“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit."  John 15:1-2

We all enjoy the pleasure of fresh fruit from a tree or vine.  Right now, in the southern parts of Australia we are enjoying the blossoms on trees and anticipate the fruit that will, in time, be harvested. The process takes time, from one year's end to the next year’s harvest. It resists being hurried. A key part is how the plant is shaped or pruned. 

John's gospel records Jesus describing the dressing and shaping of the vine for fruitfulness. The process involves removing dead wood, trimming branches and nurturing new shoots.  As much as we would like to keep the vine the way it is – pruning is a pathway to fruitfulness.

In the coming months, as we move towards the NCCA Annual General Meeting, the work commenced at the NCCA Forum in June will be completed and the direction of the NCCA into the future will be outlined. 

Our hope is that this direction will result in a continuing fruitfulness in the ecumenical life of the witness and work of Australia’s churches. The NCCA is a servant of the churches, and the process we are moving through includes engaging churches in Australia to ensure we are on track together. This will lead to making choices – what we can nurture (new shoots), what will we reshape (prune) and what will be cut off (end).  

In this process we will be exploring how churches in Australia can be ‘better together’ for the sake of our common mission and engagement in the world. Being faithfully courageous in our decision making and activity will, we trust, lead to increased fruitfulness. 

Rev John Gilmore

NCCA President