A Partnership in Mission

Acknowledging that we share the common identity as "community service agencies" of the Uniting Church in Australia, a "Partnership in Mission" was formed between UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide (formerly Adelaide Central Mission), UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide (formerly Port Adelaide Central Mission), UnitingCare Wesley Port Pirie (formerly UnitingCare Port Pirie Central Mission) and UnitingCare Wesley Bowden (formerly Wesley Uniting Mission).

Through the "Partnership in Mission" we aim to operate in similar and complimentary services, and face the challenges and opportunities of a common future.

We unanimously resolve to enter, with enthusiasm into a "Partnership in Mission", and to invite other Uniting Church in Australia (Synod in South Australia) Missions to participate in discussions concerning the development of our "Partnership in Mission".

Background to the Name Change

Adelaide Central Mission - logo

UnitingCare Wesley - logo

The name “UnitingCare” clearly signifies our common association with the Uniting Church in Australia, as does the UnitingCare logo that incorporates the logo of the Uniting Church. The use of that name and logo clearly identifies our four Missions with the hundreds of Uniting Church community service agencies around Australia who are increasingly adopting “UnitingCare” as the common name.

Because the community service agencies of the Uniting Church in South Australia are separately incorporated and because agencies other than the four Missions might also wish to use the name UnitingCare, it was recognised that the Missions would need to distinguish themselves from other non-Mission agencies. To that end the Boards of the four Missions individually resolved to add the name Wesley to that of UnitingCare. Hence they became known as UnitingCare Wesley.

Two important factors have influenced the choice of the name Wesley.

• The major Missions in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia are known by that name. Our choice of the name “Wesley” identifies us with those Missions and enhances the possibility of establishing a national identity for Uniting Church Missions across Australia.

• Furthermore, the name Wesley is associated with a number of Uniting Church community agencies that have established a history of requiring quality standards in the work they undertake.

Because in South Australia, the four partners will remain separately incorporated bodies, it was acknowledged that their individual legal identity would need to be recognised. To that end each of the Boards also chose a local identifier. Hence they became legally known as:

• UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide

• UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide

• UnitingCare Wesley Bowden

• UnitingCare Wesley Port Pirie

The Boards of the four South Australian Missions involved in the adoption of the use of a common name and logo chose not to include the word “Mission” in their common name. “Mission” was excluded for two reasons:

First, the word is redundant as an indicator of our association with the Uniting Church because that association is clearly signified by the prominent use of “UnitingCare.”

Secondly, it was acknowledged that in the past our use of the term “Mission” too frequently resulted in us being confused with another national reputable community service provider, namely, “Mission Australia.”

The new common name will avoid that confusion but will clearly associate us with the Uniting Church and its many community service agencies, other Missions that are, in other states, already known as “Wesley,” and with our local communities.

Partnership in Mission Co-ordinating Group - Anthea Pavy, Geoff Collins, Jean Gunnett, Peter Bicknell, Libby Craft, Sue Park and Gillian Trainor.

(pic: Launch at the Stamford Grand Hotel for UnitingCare Wesley)

(pic: Her Excellency Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, Governor of South Australia, attends the official UnitingCare Wesley launch.)

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