St Paul's Anglican Carlingford

目录

St Paul's is building for the future!

We’re investing in the ministry infrastructure that will serve our community for generations to come.

What God is doing at St Paul's

God is at work at St Paul’s: children’s ministries are thriving, youth groups reach over 120 teenagers weekly, and mid-week programs connect with our growing community.

With Parramatta LGA set to grow by 75% over the next 20 years, our current facilities are stretched beyond capacity.

The need

Our children and youth need purpose-built spaces, and staff work in outdated temporary facilities.

Phase 2 of the North Hall project gives us the chance to create spaces that welcome, disciple and support the people God is bringing to us for the next 50 years.

The moment

Just as previous generations built the sandstone church, the current site and the North Hall, we now have the privilege to invest in the future. Faithful stewardship means creating space for growth and ministry opportunities God is placing before us.

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4

Project plans

The Ministry Centre will provide purpose-built children’s and youth spaces, including dedicated rooms for different age groups and proper amenities for pre-schoolers.

Youth spaces will enable both large gatherings and small cohort-based groups, allowing Salt Youth to meet together and then split into year- and gender-based small groups.

A smaller part of this project is that modern staff facilities will replace our 50-year-old building and temporary structures.

Project timeline

AUGUST 2022

DA Approved

MARCH 2025

Form working groups

TERM 4 2025

Fundraising for detailed design/tender (checkpoint)

TERM 1 2026

Detailed design

TERM 3 & 4 2026

Major fundraising campaign (checkpoint)

TERM 1 2027

Tender

AUGUST 2027

Commence Construction

The window is now.

Our DA expires August 2027.

Will you be part of building for generations to come?

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This initial phase seeks to raise $325,000 to complete the detailed design and construction certificate process. Your generous giving now demonstrates community support and enables us to move forward with confidence.

The Ministry Centre qualifies for tax-deductible donations through our ATO-approved School Building Fund, meaning you may be able to give more than you otherwise could. Every gift, large or small, is an investment in gospel ministry for generations to come.

Pray with us

Join us in praying for: wisdom in planning and design decisions; unity across our church family; God’s provision through generous giving; protection from division or discord; the families and young people who will meet Jesus in these spaces; and future ministries not yet imagined!

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Frequently asked questions

Understanding the project

Rather than starting with problems, it’s helpful to think about the exciting ministry opportunities we’re seeing that we simply can’t fully embrace with our current facilities. We’re witnessing God’s blessing – Morning Church thriving with 330-380 adults weekly, children’s ministries growing, the Parramatta LGA forecast to grow by 75% over 20 years. But we’re reaching the limits of what our current spaces can support. As Paul wrote, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6). We’re seeking to be faithful in the planting and watering that God has called us to in this generation.

Rather than starting with problems, it’s helpful to think about the exciting ministry opportunities we’re seeing that we simply can’t fully embrace with our current facilities.

The ministry opportunities before us:

We’re witnessing something wonderful:

  • Morning Church is thriving with 330-380 adults plus children gathering each week
  • Our children’s and youth ministries are growing, with new families discovering Jesus through programmes like Kids Club
  • The Parramatta LGA is forecast to grow by 75% over 20 years, bringing tremendous density increases in the streets around St Paul’s

But here’s the challenge: we’re reaching the limits of what our current spaces can support, and we lack the flexibility to multiply ministries into the future – perhaps even in ways that haven’t been dreamt up yet, with God’s help.

Current space realities:

  • Our children’s and youth ministry ratios are well below what we see in thriving, healthy churches. We have the vision and God-given people, but if the ratios were more normal, we wouldn’t have space for them all
  • Every available room is being used during peak times, limiting expansion and new ministry starts. For example:
    • SALT: Groups meet and are impacted by noise from adjoining groups. We’re limited in pursuing alternative models that might, for example, have two concurrent youth groups
    • Sunday Morning children’s ministries: We know that a typical local church should have many more children than we do, but we couldn’t fit them all in
  • A number of our staff work faithfully in temporary buildings and makeshift facilities, including shipping containers
  • Our administration building, built in 1977, has genuinely reached the end of its useful life with ongoing water leaks and electrical issues
  • The Den isn’t fit for purpose – most adults cannot stand up properly in it
  • We have a structural pole right in the middle of our main admin meeting room that limits how we can use the space

The heart of the matter:

This isn’t about solving problems; it’s about stewarding the growth God is blessing us with and creating space for the ministry opportunities He’s placing before us. Having built the North Hall (opened in 2019), the time has come to construct purpose-built facilities, particularly for children and youth. Of course, at other times, many other groups – including Growth Groups – will also benefit.

