover all of the costs associated with this initially three-month ministry, but some donations coming from congregations in Sydney North Presbytery will help.

The Moderator’s Drought Appeal and the Assembly Disaster Fund have helped with the support for families and communities, as have members of a large number of Uniting Church congregations, including Wingham and Sydney’s Peakhurst and Lugarno.

Additionally, a twinning arrangement with the Sydney North Presbytery has led to the start of reciprocal visits for increased understanding and mutual support.

Presbytery’s part-time worker at the Wagga Wagga Campus of Charles Sturt University, Aimee Kent, gets professional development support from Synod’s Tertiary Education Chaplaincy Unit.

Challenging seminars led by Rev. Dr. Clive Pearson and Rev. Dr Peter Powell have been aided by support from the ELM Centre.

A preliminary phone call about this article was taken by Margaret Rumens. She had just come in from a rehearsal for an upcoming Christian women’s Christmas dinner.

Items such as skits were to be presented by women from various denominations. The Uniting Church women were going to present a medley starting with the letters that make up Christmas. There would be about 130 women at the do.

Good numbers, lay participation and community impact to be envied indeed.