Financial Responsibility & Accountability
 

I. Major events

The Advisory Board for the program in each state will appoint a Treasurer who is responsible for maintaining . all financial records pertaining to the major events of the Awakening 2000 program (ie. not including regional and associate events who are responsible for their own financial management.)

The Treasurer will present financial statements and updates for each Advisory Board Meeting. Responsibility for the management of all finances is with the Advisory Board, or as delegated by them to the Treasurer.
Income for the Awakening '95 program is envisaged to
come from: a. Donations from the Church Denominations and
Sponsoring Organisations.
b. Individual 3ifts and donations.
c. Offerings taken during the program events.
d. In-kind donations of resources necessary for the
Awakening programs. e. Proceeds from the sale of goods, which represent
value for money, e.g. badges, balloons, T-shirts.

2.  Regional Activities

The general principal relating to finances for those engaged in regional activities are:

a. That each group is responsible for their own finances and
b. That they are accountable to those whom they represent in their region.

A. Responsibility

Each regional group, as part of their initial planning, needs to estimate what costs will be involved in their particular activity. Each state's Awakening office may be able to assist in estimating some items, particularly where standard resources will be needed e.g. Balloons, Flags, etc. Certain common promotional material and publications will also be available from the office at a minimal cost which will include a contribution towards the operating costs of the Awakening office in its servicing role of the regional activities.

Once operating costs have been estimated, consideration needs to be given as to how these costs will be met. Likely means are:
a. Agreed standard or optional contributions by each of the churches or groups involved.
b. Individual donations
c. Offerings during the particular program/s
d. Seeking local in-kind donations of resources from within the community e.g. P.A. equipment, printing, advertising space, radio-community service announcements, buns & sausages from local traders, etc.
e. Proceeds from sale of goods representing value for money e.g. balloons, badges, T-shirts.
f. Any combination of these.

B. Accountability

The group taking the lead in organizing the regional activity need to ensure that whatever finances are entrusted to them are responsibly accounted for and applied wholly towards the purpose for which they were provided.
The following 4 pages give details of how your church can register for $30 to be part of Awakening '95 and secondly how, for $25, your activities can be covered by public liability insurance worth $10 million.

Church Registration
Your church is invited to take up the opportunity of Awakening '95 church registration.



Why Register
Thu will receive:
+ A colorful new Awakening '95 corflute sign in the new livery which invites your community to reconnect.
+ A copy of the exciting new Awakening '95 promotional video to inspire your congregation.
+ A regular informative newsletter, prayer calendars and other supporting materials and information to keep you in touch for the rest of the year.
+ You will benefit from being publicly identified with positive Awakening '95 radio and TV spots.
+ There will be direct access for you and all your people to a broad range of mission resource personnel and materials across the year.
+ You'll be taking a lead in your area by standing together with the broader Body of Christ in a common mission to the local community.

Register Now!


Church Registration Form:

Church Name.. ....................................................................
Denomination..................
Street Address...........
Postal Address..............
Phone No: ( ..)Fax No: ( ).....
Minister' s Name..........................................................................
Address:............
Phone No: ( ). ..Fax No: ( )..............

Church Contact Person for Awakening '95

Name ..............
Address .........
Phone No: ( ) ..Fax No: (.. )............
Date: ...........................................
Cost: $30 Cheque or Money Order enclosed payable to "Awakening '95"

At this stage we are involved in the following Awalkening '95 events:

Regional Family Festival at . ...............
Prayer Vigil at ................................................................................
Other Easter or Pentecost activities .....................

The following Operation Reconnect (50 Days of Mission) programs:

Please return The Church Registration Form with $30 to your Awakening '95 State Office:

Global March for Jesus

Pentecost Celebration

Festival

Prayer Vigil

Other (Please provide brief details)

Please tick and complete as appropriate

Global March for Jesus Pentecost Celebration

Festival

Prayer Vigil
Other (Please provide brief details)



4. CONTACT PEOPLE

if more than one activity is planned please give details if the contact person for reach one.

Title:Rev/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Miss/MslBr/Sr

Name

Address

Postcode

Ph:

Fax:

Church:

Title: Rev/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Miss/MslBr/Sr

Name

Address

Postcode

Ph:

Fax:

Church:





6. CHURCHES REPRESENTED



10. REGISTRATION FEE

Please attach your cheque for $25 to cover the registration fee, and indicate if you need a Certificate of Currency for our Public Liability Policy

Yes

No

Signed

Date





Key elements of a Regional Strategy
For Reclaiming Easter .

Unity Dinners

These dinners, attended by the Heads of Churches and leaders in Government and the community, are launches for the Easter program and are a means of highlighting to the Australian people the unity of the Church around those beliefs which lie at the heart of the faith. (See Appendix for more detail)

Regional Events Leading up to the Easter Weekend

Regional Events are suggested for the 4 weeks prior to Easter and will provide a range of opportunities for churches in both country and suburban areas to work together in special events in their local regions to open the celebration of Easter to non-Church people and their families.
 

Regional Community Celebration Program Elements

These celebrations have different program elements that will include festival activities involving the whole family - there will be donkey rides, helium-filled balloons with 'Justice, mercy and compassion" printed on them representing God's nature. Sunflower seeds will be handed out. There will be face painting and giant jigsaws that a couple of families can work on together. The rallies will be similar to the mood of a Carols by Candlelight, with activities for children being an additional, different element.

