Image: Participants at the Church Planting Network event held at Lifegate Church, Padstow
by Jo Huntington
Two weeks ago the Sydney/NSW Strategic Church Planting Network met for its quarterly meeting at Lifegate Church in Padstow and then enjoyed a lunch on-site at ‘Bottom of the Barrel BBQ’.
Hosted by the churches of Christ NSW/ACT (with thanks to Lifegate!) and attended by representatives from the Baptists, City to City, Uniting, Hillsong, Acts29, Congregationalists, Presbyterians and CCCAustralia.
Ruth Powell from the National Church Life Survey team presented on key insights from their latest survey with a focus on Church Planting.
For more information around NCLS and to join the next NCLS webinar, visit: “Who’s in the pews?”
Nathan Marshall, Jo Huntington, Steven Cha, and Jessie Skelly presented a thematic understanding of pioneering new work around Bruggeman’s understanding of Orientation (Life), Disorientation (Death) and Reorientation (Resurrection) in the changing landscape of church and pioneering work in Australia.
This rich time centred on a time of communion and reflected on our networks call to both restoration and unity, with cofC NSW/ACT Executive Ministry Director, Daz Farrell, sharing around the identity of cofC NSW/ACT.
“Hearing stories through this network helps our team to understand the moment we are in and to see God’s wider work in the midst of a season of disorientation,” said Pioneering Coordinator, Jo Huntington.
“As we move toward the bright spots and small shoots within our cofC NSW/ACT context, this group allows our team to be part of a community of practice around church planting/pioneering that is reflecting, learning and resourcing each other as part of the Body of Christ.”
To hear more about the work of the Pioneering Team, please contact: pioneering@freshhope.org.au
Read more stories of Fresh Hope HERE
