A team of young adults from the north shore have returned from a week of assisting a country parish in reaching its community.
Eleven people from St Thomas', North Sydney's 5pm congregation spent seven days last month working with the Anglican parish of Walcha in the Diocese of Armidale.
The mission team assisted the church in running the Walcha Outreach Week, which included a kids club, youth events and other outreach activities.
St Thomas' assistant minister, the Rev Simon Flinders, who leads the 5pm congregation, says the mission week was the first time a number of the team members had participated in a short-term mission.
"It was the first trip for a number of them and seems to be have been a very positive experience," he says.
"Many of the group took a week out of their holidays or annual leave to take part in this mission."
Evangelism Ministries' Baden Stace spoke at a men's breakfast and at the Sunday morning service specifically aimed at young families and children.
"The minister, [the Rev] Rod Chiswell says a good number of people contacted during the week came to the special Sunday service," Mr Flinders says.
Located between Armidale and Tamworth, Walcha is not as badly affected by the drought as other areas, but the local farmers are still conscious of the need for more rain.
"One of the things that struck me is how encouraging it is to go to a place a six-hour drive out of Sydney and find people are likeminded, who love the same Jesus, read the same Bible and preach the same gospel," Mr Flinders says.
"They were extremely generous towards us, they fed us so much and showed true country hospitality."
The link between St Thomas' and Walcha Anglican came through a St Thomas' MTS worker who knew the Walcha Anglican MTS worker.
"They needed help with their kids club so we got in touch with them. Due to our size, we were able to help them run extra events," Mr Flinders says.
While St Thomas' has organised numerous overseas missions, Mr Flinders says it is the first time in recent memory the church has organised a mission to a local country parish.
"As a result of the experience we would be keen to do more missions like this. It's a good model for other parishes to be thinking about."
