The sight of 50 fire fighters, police, paramedics and emergency services personnel swarming into a church building on Sunday morning might be cause for alarm. But the presence of police cars, ambulance, fire engines and police rescue truck at St David’s, Forestville recently was not the result of a disaster but rather a new initiative to reach out to the emergency services that serve the local area.
“It looked like a major disaster had happened with all these emergency vehicles everywhere,” said the Rev Richard James, rector of St David’s. “I was a bit sceptical at first, but when so many people turned up, and the gospel was clearly preached, I can only see how attempts to reach out into the community like this are extremely valuable.”
Organiser Mavis Percy said she was encouraged that so many people from the different organisations were able to attend. The thanksgiving Service was conducted during the normal Sunday morning family service. After the service the children enjoyed climbing the various vehicles and speaking with all the volunteers.
The service focused on how the church and Forestville community are thankful for the different emergency services. The parishioners recognised that as Jesus came to rescue them from their sins, the emergency services are seeking to serve their well-being.
Neighbouring church St Alban’s, Frenchs Forest is also getting in on the act of welcoming newcomers using non-traditional methods. The parishioners have begin a program they term ‘wagging’, where newcomers leave the main church meeting when the children leave for Sunday school and meet as a small group of ‘waggers’, or ‘working at growth’. One group is going through the Simply Christianity course, formed as a result of the church’s recent outreach to non-Christians.
The initiative aims to give newcomers the gospel knowledge they need while getting used to attending church at the same time, knowing that their children are being looked after at Sunday School. The aim is for the group to grow as maturing disciples of Christ.
