An Englishman from south west London is working to make one north shore church more outsider friendly.
The Rev Graham Wintle, the former vicar of Christ Church, Surbiton in the Diocese of Southwark, England has taken over as rector of St Stephen's, Willoughby.
The Oak Hill trained minister says his key agendas in Surbiton were encouraging his church to engage with the community and rely on God.
"So often I think church becomes a retreat from the world, rather than a place of refuge for the world. It becomes about our preferences and ways of doing things and we lose sight of what we are really about," he says.
"We exist for the sake and cause of Jesus Christ and to reach lost people."
The 54-year-old decided to move hemispheres and serve in the former British colony after being invited by the rector of St Andrew's, Roseville, the Rev Mark Calder.
In the year 2000 Graham had a three month sabbatical in Sydney.
"I swapped with Mark Calder and his family and stayed in their house in Sydney while they went to England."
Mr Calder stayed in touch with Graham and in 2005 put Graham's name forward as a potential rector for St Stephen's.
"The St Stephen's nominators asked me for my thoughts about the position so I gave them a list of ten names. Out of left field I put Graham on the list," Mr Calder says.
"I saw that Graham had a powerful preaching ministry, an ability to think outside the square and a deep passion for the lost."
Graham says Mr Calder's invitation was completely unexpected.
"When he first mentioned it I laughed. I said, "Don't be silly, why would I want to come to Sydney, Australia?'"
Graham, his wife Katrina and his three children (17, 14, 12) considered the option of moving but Graham initially turned down the Archbishop's invitation to become rector of Willoughby.
"In the first hours I was fine, then I was just a wreck. I couldn't understand why. After talking the situation through with some friends my family and I decided to take the big risk and make the move and prayed that if we had it wrong God would deliver us from our folly," he says.
"We didn't just want to stay where we were comfortable. We wanted to make the choice that would force us to rely on God the most."
The former high school economics teacher was ordained in 1986 and was vicar of Christ Church, Surbiton for fourteen years before moving to Sydney this year.
"I spent 14 years in what has been a traditionally liberal diocese, however Southwark still contains a number of key evangelical churches," he says.
"Our church was seen as theologically conservative and evangelical with a reasonably laid back, contemporary style of gathering."
Church attendance in both morning and evening congregations doubled in size during Graham's time at Surbiton.
Graham plans to keep community outreach at the forefront of Willoughby's mission.
"I would like see our small groups not merely as Bible studies for Christians but as small communities of people willing to open their doors to outsiders where they pray, read the Bible and rely on God."
Given England's often lacklustre cricketing performances it is not surprising that the English-born clergyman is not a big fan of the gentlemen's sport.
"I don't care for cricket, yet I've watched more cricket in the past few weeks than I have in my entire life. I will still be disappointed if England loses though," Graham says.
