We are a community of diverse people doing our best to live a life grounded in the love of Jesus and his teachings. We seek to be a positive presence in our workplaces and neighbourhoods, and bring the hope of Christ into our real life. We are formed by the cooperation of the Uniting Church and Church of Christ in Greensborough, with the belief that we can do more for Jesus together than we could apart.
Worship helps us to engage with God’s story of love, challenging us to grow as people. Our relationships with one another help us to go deeper and see the love of Jesus as it has formed and transformed others. Serving helps us to see God’s Spirit at work in the world, and join in with the opportunities to love all people as God has loved us.
Here are some heartfelt words from our church community in early 2024 expressing what they enjoy about being part of Living Faith Church . . .
A short history of the Greensborough Regional Church of Christ
In the early 1960s, the Ivanhoe church (now part of Northern Community Church) felt the need for another church between the Ivanhoe and Hurstbridge churches. For its first few years, the Briar Hill church, as it was then, was an offshoot of the Ivanhoe church, with its finances part of the Ivanhoe budget and a shared ministry and membership.
In 1964, the Ivanhoe church borrowed $7,000 for the land on Lorraine Drive.
On 5th of December 1965, the Briar Hill church's first service and the building's opening occurred. A.B. Withers preached the sermon at the opening service. He was the minister at Northcote, and later provided some pastoral support when the church was between ministerial appointments.
In 1969, another $1,400 and $20,00 were borrowed to build the road and church, respectively.
There were 45 people listed as having membership in the church. Three of them are members today.
One of the members read one of the readings at the first service and at the 21st Anniversary service. Some other current members joined the church very early. As the church grew, it gradually distanced itself from its close ties with Ivanhoe.
In 1969, full independence was achieved, with a membership of about 80 and a full-time minister.
In addition to Ivanhoe, there was support from another 8 churches: Fairfield, Fitzroy North, Hurstbridge, Northcote, Preston, Preston East, Preston West, Thornbury and Reservoir. The furnishing of the original church was financed from funds from the then-defunct Northcote East church.
The initial ministry was from Ed Roffey, the minister at Ivanhoe, with assistance from Barry Jenkins, a student with the College of the Bible.
In 1982, Warren Hamilton was the part-time minister, but soon after, the church moved back to a full-time minister with the assistance of the Conference. Louis van Laar was appointed, and George Warren, separated by a couple of interim ministries, followed him.
In 1982, the building extensions were opened.
In 1998, Pastor Adrian Clark was appointed as a full-time minister.
The Church board was concerned about the church’s future and decided to explore the prospect of establishing co-operation with another church.
In 2003, Adrian spoke with Rev. Lynden Broadstock, the Greensborough Uniting Church minister, and raised the issue of establishing a cooperating church.
A short history of the Greensborough Uniting Church
The Greensborough congregation was a Methodist Church established in 1850.
A group of people met at Mr. James Mayger’s property in Greensborough to establish a Methodist congregation in the area.
In 1859, the barn was the worship centre where the Church first met and worshipped. A weatherboard building was built on Hailes Street, but it was demolished when the railway line was built.
In 1872, a brick Church was built on Main Street where it remained in use until 1966, when the church relocated to its present site at 37 Grimshaw Street, Greensborough.
The buildings were officially opened on 5th February 1966.
In 1972, the church became a UNITED Church when the local Presbyterian Church, St. David’s, joined.
In 1977, the church became part of The Uniting Church in Australia at Union.
In 1989, the Church, led by Rev. Peter Robson, was instrumental in founding The Greensborough Inter Church Council.
In 2003, Rev. Lynden Broadstock presented the idea of co-operation with the Greensborough Regional Church of Christ.
In 2004, the Church was renovated and upgraded to facilitate the use of the building by people with disabilities.
Conversations were started with the Church of Christ about the possibility of forming co-operation. The congregation at all age levels were involved in discussions about how they felt about the idea.
Anyone who was interested was invited to a series of workshops with the Church of Christ congregation to work out an agreement that could be put to both Congregations. Every aspect of Church life was discussed.
We worshipped together on a few planned occasions at both the Uniting Church in Australia site and the Church of Christ site, so that people would get to know one another.
After three years of discussions and negotiations, the decision was made to join together as a co-operating church,
In June 2006, both churches met together at Grimshaw Street as one congregation.
The Church of Christ property in Briar Hill was sold.
The slogan, “We can do more together for the mission of Jesus than we can do apart”, was adopted.
A one-day seminar was held, inviting anyone who wanted to attend, to work out our CORE VALUES.
Living Faith Church was formed
In 2012, everyone was involved in all deliberations to arrive at a consensus on all issues.
The congregation, Church of Christ Conference and the Uniting Church in Australia Presbytery of Yarra Yarra ratified our Co-operating agreement.
Deliberations took place about a name for our Church.
“Living Faith Church. The Uniting Church and Church of Christ in Greensborough” was the name chosen by popular vote.
We operate as ONE Congregation with ONE Church Council of Elders, ONE Uniting Church in Australia minister and ONE Church of Christ minister. We operate ONE bank account but support both denominations through Presbytery Mission & Service Fund and Church of Christ Affiliation Fund.
A Safe Church
Living Faith Church is committed to providing our worshipping and pastoral communities with an environment free from abuse and a safe place for all people to express their faith in God. We value the safety of our children and those of our congregation at risk, including vulnerable adults.