We want to be ready for the families the Lord is bringing to us.

The North Hall project (completed 2019) was always intended as phase one of a multi-phase project, it focused on adult church space. It was always the plan to return later for children’s, youth, and administrative needs. The Ministry Education Centre project originated in early 2021 when we faced urgent zoning challenges. We lodged a Development Application before zoning changes came into force. This DA was approved in August 2022 and expires in August 2027. While Council subsequently rolled back the zoning changes, we don’t want the cost and risk of resubmitting from scratch.

The North Hall project (completed 2019) was always intended as phase one of a multi-phase project. The North Hall focused on adult church space. It was always the plan to return later to address the associated facilities needed for children’s, youth, and administrative needs for a large church operating in the 21st century, in a way that fosters collaboration and teamwork.

The Ministry Education Centre project originated in early 2021 when we faced an urgent zoning challenge. Following the NSW council amalgamation process, our site transferred from The Hills Shire Council to Parramatta Council, who enacted zoning changes that would severely limit future expansion beyond 10% of current activities.

We responded by lodging a Development Application before the zoning changes came into force. This DA was approved in August 2022 and expires in August 2027. We’ve investigated the possibility of extending this deadline, but it’s not possible.

Whilst Council subsequently rolled back the zoning changes, we don’t want the cost and (not insubstantial) risk of having to resubmit the whole development application from scratch.

Following DA approval, we focused on building our ministry base and addressing other important areas in church life. Now we’re ready to move forward with this next phase.

We evaluated several options: off-site administration (moving staff offices elsewhere), church planting (starting new congregations), multiple services (limited by children’s ministry capacity constraints), and status quo (unsustainable given growth, opportunities, facility deterioration, and our responsibility to invest what we’ve been entrusted with for the kingdom). We’re choosing the Ministry Education Centre because it addresses the core constraint: inadequate quality and quantity of ministry spaces for both current and anticipated future needs.

We evaluated several options:

  • Off-site administration: Moving staff offices elsewhere to free up ministry space
  • Church planting: Starting new congregations in different locations
  • Multiple services: Limited by our existing services and children’s ministry capacity constraints
  • Status quo: We determined this to be unsustainable given our growth trajectory, the opportunities this provides, and the responsibility to invest what we’ve been entrusted with for the kingdom. On top of this, there’s the reality of facility deterioration, particularly the current administration building

We’re choosing to move forward with the Ministry Education Centre because it addresses the core constraint: inadequate quality and quantity of ministry spaces that meet both current needs and those anticipated into the future.

We’ve carefully considered the alternatives. The cost of such a project only becomes more expensive the longer we wait, let alone the enormous risk of allowing the current approved Development Application approval to lapse.

Several factors create a unique ministry opportunity right now. Most importantly, we’re completing what was always the intended two-phase approach – the North Hall provided adult worship space, with the clear understanding that we would return to address children’s and youth ministry and spiritual formation needs. Beyond this natural progression, we’re seeing a generational shift with young people increasingly interested in Christianity and responding to Jesus, growth in one of Australia’s fastest-growing areas, and Kids Club success showing outreach effectiveness with predominantly non-churched families.

Several factors create a unique ministry opportunity right now. Most importantly, we’re completing what was always the intended two-phase approach. The North Hall project was always and primarily about providing adult worship space, with the clear understanding that we would return to address children’s and youth ministry needs – which is exactly what’s happening now.

Beyond this natural progression, we’re also seeing:

  • Generational shift: Young people increasingly interested in Christianity.
  • Local growth: Parramatta LGA is one of the fastest-growing areas in Australia

Kids Club success: Majority of families are non-churched, showing outreach effectiveness. We’re wanting to see more families join us, as our children-to-adult ratios are currently under what they should be for a normal, healthy church

Vision and design

Immediately: purpose-built children’s spaces with age-appropriate facilities for spiritual education, youth spaces for both large gatherings and small cohort-based groups, facilities suitable for ministries like ESL, flexible meeting rooms for Growth Groups, and modern administrative spaces supporting teamwork. Future possibilities: new English congregation meeting simultaneously with Chinese Church, enhanced community programmes, training opportunities, foundation for future church planting from strength, and new ministries we’ve yet to imagine to serve our growing population and see more disciples for Jesus.

