Joy overflowed from the room on Monday night in what was the highlight of the Synod session – the reclassification of St Mark’s Sadleir to full parish. Synod representatives gathered around and, in prayer, laid hands on the church members who had travelled in from Sydney’s southwest to attend the presentation.
The Rev Dave Morgan, Sadleir’s senior minister, shared with absolute delight the many ways that God has sustained the parish since 1963. “Over that time there have been a whole host of brothers and sisters who in various ways have been very generous in supporting the ministry of the gospel in our local community,” says Mr Morgan.
Situated 5 kilometres south of Liverpool, Sadleir is in the heart of a marginalised community. The parish’s longest serving member and synod representative, Norma Esler, shared in video her reflections on seeing the neighbourhood around her change. “The area was built as six suburbs as a housing commission. People lost jobs, families broke up, there was a lot of dysfunctional families in the area and the church reflected that. Now it has taken on a much more multicultural flavour. You name a people group and they’re here.”
Parish administrator, Erin Bennett, added that the congregation has a real gospel heart. They are enthusiastic for God’s work in spite of many challenges. “Maybe they’re single parents, maybe for some reason they’re not able to work, so their ability to be able to give – it is not as great as some people in other areas. They’re really excited about mission here but they’re not able to support to a great capacity so we’re really thankful when the diocese is able to send resources out to our area to help support the ministry here... I’m excited to see what God will continue to do here in the future.”
Mr Morgan marvels at the way God has provided his church over the years. “How is it, given the significant challenges of our context, that there is a church in Sadleir 60 years after it was planted? How is it that there are white collar, blue collar and no collar people engaging in genuine relationships with one another across cultural differences? How is it that really exciting things are currently happening with kids ministry? Well the challenges are big, and we’re thankful for the various people who support us through them in different ways. But Jesus is much bigger than any of those challenges. Our God is faithful. He always has been. He always will be. Synod, please pray that God will continue to sustain a church which holds out the life saving gospel of Jesus within the marginalised community surrounding Sadleir.”
Jesus is much bigger than any of those challenges.
Looking to the future, St Mark’s has plans to employ a children’s minister, to build a preschool, and longs to continue doing the good work of sharing the gospel. “I’d like this place to be a place of hope,” says Miss Esler, “where people in the community can come and find their hope in Jesus. A place where we give a hand up to people rather than a hand out. We help give people a hand up.”
PRAYER POINTS:
- Give thanks for the way he has sustained Sadleir for over sixty years
- Praise God for the generosity of many who have blessed Sadleir with resources, time and finances to help ministry there
- Pray that building the preschool will happen smoothly and that many local families will be blessed through it
- Pray that St Mark’s will indeed be a place of hope for many in southwest Sydney
