Shaping the Future Together
Next week, our senior leadership team will head away for three days of prayer, reflection, and planning. It’s a precious time for us to step back from the week-to-week rhythm of ministry and ask bigger questions:
- Are we actually growing wholehearted disciples of Jesus?
- How can we better love, care for, train, and lead all of you who serve?
- What opportunities is God putting before us for next year and beyond?
One key goal is to build our calendar for 2026. The task is not just about filling dates, but shaping a year that reflects our priorities and serves our church and vision well. We’ll be asking how every event, program, and ministry moment can help people come to know Jesus, expand their praise of Jesus, deepen their knowledge of Jesus, love Jesus’ people more deeply, and serve Jesus with joy.
One highlight each year is climbing to the top of the Skillion in Terrigal for a “blue sky thinking” session. From that vantage point, we’ll be looking out over the ocean and imagining together what it might look like for Christ Church to keep proclaiming Christ in St Ives, Sydney, and beyond over the coming years.
But this isn’t just our moment. It’s yours too. I want to hear from you. I am wondering:
- What have you seen God doing among us that we should celebrate and build upon?
- Where are the gaps? If you long for deeper discipleship, stronger community, or fresh mission opportunities, what should be done about that?
- Do you have creative ideas for engaging our neighbours, reaching the next generation, or caring for one another?
- Are there ways we could support our volunteers more effectively so you can serve with joy and endurance?
No idea is too small or too bold. The beauty of the body of Christ is that we each see different things and carry different burdens. I usually find that God uses our differing perspectives to lead us towards new insights and new things.
You can email your thoughts, jot them down and give them to me on Sunday, or simply grab one of the team for a chat. We’d love to listen.
Please also pray for us during these three days (Tuesday-Thursday). We want to depend deeply on God’s wisdom, dream boldly under his sovereignty, and make plans that honour him and serve the church (you!) well.
As we work at building 3000 wholehearted disciples of Jesus, let’s shape the future of Christ Church together, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