Immediate Benefits:

  • Purpose-built children’s spaces with age-appropriate facilities to enable spiritual education and formation (including a kids’ toilet in the pre-schoolers’ room)
  • Youth spaces enabling both large gatherings and small cohort-based groups to grow as disciples of Christ
  • Facilities more suitable for the expansion of ministries like ESL
  • Flexible meeting rooms for Growth Groups and other small group ministry
  • Modern administrative spaces supporting teamwork and ministry effectiveness

Future Possibilities:

  • New English congregation meeting simultaneously with Chinese Church, building on current momentum from Morning Church
  • Enhanced community programmes and outreach activities, including those not yet dreamt of or prayed about
  • Training and development opportunities
  • Foundation for future church planting from a position of strength
  • New ministries we’ve yet to imagine to serve our growing local population and see more new disciples for the Lord Jesus

With God’s help, we’re seeking to prepare well for the ministry harvest that God is bringing.

The Ministry Centre has been specifically designed with children’s and youth ministry as its primary focus, complementing the existing North Hall auditorium. It includes: purpose-built children’s ministry rooms for different age groups, youth-focused spaces for both large gatherings and small discussions, age-appropriate facilities with modern safety features, flexible reconfigurable spaces, modern office spaces replacing the 1977 building and temporary buildings, flexible meeting spaces without structural obstacles, facilities that don’t leak during heavy rain, small group and breakout rooms, and storage solutions. The Ministry Centre floor area will be three times larger than the North Hall, with the majority dedicated to ministry areas and prioritised for youth and children’s educational ministries.

The Ministry Centre has been specifically designed with children’s and youth ministry as its primary focus, complementing the existing North Hall auditorium.

Children’s and Youth Ministry Spiritual Formation Spaces:

  • Purpose-built children’s ministry rooms designed for different age groups to enable education and spiritual formation
  • Youth-focused spaces enabling both large gatherings and small group discussions to foster discipleship of teenagers
  • Age-appropriate facilities with modern safety and accessibility features
  • Flexible spaces that can be reconfigured for different programmes

Administrative Facilities:

  • Modern office spaces replacing the current 1977 building (which was once a rectory) and other temporary buildings (yes, many of our staff currently work in relocatable buildings)
  • Flexible meeting spaces without structural obstacles, like the pole in the middle of the admin building meeting room, to facilitate ministry and teamwork
  • Modern facilities that don’t leak during heavy rain

Ancillary Ministry Spaces:

  • Small group and breakout rooms for Growth Groups and other groups like ESL classes
  • Storage solutions for children’s and youth equipment and resources

To provide an idea of scale: the Ministry Education Centre floor area will be three times larger than the North Hall, with the majority of space dedicated to these ministry areas and prioritised for youth and children’s educational ministries.

Whilst the design intent has been to cater for children’s and youth ministries, the design emphasises adaptability: flexible walls for adjusting to different group sizes (allowing various ministries to take place simultaneously), multi-purpose rooms that can serve various ministries and configurations, spaces that can accommodate both large gatherings and small breakout groups, and a combination of individual offices and open-plan office space with meeting rooms.

Whilst the design intent has been to cater for children’s and youth ministries, the design emphasises adaptability:

  • Flexible walls for adjusting to different group sizes, allowing various ministries to take place simultaneously
  • Multi-purpose rooms that can serve various ministries and configurations
  • Spaces that can accommodate both large gatherings and small breakout groups
  • A combination of individual offices and open-plan office space with meeting rooms

The Ministry Education Centre is our generation’s opportunity to continue the legacy we’ve received. Previous generations at St Paul’s built: 1950 (the original sandstone church), 1977 (sold North Rocks and Marsden Rd properties to fund building at Moseley St), 1988 (the then-North Hall), and 2019 (the expanded North Hall). Now it’s our turn to embark on what was always intended to be Phase 2, building for future generations who will meet, learn and grow in these spaces, including people we may never meet. As Psalm 145:4 says: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”

The Ministry Centre is our generation’s opportunity to continue the legacy we’ve received.

