Following Union, the previous St Ives Presbyterian and Methodist churches each adopted the procedures and structures of the new Uniting Church of Australia comprising a congregational system of government, with each parish having two councils: one the Council of Elders whose principal concern would be with pastoral matters, and the other the Parish Council which would be concerned with business and property matters. Members of the congregation would come together for an annual meeting and at other times when important matters need to be decided. Parishes would be organised into Presbyteries on a regional basis. State Synods would convene annually and the National Assembly every three years. In the months leading up to Union, representatives from the St Ives Presbyterian and Methodist Churches had been discussing and making decisions on the organisation and leadership of the new St Ives Uniting Church and it was agreed that, when the two congregations had united, responsibility for the various activities would be as follows: Minister and Chairman of the Council of Elders – Rev A.L. Finlay Secretary of Parish Council – Mr S.C. Gillmore Convenors of: Ministries of Mission and of Social Activities – Mr John Loder Ministry of Children and Youth - Mr Jim Hasemer Ministry of Women – Mrs Betty Bancroft Ministry of Finance and Property – Mr Hall Metcalf Ministry of Stewardship – Mr Roy Dowell Ministry of Community Service – Mr Tom Deans Ministry of Communication – Mr Bob Knox Acting Superintendent Sunday School – Mr Ron Brookman Minister’s Secretary – Mrs Joan Gates Chairman, Young Adults’ Club – Mr Marty White
Church Newsletters, ranging in size from to 32 pages, were produced, usually quarterly, until the end of 1982. Their subjects comprised items of interest about the Church, book reviews, and articles such as Ten Ways to Cope with Conflict, A New Year Prayer, and Empowered by the Holy Spirit. A Message from our Minister appeared in each issue, together with various announcements. For many years, Don Hagarty provided a Book Table, before and after Sunday morning services, which displayed for sale a changing range of and books, including Bibles, that would normally be available in Christian bookshops. In season, greeting cards were also on display for sale. Pastoral Care is at the very heart of our ministry at St Ives. The high degree of love and support to people within our congregation and the wider community that has always been shown by members of the Pastoral Care Team has been offered freely and willingly, as a vital part of the ministry of Christ. For many years, with Pam Walker as Pastoral Coordinator, they have been individually visiting families in their homes, having meaningful conversations, and generally showing compassion and care for all, particularly during difficult and stressful times. They take with them, on these visits, specially produced brochures containing information on worship services, fellowship events, study programmes, and concerts, as well as messages from the Minister and inspirational stories. Our services of worship at St Ives have been greatly enriched by the contributions of the Organists and the leaders and members of the Choir who have given their time to practise during the week and to sing in the services each Sunday. Special music is sung on special occasions such as Christmas and Easter. For many years the Organist and Choirmaster was Bert Wyatt. Other organists and leaders of the choir over the years have been
to support the Glebe Christian Youth Centre for underprivileged children. On one occasion their efforts provided a holiday for these children and, on another, they raised the funds to provide a refrigerator for a family in desperate need of help. Members of the congregation regularly provided volunteers to assist in the annual Austcare Doorknock Appeal and also Meals on Wheels. Enjoying Families Workshops, led by Margaret McLelland, were aimed at helping families to have more fun and less stress. They dealt with issues such as discipline in the home and getting in touch with a child’s inner world. Rainbows, which started in 1990 with leaders from the congregation trained by Stan Stewart and Father John Hosie, was a programme conducted for primary-age children of divorced and separated parents. The course ran for six weeks on Sunday afternoons with a final all-day session. In one year, 19 children participated, including a few from bereaved families. Divorce and Separation Workshops and Grief Recovery Workshops were developed in Australia and introduced to our Church by Stan Stewart. Chris and Sheila Bowen and Ross Lorenz later took over from him as the Leaders. The workshops were designed, through sharing their experiences, to help participants in understanding and overcoming the pain and distress that are suffered in these situations and to assist them in beginning to rebuild their lives, through self development and group support. The workshops were successful in achieving their aims, judging by participants’ comments such as: ‘The workshops made me feel safe and secure’, ‘It was reassuring to know that you’re not the only one’, ‘I was learning to trust again’, and ‘I was learning to forgive’.