Recently, we had our annual meeting of parishioners and, in preparation for it, the various ministries at St Nics provided updates on their progress. It was wonderful to read about how each ministry is doing. Each one has its special place and purpose in how it serves St Nics, the kingdom of God and our wider community.
Wednesday Service, New Ministry and Warden Work
Reverend Jamie has been sharing teaching on the ‘Saint of the Week’ on Wednesdays. A new ministry has been planted: The Well of Living Waters (more information on this soon). Our church warden has been taking very good care of the church site, alongside volunteers – what a blessing they all are to us.
Prayer Watch
Our Prayer Watch team has been praying for our church – typically one or two people each day. Members of our church take up the post in the morning or in the evening and pray specifically for the church. Their efforts are much appreciated and ‘things have gone better with prayer’ as our Prayer Watch coordinator has noted.
Prayer Ministry
Our Prayer Ministry team have been praying offering their services after the Sunday service. There have been greater numbers of people from St Nics embracing the offer of prayer ministry. They have been receiving positive feedback from those who have been prayed for, often stating they have received healing (be it physical healing occurring during the prayer time, at a later date or even a few weeks later) or a sense of improved clarity, comfort or peace. It has been wonderful for all involved – both the recipient and the team members – to feel the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit with them during prayer time.
Children’s and Youth Ministries
Godly Play and the Youth Group have been running well this year. In Godly Play, various biblical stories have been covered, including Old Testament stories about the prophets. Most recently, they have been exploring parables utilising handmade resources that engage the children. As for the Youth Group, they have studied a whole host of topics, including Youth Alpha. There is a growing sense of belonging as they celebrate and serve together and gather for social events. They are growing in their faith and it is a privilege for the church to witness it.
Pastoral Care
The team at St Nics make it their mission to keep in touch with those who cannot attend services (generally the elderly or those in hospital). The team visit these people or talk to them over the phone, and they also hand out ‘Joy Boxes’, which contain a number of small gifts and a verse of scripture. This ministry is also responsible for enabling people – typically the elderly – to take Communion.
Audio/Visual Ministry, Administration and Communications
The audio and visual ministry has been seeing to the smooth running of services, so the reverend or teacher of the week can be heard, the overheads seen, and the sermons made available online. While the administration ministry has been navigating the church site and keeping things in order, and the communications ministry has been creating content for people to engage with (such as blogs and newsletters).
Craft Group and Op Shop
The Craft Group and the Op Shop have been both busy and generous this year. The Craft Group has been involved with making various items for a charity called “Wheelchairs for Kids” – you can check out our blog post about this here. They have made tiny garments for prem babies, beanies for seafarers, knitwear for babies and toddlers, and blankets for hospitals. On top of that, they have made donations to the Cancer Council and Australind Primary School. As for the Op shop, they have helped the Shoe-String Cafe in Bunbury by assisting the homeless with clothing, books and shoes. They also donate to Missions for Seafarers, Morrissey House, Aboriginal communities and local schools, and assist women when they leave the Women’s Refuge.
Worship
Our worship team has grown and the songs they bring to services have increased in variety, meaning our Sunday services are lively with a mixture of ancient to modern hymns, choruses, and older contemporary songs to the latest worship songs. The team is made of singers, guitar players, drum players and piano players.
Lighthouse Ministry
The Lighthouse Ministry operates out of the Heritage Church, offering outreach and prayer to both the community and St Nicholas parishioners. They are committed to keeping the historically significant Heritage Church open, providing a place of outreach, blessing and prayer.
Elijah House
Elijah House courses have been run throughout the year and these have been run by Rev. Jamie and Verity Murray. If you would like to know more, you can read about it in our blog by clicking here.
A Year at St Nics
What a year it has been for these various ministries – and this list doesn’t even include our Growth Groups. Our church family is a busy one, but we are serving one another in love, growing in Christ-likeness. The commitment to the numerous ministries running at our church is astounding and wouldn’t be possible without the Holy Spirit guiding us. Praise the Lord for the growth we have seen this year!