What isCommUnity Day?

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CommUnity Day is grateful to its major sponsor:

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Church, relationships and CommUnity Day

To engage in relationship is to participate in sharing God’s love with others, particularly those people who live outside our church walls.

CommUnity Day is about relationship. It is not just about putting on an event – it’s about joining in with God, and what God is up to in your local community. It’s about connecting with each other. It’s about celebrating and demonstrating the nature of Christ’s love.

Do you find it challenging to reach out to those in your wider community?

CommUnity Day provides an opportunity to engage and share with those outside the church, joining together in a celebration of community. This booklet contains information, ideas and support to help you achieve this through hosting your own CommUnity Day event.

Dernancourt Uniting Church celebrated CommUnity across the generations in 2012.

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What is CommUnity Day?

The Uniting Church in South Australia believes we are better together. We also believe that love is best when shared, rather than being hidden away and dusted off only for special occasions.

CommUnity Day has been created to assist Uniting Church SA congregations in connecting and building relationships with the wider community, by holding local events to meet local needs or interests. CommUnity Day events can be anything your church imagines – from barbeques to craft afternoons, bike rides to Devonshire teas: new events as well as events that are already planned or have been undertaken in previous years with a new twist or highlight. Events are created and coordinated by individual congregations or groups between 22 June and 30 September, with promotional assistance available from the Uniting Church SA Communications team.

CommUnity Day provides an opportunity to connect, build relationships, engage, celebrate community, have fun and share Christ’s message and love with others.

CommUnity Day bake sale fundraiser at Scots Church Adelaide in 2012.

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Why take part in CommUnity Day?

The Uniting Church in SA frequently offers events and services to benefit the local community. CommUnity Day provides an opportunity to share these events and services with those in the wider local community who may be unaware of their existence.

CommUnity Day is not about just holding an event – it’s about seeing where God is at work and joining in, recognising a need in the local community and assisting to fulfil it. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the good stuff that is already happening in communities. CommUnity Day provides a practical way to share the good news of Jesus and demonstrate God’s love for all people.

CommUnity Day events provide a chance for churches to work together and participate in something fun and life-affirming, providing an opportunity to form stronger bonds with people in the wider community and broader Uniting Church.

Who can take part in CommUnity Day?

Everyone is welcome to host or take part in CommUnity Day, but it is specifically designed as a way for churches to connect with people in their local community.

You may decide to aim your event at a particular age group, playing to the strengths of your church and the people within it.

Some groups to consider are:

This event provides an opportunity to gather together to welcome, encourage, feed, inform, entertain and connect with people from the wider community.

• Children• Teenagers• People for whom English is a second

language• Newcomers to Australia• People with special needs

• Young adults• Young families• Mums and dads• Grandparents• Elderly people

“ We have just had our CommUnity Day event and it was fantastic! We would (probably) have done it anyway,

but CommUnity Day gave us a push to start.” - Rev Ian Dow, Naracoorte Uniting Church

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In 2012, Sunset Rock Uniting Church held a cooking day for those living with mental health illness.

When is CommUnity Day?

CommUnity Day events can be held any time between 22 June and 30 September.

The official launch of CommUnity Day occurs at the June Presbytery and Synod Meeting. This date coincides with the anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia which was established on 22 June in 1977.

CommUnity Day events can be held at any time during the year, but the Uniting Church SA Communications team cannot guarantee the supply of promotional resources outside of the 22 June - 30 September time frame. However, there is plenty of information within this booklet and on the CommUnity Day website that can assist you with your endeavours at any time of the year.

Where is CommUnity Day?

CommUnity Day can take place just about anywhere. Of course, your church is a great place to start, but there are many places that may suit the theme of your event - perhaps a local park or schoolground, a sporting complex or a shopping centre carpark? Consider ways of going out into the community and meeting people where they are.

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How can you register for CommUnity Day?

Vist communityday.org.au and follow the links

Fill out the form on the back of the June edition of New Times and send to

GPO Box 2145, Adelaide SA 5001

Send an email to the address below requesting that a form be sent to you (by email or post)

communications@sa.uca.org.au

Ring for further information or to request a form (08) 8236 4249

We want to share in your celebrations! Using the contact details above, send the Communications team photos of your event to feature on the CommUnity Day website, the Uniting Church SA website or our social media pages to be shared with and enjoyed by the wider Uniting Church in SA. Please remember to obtain the appropriate permission from those pictured.