At a certain point in the program people will move to the platform area for a time of celebration and reflection. Well- known Christian sporting, entertainment and media personalities will share testimonies. Stories will be told that share the Easter story in a relevant way to Australians. Commencing with the story of Simpson and his Donkey, with the donkey used in the donkey rides brought forward as the story is told. The crowds are reminded of Simpson, who died under the flag of the Red Cross, symbolising another Only Son, whose cross was also red and who laid down His life for His friends.

We then indicate that two gifts will be distributed shortly. The Sunflower story might be then told as seeds are distributed and the when the Granny Smith Story is told, Granny Smith apples and/or apple pies and tarts will be handed out with little Aussie flags in them, reminding people of God's expression of love in the Easter story. An item between each of the three stories would help. A panel of highly professional Christian performers is usually signed up to make these rallies, not only powerful spiritually, but done with professional authority. Large 3-wick candles will be available for these and could then be taken on to prayer vigils

.
Good Friday Prayer Vigils

The Prayer Vigils will be held at key locations around the cities where various Christian leaders will lead 2-hour segments of prayer, celebration and intercession. Others will bring brief addresses that focus on the cross and stimulate those present to bring the state, the nation and the world to the Father in prayer. A major stimulation of prayer is the collecting and sharing of children's' prayers to be prayed during the vigils.
Those who participated in the Canberra All Night Prayer Vigils in 1988 and in the Easter '90-'94 Prayer Vigils experienced them as times of quiet power when not only was one's own faith refreshed and renewed, but where people sensed the clear rise of hope for their nation, within their hearts, that was attributed to the sense that their prayers were heard.

In the 100 prayer vigils of 1994, each was linked by mobile phone and every two hours contact was made with a group in another part of Australia who were praying through the night.

Easter Sunday Capital City Celebrations
 

Marches

After the normal Church Services on Easter Sunday morning, Christians from every Church and region are encouraged to bring their friends and neighbours, along
with their lunches to one of the briefing rallies scheduled at varying march distances from the heart of their city. There they will eat lunch, learn songs, pick up the helium- filled balloons that will be released as symbols of prayer, and be briefed for the march.
Church leaders will greet the crowds, songs will be learnt and various celebrities will share a word of encouragement before they take their place at the head of the marches. Everybody will be encouraged to bring FM radio receivers because along with bands leading the marches, music for the songs we sing together will be broadcast via the FM radio and enable the various marches in different parts of the city (or cities) to sing together in unity and enable the marchers to hear live reports from the other capital cities.
 

The Open Crowd

We are expecting to have a spirit of celebration - an open crowd. We will not be protesting against anything - we will be celebrating the presence of the living Christ in our midst and welcoming bystanders who see us to come and join in the exciting message of Easter.
As the marchers arrive at the heart of their city they will form a giant human cross that will say to the world, "not only did He die for us on Friday, but we willingly take our place in His cross as a result of His resurrection"

 
Prayer at the Heart of the Cities

After the giant human cross is formed at a prominent intersection of the city there will be a time of silent prayer at the end of which the great crowd, led by a church leader, will repeat the family prayer that unites all Christians, the Lord's Prayer. Then tens of thousands of green and gold balloons will be released testifying to those who gaze at them, as well as to those who see it on television, that this Easter God's people have come together to pray for our nation and share the hope of the Easter message.

There will be a brief period of celebration, including greetings from well-known church people and well-known local figures. There will then be a short time of prayer and the celebration will conclude with the giant congregation singing a well-loved hymn celebrating resurrection. Many will then choose to withdraw to a nearby park for an informal family festival where there are activities for children; afternoon tea; and where notable Christian artists and sports-persons will share what Easter means to them, thus providing an opportunity for spectators to be invited by participants to hear more of the Easter message.



Christian Community Celebration

In most cities the marches will be followed by a festival time in which afternoon tea will be provided,' informal participatory activities (especially for children) held and an opportunity to meet friends and celebrate together.

Operation Reconnect
During 1994 over 23,000 copies of 50 different Mission Manuals were bought by Christians throughout Australia who participated in Operation Reconnect.
We know of hundreds who have come to faith through this special period of outreach activity. The Manuals were written by practitioners who had developed their ideas and proved them within the Australian context. They generously made all that they had learnt available free of charge to the wider Christian community.
Now in 1995, the number of pack- ages has increased to 70- many of 1994's editions have been expanded and updated and another 20 have been published.
They provide a huge range of options for local regional outreach during Operation Reconnect which from 1995 on is a period of 50 days from Easter to Pentecost. Many however, have been successfully using them throughout the year.

An overview of these manuals and an order form are included in this Action Manual.

Pentecost Outreach Celebrations
The Pentecost weekend, the anniversary of the birth of the Church and the coming of the Holy Spirit, on 3rd and 4th of June, Will see the culmination of Awakening '95. Churches across Australia will be coming together in worship, celebration and outreach. We will celebrate too, our destiny as those from the Great Southland of the Holy Spirit. A manual has been written with ideas and suggestions for both outreach and combined worship. They include orders of service for. church gatherings, programmes for large rallies, and ideas for Pentecost outreach festivals. Start planning now to bring local Churches in your region together at Pentecost



Above:Some if the 50,000 who attended the Global March for Jesus in Sydney. The same venue will probably be used for future Easter marches.
Left: Marching in Canberra

Global March for Jesus

The International movement of the Global March for Jesus has recommended that the Global marches be held every second year and have agreed to run them on the Saturday of the Pentecost week- end. This means during 1995, there will be no global march. The next will be:
May 25th 1996 May 30th 1998 And the really BIG one 'in the Year 2000. Start planning now!