Previous generations at St Paul’s built:

  • 1950: The original sandstone church
  • 1977: Sold the North Rocks and Marsden Rd properties to fund building at Moseley St
  • 1988: The then-North Hall
  • 2019: The expanded North Hall (a unique, larger auditorium in the Sydney Anglican context with maximum capacity of 450 people)

Now it’s our turn to embark on what was always intended to be Phase 2, building for future generations who will meet, learn and grow in these spaces, including people we may never meet.

As Psalm 145:4 declares: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” This is what we’re doing – building for generations we may never meet, so they too can know and serve Jesus.

Ministry impact

The Ministry Education Centre is primarily designed to serve children’s and youth ministry needs and in particular, spiritual formation. For children’s programmes: age-appropriate spaces instead of current constraints, purpose-built rooms enabling proper spiritual formation. For SALT Youth Ministry: ability to meet as large group then split into 12 smaller year and gender-based groups (currently over 120 young people with noise spilling over between groups, restrictions on youth group models). For Kids Holiday Club: small group space currently lacking will be provided (2025 sold out a month in advance; expansion will allow reaching more families with the Gospel).

The Ministry Centre is primarily designed to serve children’s and youth ministry needs.

Children’s Programs:

Age-appropriate spaces instead of current constraints:

  • At Morning Church we have 42 primary kids currently housed in East/West Hall
  • Our spaces for pre-schoolers and crèche are almost at capacity
  • Purpose-built rooms will enable more effective spiritual formation with adequate space and facilities

SALT Youth Ministry:

Ability to meet as large group then split into 12 smaller year and gender-based groups:

  • At SALT, we have over 120 young people meeting each week
  • Meeting in smaller cohort groups means that noise spills over from one group to another
  • There are restrictions on the youth group models that can be adopted
  • On Sunday afternoons, small SMS groups meet in several locations. It’s not uncommon for one group or another to be sitting outside, and this is the same time that a disability support group meets in the admin building

Kids Holiday Club:

Lacks small group space, which will be alleviated with the Ministry Centre:

  • In 2025, it sold out a month in advance, with the majority of participants from outside of St Paul’s.
  • Enabling expansion will allow us to reach more families with the Gospel, and help our own children in spiritual education and formation.

Growth Groups: Multiple small meeting rooms available simultaneously, ending the current constraint where groups compete for limited space or are forced to meet offsite. ESL Programmes: Dedicated classroom-style spaces with proper facilities for language learning and introducing people to Jesus. Smoother Transitions Between Services: More space will ease the challenge of rapid Sunday transitions from one service to another, with dedicated foyer space. Music Ministries: Currently teams can rehearse in challenging circumstances; more spaces will alleviate these issues. New Ministries: More space will allow exploring opportunities from our growing local population and prayerful creativity for ministries not yet imagined.

Growth Groups:

Multiple small meeting rooms available simultaneously, ending the current constraint where groups compete for limited space or are forced to meet offsite. This dynamic is only expected to worsen, with many groups becoming increasingly limited by the size of lounge rooms. In addition, more churches are starting to have larger groups (as are we with, for example, WOW – think of the format of Wednesday Women expanding to other times in the week). We need suitable space to enable this to happen.

ESL Programmes:

Dedicated classroom-style spaces with proper facilities for language learning and the possibility of then introducing people to Jesus. Already, Victor is running a post-ESL easy English bible study.

Smoother Transitions Between Services:

St Paul’s is a busy space on Sundays, as we rapidly transition from one service to another (Early Morning Church to Morning Church to Chinese Church to Chinese Church small groups to Afternoon Church to Night Church). Noise from post-church gatherings in one congregation impacts the incoming one. We lack a dedicated foyer space with people moving in and moving out all at the same time. It becomes more than a little challenging for drivers’ meetings, leaders’ training, music rehearsals, small groups, and the list goes on.

Music Ministries:

Currently, our music teams can rehearse in challenging circumstances (thank you to all involved!), and some groups have to move quickly from a make-shift rehearsal space and then set up for church. Rehearsal opportunities at other times can be challenging to come by. More spaces will alleviate these issues.

New Ministries:

More space will allow us to explore the opportunities that our growing local population will bring, as well as the prayerful brainstorming and creativity for ministries that haven’t yet been imagined.

