St Nicholas Australind

In June, I took a small team to a mining town in the far north of a central Asian nation. Life is tough there. Although they have many of the mod-cons of daily life, there is high unemployment, poverty, and alcoholism and addiction destroy lives and families.
In this hard soil, the Church shines brightly, bringing hope to the hopeless. Christians are the minority and evangelism is illegal. Yet, as a pastor there shared with me, “People think we don’t have freedom, but we have so much freedom – we just have to ask Holy Spirit new ways to shine brightly for Jesus in our community.”
For him, shining brightly includes running a soup kitchen on a bus for the last ten years. They are mobile so they don’t attract attention from the authorities. By providing practical help to the poor and homeless, they have shown God’s merciful love for His people. They have been able to share the good news and begun to see lives changed. During our visit some of the people getting on the bus would begin to weep but not know why. The presence of God was touching hearts and breaking down walls. We prayed with people, shared hope, saw physical healings, and helped the ‘least of these’ know that in Christ they had a family.
Even in Australia, the old ways of reaching people with the gospel might no longer seem effective. But we don’t despair. Like the pastor in Central Asia, we need to ask the Holy Spirit how we can shine brightly in our communities, bringing hope to the hopeless and freedom to the captive.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Teresa Parish is the founder of KITE Ministries (kiteministries.org), an international prayer, healing and prophetic ministry that seeks to empower the global church through teaching and activating the gifts of God.

On Saturday 29th August 2026 the Bishop of Bunbury, The Right Reverend Dr Ian Coutts, retired after eight years of faithful service in the Bunbury Diocese. A very special Service of Thanksgiving and Farewell was held in St Boniface Cathedral, and hundreds of people from dioceses between Mandurah to Albany attended to show their appreciation and honour Bishop Ian. The Eucharist Service had all the elements of a traditional, ceremonial Anglican mass. The worship very moving with beautiful accompaniment from an outstanding organist, bagpipe player and St Nicholas Australind’s own Matthew Cabala on the trumpet.
Several speeches were made giving testimony to Bishop Ian’s wonderful work across our broad-reaching Diocese, and to his attributes of compassion, kindness and extensive pastoral care of his flock. The Most Reverend Dr Kay Goldsworthy AO, Archbishop and representing the Clergy of the Anglican Church of Australia, headlined these tributes, followed by Diocesan representatives.
The Pastoral Staff was given to the Bishop during his Installation Service in 2018. He has now laid up that staff on the altar of the Cathedral to symbolise relinquishment of this authority and responsibility.

We wish Bishop Ian and his wife Anne every blessing in their retirement as they rest, recreate and await God’s call on them for the next phase of their lives.

The annual Harvey Region Heritage Festival is back for another year, and St Nicholas Australind is taking part!

To be held on Friday 11th to Sunday 13th of September 2026, the festival will celebrate the rich history and culture of our region through interactive workshops, storytelling sessions, markets, live music and food-based events.

Our Heritage Church at 11 Paris Road (in front of St Nicholas) will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm on the Saturday, and 11am to 3pm on the Sunday – all are welcome to visit, to discover the history and stories of one of Western Australia’s oldest and smallest churches!

We’d love to see you there!

Isaiah 53:4-5 describes in stunning detail the extent to which Jesus’ death on the cross bore the totality of human suffering set in motion by sin. Every last bit of it. Nothing too big. Nothing too small.

Bore (nasa – lift off, wipe away) our infirmities/diseases, carried our sorrows (makob – physical & mental pain)
Pierced for our transgressions (pesha – knowing rebellion)
Crushed for our iniquities (avon – sin with a focus on the need for atonement, often used in a generational sense)
Upon him was the punishment that brought us peace (shalom – a comprehensive well-being or wholeness)
With his wounds we are healed (rapha – repair thoroughly, make whole)

Recently we had the privilege of seeing firsthand God’s healing at work at our latest Elijah House course. A team from St Nicholas Australind and other local churches welcomed 24 people from seven different churches, including a number of St Nics parishioners. Attendees ranged from young blokes still at uni through to seasoned brothers and sisters in Christ. We spent the two days coming together for worship, teaching, small group reflections, hospitality, and times of prayer ministry when people could bring things to God. Strangers were encouraging and praying for each other by the end of the first day.

I have been reflecting on community ever since. We see throughout the New Testament letters that community plays a crucial role in ‘dealing with our stuff’. More to the point, James 5:16 specifically describes a rhythm of ongoing confession and prayer together as being important for healing. Notably, this is addressed to the whole body, not just church leadership.

There are a number of ways you can engage with the transforming work of ‘soul care’ for yourself. A starting place could be the Living Free videos, a core teaching series available for free on online https://stnicholasaustralind.org.au/living-free/
Another way is to dive into a Growth Group. Risk a conversation that goes beyond ‘I’m well, thanks’! And whether you’re a regular or just visiting our Sunday service, you’ll always be encouraged to speak to our prayer team (wearing red lanyards) after the service.

For a deeper dive, you can find more information on upcoming Elijah House courses, including a briefer one day introductory ‘Transforming Hearts’ seminar in Perth, and Units 3 and 5 being held at St Nicholas Australind on October 23rd to 24th.
Visit https://elijahhouse.com.au/states/wa/

I was encouraged to attend the recent Elijah House course at St Nicholas, completing Unit 1. The Holy Spirit was powerful in revealing and releasing my heart from past issues. I found a new peace in the presence of a truly Heavenly Father – attendee

The smiles were beaming, the drumbeats exuberant, the dance moves full of energy. The most powerful part of the evening though was seeing arms lifted high and faces turned upwards, as God’s children from a range of countries and denominations joined together in worship and praise.

