The Moore College mission team were the least-important newcomers at Christ Church Inner West on Sunday.
The team landed on Sunday morning in two nearby but very different suburbs of Sydney’s inner west. Ashfield is the land of the renter, a short train trip from the CBD, and a reasonably transient population. Five Dock is a proper suburb: low density housing and established families. We’ll be across both sites across the week — St. John’s in Ashfield and St. Alban’s in Five Dock.
The evening congregation in Five Dock is reasonably new, having been planted less that two years ago. The ministry team are seeking to find creative ways to make connections with their community. One approach has been ‘Welcome to the Area’ packs, distributed to families who have moved into the area recently. The packs have information about the church, as well as vouchers from various local businesses and cards for local services.
On Sunday, one woman and her family came along after receiving a pack. She was moved by the thoughtfulness of the gesture and couldn’t wait to visit and check out the church. Her family have a Christian background, but haven’t been for a long time.
At the same service a gentleman wandered in who said he had been walking past St. Alban’s regularly for several months now. He just wanted someone to talk to, and he thought this might be the place. Another young family who have moved into Ashfield turned up at church at the 10.00am service — thinking that a move was a good time to reconnect with a church after a long time away from it.
We’ve landed for mission in a place where our heavenly Father is already drawing people to his Son by his Spirit — as he is all around the world.
The saints across CCIW are praying that there might be many more connections like these, and that they would be starting points for making connections with Jesus. Our prayer as we join with the congregations at CCIW in Five Dock and Ashfield this week is that we’ll be able to encourage the saints, to play a part in equipping them for ministry, and to make connections with the community.
God is already on mission here, and we’re excited to be along for the ride!