Currently, many staff work in old or temporary buildings (come and take a look!). The 1977 administration building (originally a rectory) has reached end of useful life with water leaks and electrical issues. More than that, staff are spread out in various buildings, which can feel like ‘ships passing in the night’, far from optimum for collaboration. The Ministry Centre will foster collaborative teamwork by providing: modern office spaces in a purpose-built facility, improved communication through better proximity and shared spaces, proper meeting facilities for planning, and administrative efficiency that supports rather than constrains ministry.

Currently, many of our St Paul’s staff team work in old or temporary buildings (come and take a look!). The administration building, built in 1977 and originally a rectory, has reached the end of its useful life. In the rain, it has water leaks and can have electrical issues. More than that, the staff team are spread out in various buildings. It can be easy to feel like ‘ships passing in the night’, far from an optimum environment for collaboration and teamwork.

The Ministry Centre will foster a collaborative staff team environment that enhances teamwork by providing:

  • Modern office spaces in a purpose-built facility
  • Improved staff communication through better proximity and shared spaces
  • Proper meeting facilities for planning and coordination
  • Administrative efficiency that supports, rather than constrains, ministry

We want to create spaces that facilitate collaborative ministry.

Financial questions

Financial stewardship is important. Church finances can be complex, with different financial streams. The “Ministry Budget” (operational) and the “Building Fund” are different and complementary – think of them as separate rivers flowing together to strengthen the whole ministry. Strong Ministry Budget operational giving matters because lenders need to see a solid foundation before considering a Building Fund loan. Our track record is encouraging: we’ve finished each year at or close to breaking even, including 2024. God’s people at St Paul’s have stepped up when called upon, including the August 2025 Step Up/Step In campaign that saw the deficit reduce dramatically from 200K to 130K in just one month.

Financial stewardship is important. We want to use what the Lord has entrusted to us well. Part of this is Building for Generations.

Understanding Different Financial Streams:

Church finances can be complex, with St Paul’s having different financial streams. The “Ministry Budget” (operational) and the “Building Fund” are different and, at the same time, complementary. Think of them as separate rivers that flow together to strengthen the whole ministry.

  • Our Ministry Budget funds the costs of operating St Paul’s. This includes ministry staff remuneration, our Ministry Support team, costs of various ministries, compulsory Diocesan contributions, utilities, etc. St Paul’s has no other income sources other than what our members generously give. This enables our church to operate our ministries.
  • Our Building Fund comprises both an ATO-approved tax-deductible Education fund, as well as non-tax-deductible building fund. Together, this funding will be used to fund the building of the new Ministry Centre. This infrastructure is about Building for Generations and enables and supports the physical facilities that we benefit from almost every day of the week.
  • St Paul’s also maintains a Cemetery Fund, which houses income and expenses relating to the cemetery that we operate.
  • In addition, St Paul’s operates a separate company, the St Paul’s Training Institute, which is used for MTS trainees to fundraise and to pay their remuneration.

Why Strong Ministry Budget Operational Giving Matters:

Having a solid and sustaining Ministry Budget is important before a lender will consider a Building Fund loan. It’s a bit like approaching a bank for a house mortgage and needing to demonstrate a good foundation in terms of having a secure job. To put it simply and at the risk of oversimplification, a lender will look at this as a foundation and then consider Building Fund pledges to assess the serviceability of any construction or longer-term loan.

Churches typically fund large building projects with a combination of fundraising prior to commencement, pledges over the construction period, and then a remaining longer-term loan that is repaid with renewed pledges.

In addition, a strong Ministry Budget base gives us all confidence to consider a large special project, such as the North Hall project or the Building for Generations Ministry Centre project.

Strong Ministry Budget operational management and visionary building projects work together. They must work hand-in-hand. There’s no point undertaking a building expansion if we can’t fund the operations to utilise it effectively.

Our Track Record:

  • We were able to demonstrate such confidence to Westpac in the North Hall project, such that they provided the necessary funding
  • We’ve finished each year at or close to breaking even, including 2024
  • It’s quite normal for churches to have mid-year Ministry Budget operational challenges. Our history has shown us that when these financial challenges are explained and brought before the people of St Paul’s, together with our vision, God has sown generosity in people’s hearts. God’s people at St Paul’s have a beautiful track record of stepping up when called upon
  • We’re so thankful for the generous response to our August 2025 Step Up/Step In campaign that saw the Ministry Budget deficit reduce so dramatically (from 200K to 130K) in just one month. In addition to this, savings in the budget have been identified to the tune of a further 100K

We needed, with God’s help, to address this Ministry Budget operational issue prior to proceeding to the Building for Generations project. We thank God for his work, and are now ready to proceed to the next step on this exciting project.

