Every Thursday morning from 10am–12pm, the doors of the Heritage Church are opened as part of our Lighthouse Ministry. During this time, we offer prayer, conversation, and welcome to anyone who comes through the doors — both members of the wider community and St Nicholas parishioners alike. We see this as a precious calling: keeping this historic church open as a place of blessing, outreach, and prayer. It beautifully reflects the prophetic word spoken over the Heritage Church — that it would be both a lighthouse to the community and an engine room for the Church.
Volunteers and Visitors
This year alone, the church was opened on 40 occasions, made possible by the faithful commitment of our wonderful volunteers. Their generosity of time and heart has been such a gift.
Across the year we welcomed 225 visitors — locals, people from other churches, and guests from interstate and overseas. One especially memorable visit was from a couple from Sweden who had read about the Heritage Church in a book and made a special journey to see it while travelling through the South West. Moments like these remind us just how far the light of this place reaches.
Heritage Church Special Openings
Over Christmas and the New Year, the Heritage Church had several special openings thanks to the creativity and initiative of one of our volunteers. Volunteers dressed in period clothing from the 1840s, the era when the original church was opened (if you want to know more about the history of the Heritage Church, please click here, which takes you to our page on the Heritage Church, or even here, which takes you to the Harvey Region website). This created plenty of interest, photo opportunities, and meaningful conversations.
Open to All
The Heritage Church isn’t just for the general community — it’s for the church* too. If you’re around on a Thursday, we warmly invite you to come in and join us. We begin each morning at 10am with a short liturgy, followed by open prayer. There’s something deeply powerful about praying in a place where people have been seeking God for over 160 years. We also offer prayer ministry, with many of our volunteers serving on the Prayer Ministry team.
Whether through prayer, conversation, or simply being present, we continue to see how God uses this sacred space to connect with people from all walks of life. We’re so thankful for everyone who visits — and we’d love to see you too. Come on in on a Thursday and be part of what God is doing week by week.
*church – when we say church, we mean those who believe in and follow Christ.
