Our Story
Following Jesus. Building community. Imagining what’s possible.
Newtown Mission is a church community in Sydney’s Inner West seeking to follow Jesus by building meaningful community, serving our neighbour’s, and exploring creativity together.
We are a Parish Mission of the Uniting Church in Australia, with a life that extends across several locations and communities. From shared meals and practical support at the Jordan Café in Newtown, to gathering with artists and creatives at Camperdown-Stanmore Hall, to building relationships across Surry Hills and Paddington, we seek to be a community that is present, engaged and open to what God might be doing in the world around us.
At the heart of Newtown Mission is a desire to follow Jesus in ways that are thoughtful, generous, creative and engaged with the world we inhabit.
We gather for worship on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, and throughout the week we meet in homes, cafés and other spaces for prayer, conversation, Bible study and the ongoing exploration of faith.
Whoever you are, and wherever you’re at in life or faith, there is a place for you at Newtown Mission.
Our life together is shaped by five commitments. These are not simply statements of what we believe; they are invitations into the way we seek to live as a community.
Growing Faith
The work of following Jesus is an ongoing journey where faith is continually evolving and questions and doubts are healthy parts of that process. As a community, we practice exploring faith as we engage with Scripture, gather in worship, and seek to be transformed. Our goal is growth and we acknowledge the need for faith to be continually reimagined, as we respond to a rapidly changing context.
Celebrating Diversity
As a community, we intentionally form spaces of belonging where all are equal and all can contribute. We affirm and celebrate diversity across gender, sexuality, ethnicity, ability, and socio-economic backgrounds. We honour the image of God in all people. We value hearing the perspectives of those who have been pushed to the margins by society. We act to break down barriers that divide, learning from differences, and a diversity of identities and experiences.
Valuing Creativity
We believe creativity is a key for the transformation of ourselves and of the world. We believe we are created in the image of the Creator God. We join in with God’s work of new creation by imagining new possibilities, expressing faith in new ways, re-engaging with previous practices and supporting the flourishing of creativity. We create spaces where spiritual conversation is activated by engaging creativity; and value the prophetic voice of artists as change agents in the world.
Embodying Generosity
Motivated by the costly generosity in love, action and invitation lived out by Jesus, we embrace opportunities to give into people, relationships and community in living out discipleship. We open safe spaces and invitations, share time and resources in hospitality; and walk alongside emerging faith communities for connection, mutual growth and transformation.
Seeking Justice
Embedded in our identity and core to all distinctives is our commitment to justice. This is underpinned by valuing all people as equal bearers of God’s image and the interconnectedness of all creation. We are inspired by Jesus’s commitment to justice and challenging of unjust systems and participate in actions for justice through who we are, our ministries and engaging more broadly in community advocacy events.