The positive Christian witness provided by the Mardi Gras outreach at St Michael’s, Surry Hills, took another step forward this year. St Michael’s is the only church located along the Mardi Gras parade route, which takes place annually each March.
In previous years the outreach has largely involved providing refreshments to the public, and opening the church toilets for uniformed personnel such as police and ambulance officers. This year, the Rev Francis Chalwell, rector of St Michael’s, expanded this service, opening the toilets to official Mardi Gras ushers.
“We are not there to judge anyone but to be a positive, living witness to the gospel,” he said.
Among the new initiatives this year was a brochure produced specifically for the Mardi Gras that used three of the church’s stain-glass windows to explain the gospel.
Mr Chalwell, who returned to live in Surry Hills after a 12 year absence, said the Mardi Gras had changed from a gay rights-focused rally to an international tourist event during that time. He said that quite a number of the people he spoke to on the night were overseas travellers.
“The hard-core Mardi Gras people won’t come into our church. They are indifferent to our ministry. The people who come in the church are there for the spectacle. Many don’t really care about the Mardi Gras, they just want some human connection, someone to talk to.
“I was speaking to one traveller when the Mardi Gras began. It is a moment that is quite hard to ignore as the motorbikes roar up the road. But he was happy to keep talking rather than go to watch.”
The theme of this year’s outreach was ‘Jesus is the water of life’ and the church again provided free water, tea, coffee and orange juice. A team of 40 Christians drawn from local Anglican, Presbyterian and Baptist churches and Wesley Mission served over the course of the evening.
Mr Chalwell estimates 200 polystyrene cups were used this year. “That gives an indication of the number of people who came through the church.”
A prayer room also operated throughout the Mardi Gras with about half a dozen of the team praying at any one time.
