Padstow Anglican is celebrating 75 years of service in south-west Sydney with plans to revolutionise members' ministry to the suburb.
Guest speaker Peter O’Brien encouraged his listeners to ‘Seek after things that remain’ as they reflected on the past and re-energised for the future.
The way ahead centres on rector Rev Richard Blight's challenge for the church to re-invent itself to match the region's changing demographics.
"Padstow is changing from being a traditional working class suburb. Duplexes and town houses are being built all over," says Mr Blight.
The turnover in population has forced the aging congregation on to a steep learning curve.
But members are making in-roads into their new community.
Members who can recall the days when the local minister arrived on horse and cart are now throwing their support behind a new seniors' fellowship group.
"The seniors have taken on the new emphasis on outreach with a great deal of enthusiasm. It was actually some long standing members' initiative to start the fellowship," Mr Blight says.
A fledgling children's ministry centring on an after-school service called Kids Plus is also contacting families moving into the Padstow area.
However shortages of mature, family-aged Christians make it hard to connect with new households.
Mr Blight believes the congregation needs new blood if it is going to make greater gains.
He points to the choice by committed Christians elsewhere in Sydney to switch churches for the sake of the Gospel.
"St Peters Seven Hills had a couple move from Carlingford who settled in the area and committed themselves to that congregation. They have been their ten years and seen the church grow," Mr Blight says.
He believes it is people who see themselves as missionaries to Sydney who will really help congregations like Padstow pull ahead.
"These are the sort of people who you want to blow the trumpets for and say they are the heroes. We need more of those people to help the little churches survive."