The event was ‘Better Days’, led by the Watoto Children’s Choir, which is currently touring Australia, including the south-west of WA. At the heart of the choir – which hails from Watoto Church in Kampala, Uganda in East Africa – is a message of God’s unfailing love and saving grace.

Some of us from St Nics joined together in supporting the evening, during which the Watoto children shared their testimonies of God’s redemption from abandonment and rejection to lasting healing.  

Watoto choir describes itself as part of God’s family made up of people from all over the world who are working together to ensure that the forgotten have a place to belong. It was a blessing for those from St Nics to support and worship alongside their global family of believers!  

“Please know that when you give generously and sacrificially to support our ministry and our people, lives are being changed and transformed.“

These heartfelt words were written in a letter to a number of Anglican parishes in the Diocese of Bunbury, and convey sincere gratitude from our fellow brothers and sisters on the other side of the world.

The Diocese of Kapsabet in Kenya, led by Bishop Paul Korir, has expressed its appreciation for the financial relief provided by five parishes in the Bunbury Diocese, including St Nicholas Australind. The funds will be used to support a number of priorities in the ministry within Kapsabet, including providing students in need with partial scholarships, assisting the poor who are unable to pay their medical bills, supporting the vulnerable, and commissioning a much-needed new building project in the diocese.

Bishop of Bunbury, Ian Coutts – who will retire from his position next month – spent time visiting the Diocese of Kapsabet last year, which was described by Bishop Paul as “a great investment in our relationship… a home away from home.”  

In his recent letter, Bishop Paul wrote, “Please let the churches who have donated generously know that their treasured gifts are well received by the Diocese of Kapsabet with much gratitude and appreciation. We treasure your kindness and the friendship between the two dioceses.”

For Leila, life has been a balancing act over the past year. With three young children, ranging in age from a baby to an eight-year-old, Leila’s days were already full. But when her husband injured his leg and was unable to work, everything changed. Leila, who was still breastfeeding her baby, found herself managing the previously single income household – except now, there wasn’t a wage coming in.

Leila’s story is one of many shared by those who’ve reached out to Foodbank WA in times of financial hardship. St Nicholas Australind is blessed to support Foodbank WA in two ways:

• Gathering food items at our church building and taking them regularly to Foodbank’s Bunbury branch in Davenport
• Providing food vouchers for emergency relief

The State Government has recently announced an option for West Aussies to donate their one-off $100 Fuel Support Payment to 15 local charities, including Foodbank WA. This can be done when claiming the payment.

Our loving Creator and God calls us – his hands and feet in a hurting world – to help those in need through caring action.

“If you open your heart to the hungry, and provide abundantly for those who are afflicted, your light will shine in the darkness” (Isaiah 58:10)

Over 20 participants, from both Perth and locally, came together last month at St Nicholas Australind to complete Units 1 or 8 of the Elijah House Ministries ‘Keys to Transformation’ course. Those taking part came to understand more deeply why we and others behave the way we do, why we experience difficulties in our lives and relationships and how, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are helped and enabled to help others. It was a weekend of spiritual restoration, healing and growth.

The course can be quite intense at times, as it encourages honest self-reflection and personal growth, but I found it to be a very worthwhile pathway for spiritual growth. I highly recommend the course to those seeking a deeper relationship with God, greater self-awareness, and opportunities for healing and transformation. It’s also invaluable for those who feel called to prayer ministry and want to be better equipped to help others on their journey toward healing and freedom in Christ – Tony

I was challenged and greatly encouraged by the Unit 1 course ‘Restoring Foundations’. The teaching on how spiritual foundations are laid from earliest childhood has profoundly deepened my understanding of what I see in both my life and those of others. Working through the biblically-based teaching videos and ministry sessions wonderfully allows the Holy Spirit to pinpoint areas that need to change through the work of Jesus on the Cross – Valerie

The Elijah House course has helped me grow in my own journey with God, and has given me greater confidence and understanding in ministering to others. One session in Unit 8 that particularly stood out to me was ‘Common Errors in Ministry’. It brought clarity and practical wisdom about effective ministry and how to minister well to others. I found it beautiful to see God at work in people’s lives, bringing freedom and healing – Rhonda

I appreciated that Unit 1 was underpinned by the essentials of repentance and forgiveness, and provided me with the framework to move through the prayer process. I saw visible healing experienced by people in the group – Darren

St Nicholas Australind will be holding the next ‘Keys to Transformation’ course on Friday 7th August and Saturday 8th, running Unit 1 ‘Restoring Foundations’ and Unit 4 ‘Authority to Overcome’ concurrently. These are all-day training courses. The previous units filled up weeks in advance, so booking early is recommended!

For more information visit: https://elijahhouse.com.au/events/

We’re not in competition with our brothers and sisters from other churches. However, we’re delighted to announce that a team from St Nicholas took out the top prize at a recent fundraising quiz night held at Australind Baptist Church! The event, in late-June, was raising money for the Little Angels Orphanage in Kenya. Over 110 quiz-goers enjoyed a night of laughs and brain power, raising $3,000 for the orphanage, which former Baptist pastor Richard Foster will visit next month. After an exciting tie-breaker round, the St Nics team – Terry, Lorraine, Struan, Jill, Stephany, Kat, Cormac and Robyn – secured the evening’s win! It’s great to work with other churches to advance the Kingdom.