The Living Faith Church 'Safe Church' policy has been adopted to ensure that we fulfil our commitment and obligation to create a safe organisation. Living Faith Church commit to the following actions to keep children and vulnerable adults safe. We will:
- Follow the Uniting Church Synod Vic Tas (UCA) current “Safe Church Policy” and the Churches of Christ Victoria (CCVT) “Child Safety Policy”; wherever CCVT and UCA requirements of implementation are the same, a single action of compliance will count for both (e.g., Working with Children Check (WWCC), Safe Church Training (SCT);
- Ensure that policies and procedures are implemented to embed a culture of safety;
- Encourage the training, supervision and support of employees and volunteers;
- Encourage access, equity, and diversity, including ensuring accessible policy and procedure requirements;
- Adopt and implement evidence-based standards to recruit and screen employees and to engage volunteers and others who work with children;
- Manage risk, promote safety, and respond to concerns, including the Living Faith Church formal complaints process;
- Actively explore opportunities for child, family, and community participation; and
- Commit to the Living Faith Church Inclusivity Vision.
Further information can be found on our 'Safe Church' policy, attached on this page, or on:
UCA Keeping Children Safe webpage https://safechurch.ucavictas.org.au/
CCVT Safe Places webpage https://churchesofchrist.org.au/for-churches/safe-places/
Living Faith Church pride ourselves on being a safe, inclusive place. If you feel unsafe at any time, we are here to help.
Please talk to our Pastors
Ellen Grabner: 0491 072 931
Kate Clough: 0411 523 153
or Safe Church Contact People
Janet: 0412 551 117
David: 0432 528 569
An Inclusive Church
The Church Council and Ministry Team, on behalf of Living Faith Church, acknowledge the harm done to the LGBTQIA+ community, including our own families. Excluding and undermining our siblings in Christ is neither trivial, necessary nor merely political. We are committed to doing better by providing an explicitly and intentionally safe space for worship and fellowship.
In 2023, Living Faith Church took a step towards this goal. The church council and leaders of various Living Faith Church Ministries and Life Groups met with Katecia Taylor and AJ Jensen from consulting organisation Queers Be With You. Queers Be With You offers educational workshops and individual consultations to Churches and Christian organisations who want to be more LGBTQIA+ inclusive.
https://www.queersbewithyou.com/
In 2024, Living Faith Church is looking to participate with Uniting Network Australia, which is the national network for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people, our families, friends and supporters within the Uniting Church in Australia.
Further information can be found on the Uniting Network documents 'A Welcoming Church' and 'An Open and Affirming Church', attached on this page.
Living Faith Church recognises that our diversity is a strength and that seeking the full participation of our members and community in everything we do is an element of our worship. (Psalm 34:8, we can recognise right conduct by its fruit).
The Living Faith Church ‘Call to Inclusivity’ policy has been adopted to shape how Living Faith Church creates and applies policies and procedures. It is informed by our vision, governing bodies, the Uniting Church in Australia and Churches of Christ Victoria Australia, state and federal legislation, and our history.
When applying policy and process, Living Faith Church is committed to:
- Keep our legal and regulatory obligations;
- Fully adhere to all LFC policies where possible, keeping the intent of our policies where processes cannot be kept in full;
- Inform our community about their rights and responsibilities, invite them to participate in decisions affecting them, and take their representations seriously;
- Ensure policy and procedures are understandable and accessible to all members of the community;
- Support our teams and members, and to equip them to support each other;
- Provide worshiping and pastoral communities that are free from abuse, and that provide safe environments for all people to explore and express their faith in God; and
- Call out policy and process that falls short of our vision and commitment to each other. (Colossians 3:12, an attitude of humility and repentance brings us closer to God).
Further information can be found on our 'Call to Inclusivity' policy, attached on this page.
Additionally, a collaborative research project conducted by La Trobe University, Macquarie University, AGMC (Australian GLBTIQ+ Multicultural Council), and Brave Network with support from the Steering Committee of the Improving Spiritual Health Care for LGBTQA+ Australians Research Project can be found in the document called ‘A Guide to Improving Safety in Pastoral Care with LGBTQA+ people, attached on this page.
Document cited: Jones, T.W., Despott, N., Jones, T.M., Anderson, J., Pallotta-Chiarolli, M., & Power, J. (2023) A Guide to Improving Safety in Pastoral Care with LGBTQA+ people. La Trobe University: Melbourne.
Living Faith Church acknowledges and prays for the First Nations People of the land on which we meet - the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay respects to their Elders past and present and we recognise their faithfulness to Country.
“You have set my feet in a wide-open place” says Psalm 31:8, in a single verse that burst with a sense of astonishment and joy out of a longer prayer for liberation and safety. What a glorious moment when we realize that we are, in fact, already safely planted by God in a space that invites us into trust, freedom, and opportunity to explore.
This verse captures my general sense of being part of Living Faith Church. From the very first day here, I have noticed consistently a strong culture of trust and care, confidence and compassion, willingness to engage and a deeply rooted assurance that God is good and that it will be well.
Looking at our faith community, I wonder whether you share this sense that under God’s good guidance, we are held safely, confident to live our faith and ready to look around in this open space around us – and see where God takes us? It is my prayer that we will all know for sure that God’s got our back and that we can nod our Yes to God’s invitation to move closer.
May we all be aware of how much trust, kindness and love our good God has for us. The One who has planted us in this inviting space will surely delight in every step that we take in faith.
The kingdom, the power and the glory are God’s, now and always.
Ellen Grabner - Minister