Letter from the Editor

Everyone was on board the small aircraft – five passengers plus one jovial pilot. I saw beads of perspiration on his brow as he cranked the engine, hoping it would start. Finally, we headed to the runway and queued for take-off. Just before he opened the throttle, our friendly pilot turned and asked cheerfully, “Does anyone know the way?” Then we sped down the runway and took off…

Harvest Victoria finishes this year, and some are asking, “Where to from here?”

Connect is the way forward. We need to connect and regroup with those who used to attend church before COVID. 2023 is going to be entirely focused on connecting with the community, a whole year of preparation for 2024, the designated year of evangelism. We have a bit over a year before 2024 begins; but what we do now will make a difference.

I sat down with Pr. Nicu Dumbrava, Pastor of Hughesdale Church, as well as Personal

Ministries Director for the Australian Union Conference, and asked: How can we be effective in connecting with new people, as individuals and as churches?

He gave me a bunch of ideas:

• Develop a ‘Welcoming Church’ Culture where new people are included and want to come back!
• Invite One New Person! It can be to your small group, to your Sabbath School, to your Pathfinder club, etc…
• Run a smorgasbord of events to invite people to! (E.g. Recovery Programs and Message Seminars)
• Eat and Make Disciples – check out the little book ‘If You Can Eat, You Can Make Disciples’.
• Get involved! We’re not short on resources; we’re short on people who want to use them!
• Evangelise by doing what you are good at! Everyone has a God-given talent to use for His glory!
• Keep it Christ-centred and mission-focused!

As the days go by, the runway is getting shorter. What’s your ‘flight’ plan? What are your ideas? How will you be involved?