Church plant of the month

Holy Trinity, Millers Point is one of Sydney’s most unique churches. The ‘Garrison Church’has a long-standing link with Australia’s defence forces, and its picturesque location makes it a sought-after wedding venue.
Since becoming rector of Holy Trinity in January, the Rev Howard Barnett has found the parish offers distinct challenges as well as definite opportunities.
Mr Barnett now runs Simply Christianity courses for couples planning to marry at the church. With 90 to 100 weddings year, 12 couples have attended each six-week course. Mr Barnett says that for some, ‘a new light has turned on’ thanks to this group.
“For many of them, it’s the first time they have confronted Christianity,” he said.
In September, Millers Point launched a new evening service, aimed at incorporating those from the wedding preparation course. With a committed core of eleven, Mr Barnett says this service is off to a strong start.“This is a service we want to use to reach out to the local community,” he said.
Holy Trinity is also in the process of retooling its morning service. Most Sunday mornings, over 100 people are at the Garrison Church. But most are service men and women passing through for special ‘regimental’ Sunday services – there one week but not the next. This has led regulars to drift from the church.
There are also plans to move the current morning service to the later time of 11am, allowing a second morning service to start within the next 12 months.