by Jeremy Halcrow

Anglicare researchers have found that 35 per cent of young parents are involved in organisations connected with their child’s school, giving churches an important insight into how to reach this particularly busy section of our community.
“Of 14 different groups examined in the Australian Community Survey, parents emerge as one of the busiest groups of people,” said Anglicare researcher John Bellamy.
The research, newly released in the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) publication Profiling Australians, also found that a major factor in the church attendance of families was the commitment of both parents.
“Church attendance is often something done – or not done – as a couple or family,” said Mr Bellamy.
It was these sorts of insights into family life that guided the new ‘Church in the School’ – a joint project of Beverly Hills and Kingsgrove Anglican Churches – which aims to serve the 300 families whose children attend Beverley Hills Primary School.
The initiative was the vision of the Rev Peter Hayward, rector of St Bede’s, Beverly Hills, who has developed a good relationship with the school’s principal. While Mr Hayward says the church would be aiming to start new initiatives under any circumstances, strong support from the school has been a significant help. Signage is prominently displayed throughout the week, and the existence of the church is publicised in the school newsletter.
Vince Williamson, a layman who is playing a lead role in the congreg-ation until full-time minister Peter Wrench takes up leadership next year, said that working closely with the school community was a key strategy of the ministry. “We are aiming to integrate the ministry that takes place in the school and on Sunday. Scripture is linked into the kid’s church,” he said.
Anglicare researchers have contributed to Profiling Australians, which aims to help churches understand the barriers and opportunities to reaching different groups in the community with the gospel. Some of the other groups profiled include young adults, single parents, separated and divorced people, blue-collar workers, and rural dwellers.