The following piece was first written for the August 30, 2026 pew sheet at St Augustine’s Anglican Church. I share it here again in the hope that it may continue to encourage and bless.
A couple of weeks ago, in my sermon on Christian stewardship, I reflected on the truth that everything we have is ultimately a gift from God. If that is true, then it is both logical and right that we should use what God has entrusted to us in his service and for the good of others. One of the great gifts we have received is our beautiful church building and property. We have inherited a wonderful resource from those who have gone before us. As we think about our church's mission and vision, these buildings provide us with an excellent foundation for the work that God has called us to do. I remember clearly the early years of my ministry, when, with the help of five dear friends, I helped to establish a new church in Manila. From the beginning, it was clear that our mission was about people: reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ, discipling those who came to faith, and building a healthy, growing, worshipping and Christ-centred church. Our vision was of a church where people would grow in faith, serve one another, worship God, learn from his Word and reach out to others. But, as a pioneering church, we had no building of our own. We had to rent premises, which brought its own challenges and limitations. Here at St Augustine's, we have been given a different starting point. We are blessed with a beautiful church in a prominent location and with facilities that provide us with wonderful opportunities for ministry, mission and service. But buildings alone do not make a church. The future of St Augustine's will ultimately be shaped by the people God has brought together here. Every healthy and growing church is built upon people who are committed to Christ and his mission: people who pray, worship, serve, give, lead, encourage and use their gifts for the good of others. We are blessed at St Augustine's to have such people. God often begins his work through a committed core of faithful believers who are willing to say, 'Here I am, Lord – use me.' My son Nathan expressed something of our hope for the future when, at school, he was asked to write down something he was praying for that week. He wrote, 'I'm praying that more people would come to our church.' That is a prayer I believe we can all share. We long to see more people come to know Christ, grow in faith and become part of a worshipping and serving community. True growth, of course, is more than numbers. It is growth in faith, hope, love, holiness and Christlikeness. It is seeing lives transformed by the grace of God. That is the kind of growth we should pray and work for and, with God's help, seek together in the years ahead.
Let us pray:
'Gracious God, you have called us to be your people and united us as the body of Christ. Equip us for your service, strengthen us in faith and love, and help us to grow into maturity in Christ. As we seek to serve you in the years ahead, guide us by your Spirit ad make us fruitful in all that we do, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.'
Above image: Razorback Lookout, Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia. Photograph by Nick Dunn. Reproduced from the South Australian Department for Environment and Water, '12 of the Best Views of South Australia's National Parks.'
