Building relationships in Strathfieldsaye

When Rob Edwards started as the minister of Strathfieldsaye Community Church it was a time like no other. It was the middle of the pandemic and Rob had to try and build relationships over the phone, via email and in text messages. Since the end of 2021 Victoria hasn’t seen another lockdown, so this year the congregation has been able to meet each week, encouraging one another in their shared faith in Jesus.

Rob, Michelle and their three boys Nathan, Josh and Pete live on the outskirts of Strathfieldsaye where they can be a visible presence to the nearly 7000 people that live there. The population of Strathfieldsaye is growing at a rapid rate with many young families moving in. The recent census showed the average age is 36.

“There is huge potential for growth of the congregation and it’s a matter of tapping into it and seeing what we can do," says Rob. “My initial focus post COVID was ministering to the current congregation and building relationships, especially because many people didn’t attend or watch online church during that time.”

“While the congregation comprises of mainly retirees, there are two other families who attend, and this year alone 10 people who have shifted into the area have joined us at church,” says Rob.

Along with the regular Sunday services, the church holds a men’s breakfast on the first Saturday of each month and a Bible study each Wednesday. Rob also does one-on-one mentoring with a boy at the local primary school. “The school chaplain identified that this young man is struggling, so I go in and spend time with him each week,” says Rob. ”I shoot hoops, play board games and have even made choc-chip pancakes with him. We are able to discuss some of the issues he is encountering, and this is hopefully a good help for him.”

Strathfieldsaye Community Church is planning to start a new venture – a Cuppa and Chat morning. “It has been a slow process of deciding what to do,” says Rob. “There is a café in town that is always busy but is not open on Mondays or Tuesdays. So, our plan is to open on a Monday morning, invite people to join us for a free cuppa, build relationships and see where it leads. Could we start a playgroup out of it? Could we run a workshop on the back of the Cuppa and Chat morning? Time will tell, but we plan to start small and follow God’s leading.”

Rod Morris, former BCA Councillor and Lead Consultant with City to City, recently visited Strathfieldsaye as part of the Revitalise Australia project which aims to invest in the health and growth of churches. Rod observed a service, asked questions and handed out surveys where people could give their feedback on Rob and the church. The findings were discussed with the church council and recommendations were made.

“One recommendation was to establish a service that is more family focused,” explains Rob. “Currently we have a traditional prayer book service which is a hybrid mix of Anglican and Uniting traditions. We want to cater for younger families but we do not want to lose our current parishioners, so the plan is to start something new. This month we had our first meeting with some families to pray about starting a new service and what this service might look like…so stay tuned!"

Rob would value your prayers as he preaches each Sunday, looks to commence the Cuppa and Chat morning as well as start a new service. “Pray that I will be able to juggle all the old and new commitments, and that the people that God wants to be part of the services will come.”