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“REAL LIFE UNITING CHURCH” - A NEW NAME FOR A NEW SEASON Prepared by Rev Adam Low – Lead Pastor

Our Mission is: “Drawing people in to a life-transforming relationship with Jesus.”

Our Vision is: “We are a church of influence, embracing our communities in the love of God,

transforming lives and empowering people to live out their potential in Christ.”

Our heart is to see more people more like Jesus!

THE JOURNEY

Logan Uniting Church is the product of a vision that saw three Uniting Church congregations willingly come together to

form a regional church in the early 1980s. At the time the Springwood site was at the edge of suburban development

and the Logan region was still forming. Since then Logan has grown into one of the fastest growing and most culturally

and socio-economically diverse cities in Australia. It would be prudent to affirm that Logan Uniting Church has yet to

realize its potential as a regional church.

5 years ago…

• After a rich season in the ministry life of the church, God began to bring a new season as, through a range of

circumstances and leadings, he sent faithfully serving senior leaders into their next season.

• This started with Glen Schweitzer in 2013 and was followed by Graham Keech in 2015.

• Church Council discerned that God was leading Logan Uniting Church through a season of transition that

celebrated God’s faithfulness thus far but required re-visioning to go forward toward fulfilling the original intent of

the church founders to establish a growing regional church.

3 years ago…

• The Church Council commissioned Dr Jill Gray to help facilitate a process of re-visioning which led to a reinforcing of

our mission to “Draw people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus.”

• Our fresh vision was established, and some strategic faith goals were established to help direct the way forward.

These goals were:

1. Align Springwood and Carbrook campuses of LUC with shared vision, values, expressions of ministry and

resources

2. Build inter-generational teams engaged in intentional ministry with an emphasis on growing and

developing the next generation

3. Integrate the mission of Calvary Christian College with LUC

4. Engage in mission outreach to Wirunya and Yurana Aged Care

5. Provide educational and training pathways to grow and equip all people for ministry

6. Use our resources fruitfully – renew Springwood Campus and create a mission-oriented development

plan for both campuses

• We have made significant progress and continue to work fruitfully on these goals.

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1 year ago…• As we continued to understand the new season that Jesus was leading us into, the Ministry staff and Church Council

felt led by the Spirit to dream bigger. Living in an age of church decline in Australia (and being part of a

denomination declining faster than most others) the Church leadership was compelled to dream outside the realms

of what is merely humanly possible and comfortable. There was also a fresh focus on bringing clarity about who we

are called to be and growing to be.

• We discerned the Spirit’s call of clarity for us to be a church that is:

o Fervently Christ-Focused and Spirit-Led

o A lighthouse church for other churches in our sphere of influence

o Planting other campuses /congregations – at least another three by 2030

o Hungry and expectant to see more people more like Jesus.

• It is with all of this in heart and mind that the Church Council and Pastoral team discerned “REAL LIFE UNITING

CHURCH” as the name that would serve us moving forward into the future we believe Christ is calling us to.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MOVING TO THE NEW NAME

Following the establishment of the Logan Uniting Church we also have Logan West Uniting Church and the Logan

Central Multi-Cultural Uniting Church. Neither of which have any ministry alignment with us (other than denominational)

but whose names become confusing identifiers for people, and for such pragmatic issues as Google Map searches.

Logan Uniting Church has established itself in Springwood and is reestablishing its Carbrook presence.

There are plans being explored to expand into Yarrabilba as the opportunity arrives (approximately 3- 4 years from now)

as well as follow the potential growth of Calvary Christian College into Redlands.

This would mean that our church has two new realities: (1) It is located in three areas within Logan but confused with

other Logan based Uniting Churches, and (2) it is no longer bound by Logan City regionally.

A growing number of churches around the globe and particularly in Australia are opting for names that identify them

with a core reality of who they are. The value identifier is the important element with the geographical descriptor

coming next. For example, Hope Church, New Life Church, iSee Church, Influencers etc. Since Logan Uniting Church is a

growing, contemporary, evangelical, charismatic church that is orienting toward a regional focus, and is a church that

in its vision aspires to be a church of influence, a new name will serve us well.

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW NAME: “REAL LIFE UNITING CHURCH”

• “Real Life” connects with our established purpose of “Drawing people into a life-transforming relationship with

Jesus.” It is also reflected in the intent of our Vision: We are a church of influence, embracing our communities in the

love of God, transforming lives and empowering people to live out their potential in Christ.”

• The life transformation is a transformation into the new and real life Jesus gives. The potential realized is the real life

we were created to know in Jesus.

• Furthermore, Jesus promised us this very thing in John 10:10. He explains that he has come to give us life to the full.

This suggests that the life experienced before is not full. Not the real life intended by God for his Creation. The

eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

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• Theologically speaking, the life we experience apart from the saving, gracious rule of Christ in our lives is not the real

life we were created for. It is life, but not eternal life in the fullness of our humanity won back for us through Jesus

Christ. Again, “Real Life” speaks to the mission of God in our midst through Christ. Colossians 3:1-4 NLT outlines this

reality in the following way:“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the

place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this

life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world,

you will share in all his glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)

• The term “real” implies both the wonder of a transformed life and the authenticity of doing life with all of its

challenges together. This is very much a part of Logan Uniting Church culture and values.

• For more perspective on the concept, the message series preached in February 2018 can be viewed via these links:

1. Real Life – Week 1: https://vimeo.com/256691631

2. Real Life – Week 2: https://vimeo.com/256692408

3. Real Life – Week 3: https://vimeo.com/257398577

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

• This is not a discontinuation of the life and journey of Logan Uniting Church, but rather a continuation of growing

identity into a new chapter.

• The new name gives an opportunity for discussion in its framing.

PROPOSAL:

To take on the new name of: “Real Life Uniting Church”