Are Sydneysiders ready for the Ultimate Relationship?

A group of Sydney Anglican ministers will call on their congregations to take a week off work next year for a mission week that will combine the efforts of at least 12 churches around Sydney.

Plans are to run a mission in the first week of August 2008 (2nd to 10th), in between World Roman Catholic Youth Day and the Beijing Olympics, capitalising on what is expected to be a heightened spiritual radar in Sydney.

A meeting was held in August to throw ideas around relating to the mission, at the instigation of the rectors of Annandale Community Church and St Paul’s, Castle Hill, the Revs Dominic Steele and John Gray.

"The Hillsong Conference and the World Roman Catholic Youth Day will have increased the awareness of religious themes in Sydney in July,” said Mr Steele.

Twelve representatives from churches such as St Paul’s Carlingford, St Philip’s Caringbah, Christ Church St Ives, and younger churches like Church by the Bridge attended.

The theme for the mission has been chosen according to what is perceived to be the main need and interest in Sydney.

The plans at this stage involve churches running their own autonomous missions under one banner and slogan: ‘Starting the ultimate relationship’, with the idea that individual missions will benefit from the impact of the same slogan and log being visible around Sydney.

Prayer will also be part of the common agenda, with churches set to pray for the mission as a whole at specific times before, during and after the mission. “We’re not fighting the truth debate – we’re talking about what it is to have a relationship with God,” said Mr Steele.

Originally published in Southern Cross, September 2007.