With ABS statistics showing Glenmore Park to have one of the highest rates of children per household in Australia, and the 7pm service growing so much that parishioners were sitting in the back hall area, the ministry team at Glenmore Park Anglican Church knew another service was needed.
“With our vision for growth, unless the Diocese gave us a million dollars to build a bigger church, we had to think how to accommodate more people,” says assistant minister, Eric Thurston.
The new 5:15pm service is informal and family-oriented. “We moved the service to the back room, and use portable seating. We have lounges reserved for parents with kids, so if you come to the service with children you’ll get a comfortable seat with space for a pram and toys on the ground in front of you,” Mr Thurston says.
“If you’re going to reach the suburb, you’ve got to take care of the kids. There’s a creche for the pre-schoolers and a primary school program run by the teens and young adults,” he says. “We saw it as an opportunity to attract people to church who don’t feel comfortable in the other services. We wanted to do something different that would appeal to the 20 to 29 age group and young families.”
“The 20 to 29 age group is the second highest percentage in Glenmore Park,” adds senior minister, John Lavender. “That’s 2600 people. We’re under represented in that age group and need to make some inroads.”
The new service has received cooperation and input from everyone in the church.
“It’s an extra workload for the ministry team and people involved. But there’s no growth without some type of effort,” says Mr Thurston.
“Everyone does something and feels like they’re part of the service,” says father of three, Colin Cooper. He believes the 5:15 service is just what Glenmore Park needs. “It’s a very convenient time for families who lead an active life. It’s late enough so you can let the kids sleep in and early enough so you can get them to bed and rested for Monday morning.”
“There are a lot less people, which is good in terms of getting into conversations and talking to those same people regularly,” says youth Bible study leader, Hannah Gordon. “We have a coffee break in the middle of the service. It’s informal and very conducive to building relationships.”
Mr Thurston stresses that conversion growth is the main aim. “It’s all very well to run a good service, but that’s not what it’s all about. We want to build these people up while looking outward to bring non-Christian people in. We still have to work on that.”