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Dear Friends,

This week Simon Flinders and I sent a letter to the 5pm congregation with news of a church plant which would impact them significantly. This letter is to fill you in immediately with the issues we wanted them to (first) be aware of.

It’s quite a few years since we have started a new ‘church/congregation’ from St Thomas’ and yet it’s been in our prayers and our thinking for a while. It has been our privilege – though costly – to start a 5pm service, send people and leaders to Naremburn/Cammeray and then people and leaders to Kirribilli. But the blessing of God on these ventures has been very great. 5pm has become a strong and loving fellowship, Naremburn has grown to 8–9 congregations and Kirribilli has grown to 5 congregations. The cost has been significant to St Thomas’ but the blessing has been very significant.

Now a new opportunity has opened – you may or may not be aware of it. The Anglican Church at Northbridge has generously agreed to allow a ‘plant’ from St Thomas’ to begin at 5pm in their building. At the moment they have two small morning congregations and no congregation in the evening. A group from St Thomas’ could significantly strengthen the Northbridge ministry.

Every ‘plant’ needs a leader and it seems wise to us all that Simon Flinders lead this. He has been with us since 2004 and – though we would happily have Simon and Tamara here forever – he is ready and willing for a leadership role. He would not just be moving to take up another assistant’s position but to assist Adam Street (the rector) in the ministry of St Mark’s and the work around Northbridge.

Our timeframe for this is as follows:

1.  Asking 5pm members to think very carefully about supporting either the ongoing work at St Thomas’ or the new work at Northbridge. Both are vital and we don’t want either to suffer.

2.  Beginning of a new service (5pm at Northbridge) in Term 3, late July 2010. Simon Flinders would stay on the staff at St Thomas’ for all 2010 but take this service at Northbridge.

3.  From early 2011 Simon would transfer to the staff at Northbridge with a careful attention to offertories at both churches being protected and provided.

4.  As a consolidating measure we would combine the remaining 5pm and current 7pm in a 6pm service, in late July 2010 when the 5pm service begins at Northbridge. There is no pastor to focus on just the remaining 5pm but all St Thomas’ pastors would be involved at 8am, 10am and 6pm.

5.  Sometime in 2011 starting a new service by drawing from all our St Thomas’ services and seeking new good staff to help us. This means that everyone at St Thomas’ would consider supporting the new congregation on site.

I realise you will read this while I am away. I hope you will consider carefully the way God has blessed our links in the past and how He might use this Northbridge opportunity. All who have thought this through (both churches, the staff, Parish Councils, as well as our Bishop) are persuaded of its significance. Change is threatening to many – exciting to others. Be prayerful, gracious, humble and careful.

Simon, Peter, Jon and Richard can answer most questions.

May the Lord guide and help us as we think it through.

Yours in gospel partnership,

Simon Manchester

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