Church Visit - St Mary's South Camberwell

I'm pinch-hitting for a couple of weeks at St Mary's in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and have to say that I'm massively impressed with what's happening there. There's a level at which I think some people could find it underwhelming simply because the current congregation isn't all that big - it's not packed to the gills with twenty-somethings or young families or professionals. But to see no more than this would be to miss the church's quality and potential.

By 'quality' I don't just mean that the services are well-led, that the powerpoint slides are free from spelling errors and that the musos play tightly (although all those things are true and I actually think they do make a significant difference - they mean that the congregation isn't distracted at times when they're trying to focus on their prayers, singing, etc.) Even more important is the fact that the people of the church are really friendly and welcoming and that they're up-front about their faith without being confrontational. I reckon these are some of the important qualities of a local church that's looking to engage with the world around it. During morning tea last Sunday, it was great to not just have conversations about the footy or what people were doing with their weekends, but to also chat about the power of the Psalms, the hope of the resurrection, the work of the Spirit and the health of the church. Good stuff.

In addition to this, another reason that I feel this church has great potential is because it now has a new minister, Dave, who's young, clear-minded, very capable and wanting to invest in the church for the long-run. If what I've experienced so far is in some measure reflective of the work he's already put in, then I'm really excited about what he might do over the next ten or twenty years. This coming Sunday he's baptising someone into the faith - God-willing, a sign of greater things to come.

As mentioned in a previous post, I think that rebooting / revitalising local churches is a key way for the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne to see renewal over the next generation. Finding young leaders who are truly able, placing them in small parishes with some resources and then backing them through the struggles and challenges has got to be central to any macro-strategy. Dave has taken up the challenge and the diocese has been bold enough to give him a run. Plus, there are other examples around the place too. Early days, but I think this approach is paying off. Praise God.