Former Field Staff, Regional Officer and now Roving Rev David Rogers-Smith recently spent time locuming on King Island. He thinks everyone should know the benefits of serving there.

King Island has a lot of physical beauty, and it’s a golfer’s haven, an artist lovers haven, is great for fishing, has magnificent wildlife, great surf beaches and the tallest lighthouse in the southern hemisphere, but none of those things were the highlight for David & Julie.

“The highlight for us was the rich fellowship with the saints,” says David. “We were so very encouraged by the spiritual strength and maturity of the little Anglican congregation. From my perspective it’s an obvious legacy of past well-trained, gospel-centred BCA-supported ministers. They are beautiful people who love Jesus, his word, each other, and their community. They faithfully gather every Sunday, and some also gather during the week in one of two Bible study groups.”

With three small main-line churches, and one independent church, there is much scope for collaboration. At Easter, with David on the Island, all the congregations gathered at the Anglican Church.

“If I was going to be the next resident Anglican minister on King Island, one of my main projects would be to foster greater collaboration between the four churches,” says David. “It was so encouraging to have a full church on Easter Sunday.”

For David, there are so many selling points for King Island, including its people. “You will not meet friendlier people,” he says. “Everyone waves when you drive past, and when you say you’re the Anglican minister noone takes two steps back. They are genuinely glad to have you there.”

The Island has a K-12 school, a well-resourced hospital with an emergency department, and is serviced by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

“King Island provides a wonderful opportunity for a ministry couple or family to go there, embrace island life and its rhythms, proclaim the Gospel, lead and equip the saints in their ministry and mission, and facilitate greater unity and collaboration between the churches,” says David.

Is God calling you to King Island?