Faithful Service, Lasting Impact

At the 50th Synod meeting, members reflected on the dedicated volunteers whose ministry strengthens congregations and communities across the Uniting Church in Western Australia.

Uniting Church WA Moderator Rev David Jackson led a time of reflection, sharing insights from recent regional gatherings to highlight the contribution of volunteers and the support needed to sustain ministry into the future.

Valuing Our Volunteers – Moderator’s Reflection

One of the key priorities of our Synod is Strengthening Congregations. Over recent months, a team of Presbytery and Synod staff have been travelling into the regions, bringing clusters of congregations together, thanking volunteers for their service, and listening carefully to their experiences of mission and ministry. So far gatherings have been held in Metro East, Metro Central, the South-West, and Wheatbelt, with further gatherings planned.

These gatherings have reminded us that the strength of our Church does not ultimately lie in its buildings, committees or structures. It lies in people. It lies in faithful disciples who quietly and consistently offer their gifts in the service of Christ, their church and their communities.

One such person was Trevor Thomas from Pinjarra. Trevor was a carpenter by trade, but his contribution to the life of the Church extended far beyond maintaining buildings. He served on the Ministry Team at Pinjarra Uniting Church, provided pastoral care, became a registered lay preacher, and shared God’s word across a number of congregations. When he saw a need within the wider community, he helped establish what became the Pinjarra Community Kitchen, creating a ministry that continues to provide welcome, dignity, and support to many people today.

Trevor’s story reminds us that volunteers do more than sustain the activities of the Church. They extend the Church’s witness beyond its walls.

Another such person was Vera Reagan of the Capel Uniting Church congregation, who died earlier this year. Vera was one of those faithful volunteers whose steady service often took place quietly and without recognition. Through her commitment, generosity and willingness to serve wherever needed, she became a cornerstone of congregational life. Her contribution was not measured by a single project or title but by years of faithful devotion that strengthened the fellowship, encouraged others, and helped sustain the ministry of the congregation.

Vera’s life reminds us that the Church is built not only through prominent leadership, but also through the countless acts of faithful service offered by devoted disciples whose legacy continues long after they are gone.

As we travelled throughout the regions, we discovered that across our congregations there are many ‘Trevors’ and ‘Veras. Not necessarily someone who founded a community kitchen like Trevor, but someone whose faithfulness has become woven into the fabric of congregational life like Vera.

We met worship leaders who travel long distances to ensure services can continue. We met volunteers who faithfully visit people in aged care facilities and hospitals. We met people who quietly maintain church properties, manage finances, staff op shops, organise friendship groups, prepare morning teas, and provide care and encouragement to those experiencing loneliness and hardship. Their names may never appear in reports, but their ministry is transforming communities every day.

What impressed me most was not simply what people are doing, but why they are doing it. Again and again volunteers spoke of their desire to make Christ’s love visible in their communities. They see their service not as an obligation but as a calling, finding deep meaning and satisfaction in the different ways they serve. They spoke of the importance of belonging, relationships and community, of using their gifts and experience, and of knowing that their contribution makes a meaningful difference. They are often the first to arrive and the last to leave, giving generously of their time, energy and gifts.

An opportunity to listen

At the same time, our consultations have revealed some common challenges. Many volunteers are carrying significant responsibilities, and while these responsibilities are meaningful, the conditions surrounding them can make their service more difficult to sustain.

We heard concerns about leadership succession, volunteer fatigue, complicated governance and administrative requirements, unclear communication, and the need to encourage and equip a new generation of leaders. We also heard a clear desire for practical support, training, mentoring and resources that will help congregations flourish into the future.

This is why these consultations matter. They are not simply an opportunity to say thank you, although gratitude is certainly important. They are also an opportunity to listen. The feedback we are receiving will help Synod and Presbytery better understand what support congregations need as we pursue our strategic priority of Strengthening Congregations.

So far, the gatherings are revealing that volunteers are asking for clearer guidance, practical training, better communication and connection, greater collaboration between congregations, and more sustainable ways of sharing responsibility. Perhaps the most important lesson from these gatherings is that strengthening congregations begins with valuing and supporting the people who make ministry possible.

The future of our Church will be shaped by ordinary disciples who continue to serve with extraordinary faithfulness.

So today I want to express our sincere thanks to every volunteer across the life of the Church. Whether your contribution is highly visible or largely unseen, whether you serve in worship, pastoral care, administration, outreach, property maintenance, governance or community engagement, your ministry matters.

The stories of Trevor Thomas and Vera Reagan remind us what lives of faithful service can achieve. The consultations across our Synod remind us that there are hundreds more stories of faithful service throughout our congregations. Together, these volunteers are strengthening congregations, nurturing communities, and bearing witness to the hope of Christ throughout Western Australia.

I invite you to hold these stories and emerging themes in mind, and to consider this question: How might we become a Church in which volunteers are not only appreciated, but also supported, connected and sustained?

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Following the Moderator’s reflection, the gathered Synod were invited to take some time to think about volunteers in their own communities that they would like to recognise and honour. People had the opportunity to write down their names, or the attributes they carry, onto paper leaves, and then place them onto the volunteer vine as they moved out to the lunch break.