A Bit of History

 The philosophy behind Project Reconnect came out of a chance experience after worship  at one of the small village churches around 2001. A member of the congregation came up  to Rev Tom Stuart after the service and said, "You are not going to close us down are  you?" Tom's reply was... "We can't close you down. You are the church. We can take away  the authorisation for you to be a congregation of the Uniting Church but while ever you  and others continue to give expression to your faith, and gather as a community of faith,  then the church still exists. The church is not closed down!" Tom, reflecting on this chance encounter, realised he had implicitly considered that the church found its existence by the larger centres providing “church” to these smaller congregations. However this was an incorrect understanding.

  Rev Tom Stuart

These gatherings ARE the church. The task of church leadership is to resource these small congregations to achieve the full potential of being the church in their place(Ephesians 4: 11-17)