“Our CommUnity Day International Dinner attracted not only members of the Athelstone

congregation but lots of people from the community and was a great event.”

- Rev Brian Ball, Athelstone Uniting Church

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Tips for Promoting CommUnity Day Before choosing your promotional resources, ensure you have decided on an event and have considered who will be attending (your key audience).

Determining who you want to attract to your event is important when deciding what the most effective promotional tools will be to advertise it. Once you have made this decision, there are a number of things you can do to promote your particular event:

1. Register your event with the Communications team. They will assist your promotion by:

- Listing your event on the CommUnity Day website, communityday.org.au- Providing CommUnity Day branded promotional materials such as postcards and signage. For more information on the types of promotional material on offer, please contact the Communications team (see page 7).

2. Contact your local media outlets.Local newspapers, such your area’s Messenger, are a great way to spread awareness of an event either through an article or an advertisement. Local radio stations, including LifeFM, also provide these opportunities.

3. Contact leaders of other local churches. Approach leaders of neighbouring Uniting Churches or churches of other denominations, asking whether they would be interested in promoting or getting involved in your event.

4. Approach local community clubs, groups and/or schools. Keeping your key audience in mind, invite local groups to participate in your CommUnity Day event. Encourage them to invite friends and family along.

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The Uniting Church SA have a number of promotional materials available for use at, and in the lead up to, your CommUnity Day event. For more information on the available materials and how to order them, visit communityday.org.au or call (08) 8236 4249.

Promotional materials are subject to availability; some of the pictured items are limited in supply.

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Event Planning Guide

What our event will be:

The date and time for the event has been chosen: Remember to check that no other local or national events are scheduled for the same date, and that key people from the church and event organisation team are available.

The venue for the event will be: Ensure you have permission to use the site, and notify local authorities where necessary.

The event has been registered with Uniting Church SA CommunicationsDetails on how to do this are on page 7 of this booklet.

We want our event to connect with:

Our event will either be free or be a fundraiser for: If your event is not free, decide if you will take the cost of the event out of the profits.

Our event will either have food or not have food Your event must have fresh drinking water available. For state regulations on food handling and distribution, please visit www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/Food/kit-charities-community.htm

We have completed the compulsory Event Safety Checklist This is available at sa.uca.org.au/human-resources/workplace-policies under Event Safety.

We have completed a Risk Assesment Form for all identified hazardsThis is available at sa.uca.org.au/human-resources/workplace-policies under Hazard Management.

We have Incident Report Forms printed and ready for the eventThis is available at sa.uca.org.au/human-resources/workplace-policies under Incident Management. All incidents and near misses must be reported within 24 hours.

The necessary supplies for the event have been organised

Consideration has been given to how relationships with the wider community can continue to grow after the event See some suggestions on page 11 of this booklet.

Please direct any queries about the above policies to the Uniting Church SA Insurance and Risk Officer (08) 8236 4226 or insurance@sa.uca.org.au

Begin your planning by prayerfully considering what God is doing in your neighbourhood, and how your church might join in. Once you have decided on an event, use this guide to ensure you haven’t forgotten any important steps.

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What next? Celebrating and engaging with people from your wider local community is exciting, as people join together and friendships form.

But what can you do to build on and deepen these relationships?

Be open to opportunities. If you are getting along well with someone invite them out for a coffee at a local cafe. If you have a shared interest or hobby, suggest catching up for an activity around it.

Organise a follow-up event. Arrange a time and date for a second event that will appeal to a similar group of people as your CommUnity Day event. Invite attendees of the first event, as well as the wider community, to come and share in more fun and get to know each other better.

Get involved in the interests of others. If the people attending your event are involved in particular community groups, consider going along to their events or meetings. If those attending your event share an interest or concern, organise an event or group that caters to it.

Create a ‘party bag.’ Put together a bag of treats and information as a ‘thank you’ to people who have attended or been involved in your event. Include a note highlighting how much their being a part of the event has meant to you, as well as information on other things your church has to offer, and a tasty treat or gift.

Invite them along to an existing church program, group or event.

Need more?The Mission Resourcing SA team are available to assist church congregations and faith communities in developing a culture of mission. They can provide advice and resources in a number of areas related to mission at a local, national or global level.

Mission Resourcing SA can assist with: Finding and utilising resources to aid missional activities Thinking through possibilities in planning mission Exploring ways to discern God at work in your community

For more information contact Mission Resourcing SA:e. mr@sa.uca.org.au p. (08) 8236 4243 w. missionresourcingsa.org.au