A New Faith Community?

 WHAT? 

We are hoping soon, (some time later this year), to start "Haven" in the Mernda area. We are praying that Haven can grow into a faith community that is a genuinely safe space in which to explore faith with others and participate in the way of Jesus. 

Take note, everyone -- Haven is NOT yet active, we are still doing the groundwork! We will let let you know more information closer to when we are ready to start!

There are many people with a deep spiritual hunger as they grapple with questions of identity and meaning, and there are also many people who used to do church or who have deep questions about the Christian faith as they have seen it -- And there are so many living locally, who are facing a range of  life challenges without a community to encourage them. Loneliness and poverty are just two such issues.

We want Haven to be a compassionate community that forms over conversation, prayer and food rather than just starting with a traditional morning service with songs and a sermon (tho’ there’s nothing wrong with that)!  

To that end, we are thinking that initially, the idea will be to hold our regular gatherings either in a home (or in a cosy hall), maybe early Sunday evenings over shared meals. In time, of course, that could well evolve into other times, styles and activities. 

There are three ingredients to this:
WAYS: Taste-testing the ancient ways and wisdom of Jesus together. 
WORKS: Seeking to act as instruments of peace in our local communities and beyond. 
WORDS: Engaging in life-giving conversation around faith, meaning & identity. 

WHY? 
You may be aware, the area all the way from Donnybrook to the north-west of Melbourne through to Yan Yean in the east, and up north towards Beveridge and Eden Park — and down to Woollert through to Doreen is a massive growth area! Many houses are going up, and thousands more people will be moving in over the next 10-20 years. 

Already there is an awesome placemaking programme and new baptist church starting further west in the Donnybrook area, and there are other church groups doing amazing work too. We’re looking more towards the East, broadly in the Woollert - South Morang - Mernda - Woodstock area. 

We want to birth a missional community that could in time partner with other congregations and agencies to strengthen the emerging neighbourhoods. Initially it would be through the friendships that arise in connecting with other local people through work, sport, school and other such activities. In time it could mean initiating or partnering in some sort of social enterprise or meeting space that meets the needs of the community. 

HOW? 
We’ve spent the last many weeks considering how Haven could work; doing some research, lots of prayer and having great conversations with insightful people to test the idea and tweak the planning! 

During second term, it will be time to invite some key people to meet up and to run the idea past them more formally. That will most likely be April/May.

After that we want to ask some of these to prayerfully consider becoming the core group and to then meet from time to time for  for prayer, some orientation and to ‘road test’ the idea.  

Some time after that we would agree on a timeline and date to invite others to come and join in.  

Please pray with us so that we find local, mature people of faith to join us for this stage of the journey. If any names come to mind - send me a message with their details!  

Please be praying for the people, homes and neighbourhoods around the Mernda, Doreen, Woollert, Woodstock and South Morang areas!  

Pray too for the other church plants getting established through these northern suburbs! 

Starting something new like this needs the Spirit of Jesus to bring about life and fruit! We can’t do that ourselves! 

As Paul puts it: "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1Corinthians 3: 6-7).