We’re also aware of the typical and encouraging dynamic that most churches discover: when they effectively articulate and communicate a vision for ministry expansion, Ministry Giving tends to increase as well. It may seem counterintuitive at first, but it makes sense upon deeper reflection as more people understand and choose to be part of the vision.

We have a residual debt on the North Hall project of about $400,000. The North Hall project was completed in 2019, right before COVID disruption. The total cost was $4.4m, so we give thanks to God that the current residual debt is less than 10% of the project cost. With God’s help, we’ve been managing repayment by parking cash and holding interest-free loans from parishioners, keeping interest costs minimal. We’ve decided to incorporate this residual debt into the new financing, which avoids project delays, DA re-lodging costs and risks, higher costs due to inflation, and alleviates current ministry limitations more quickly.

We have a residual debt on the North Hall project of about $400,000. The North Hall project was completed relatively recently in 2019, right before the significant COVID disruption period. The total cost of the project was $4.4m, so we give thanks to God that the current residual debt is less than 10% of the project cost.

With God’s help, we’ve been managing repayment of the remaining costs of building the North Hall. By parking cash and holding documented interest-free loans from parishioners, our interest costs have been minimal.

We’ve made the decision to incorporate this residual debt into the new financing. This avoids project delays, DA re-lodging costs and associated risks, higher costs due to inflation, and alleviates current ministry limitations more quickly. The approach represents leveraging what we can to look to the future.

The North Hall project cost $4.4 million when completed in 2019. With the substantial increase in construction costs since then, we expect the Ministry Centre will cost more. We’re conducting detailed cost estimates through our “Early Contractor Involvement” process, which will provide more precise figures as we progress through the design phase. 

The Building for Generations project will be funded through a combination of generous giving and appropriate, serviceable borrowings, as has been the case with previous building projects at St Paul’s and across many churches.

As a condition to move forward, we must be able to service any debt and meet our regular giving goals. The project will only proceed if financial serviceability and sustainability can be demonstrated to both a lender and the Diocese. Typically, such projects are funded with some combination of upfront fundraising, pledges over 3 years and a remaining loan. We’ve built in various checkpoints – at each checkpoint, we need to be comfortable with our collective ability to service the required financing.

As a condition to move forward, we must be able to service any debt and meet our regular giving goals. The project will only proceed if financial serviceability and sustainability can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of both a lender as well as the Diocese. Typically, such projects are funded with some appropriate combination of upfront fundraising, pledges over 3 years and a remaining loan. Some churches seek building pledges every 3 or so years to keep servicing the loan.

To this end, we’ve built in various checkpoints in the proposed schedule. At each checkpoint, we need to be comfortable with our collective ability to service the required financing.

It’s important to be aware that unexpected issues can arise in any construction project. The North Hall project, for example, had final costs higher than initially anticipated because asbestos was found during construction. While we want to be realistic about such construction uncertainties, and also thank God for enabling perseverance through them, we’re now blessed to have a North Hall – a unique auditorium with a 450-seat capacity that’s used extensively for ministry and has been a tremendous blessing. We’re deeply thankful to those who led and supported this project. And now, we can take the next step.

We want to be wise stewards, not enslaved borrowers.

The Ministry Centre qualifies for tax-deductible donations because St Paul’s operates a “School Building Fund” under Australian Government and ATO regulations. We applied for Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status in 2023, and our application was approved based on the building’s educational purpose. The Ministry Centre will provide recreational education, particularly through our children’s and youth programmes. We’ve received professional legal advice and determined that approximately 70% of the project costs qualify for tax deductibility. The remaining 30% will be funded through our general Building Fund as non-tax-deductible donations. People will be able to give to either ‘bucket’, and some may be able to consider giving more than they otherwise would have.

The Ministry Centre qualifies for tax-deductible donations because St Paul’s operates a “School Building Fund” under Australian Government and Australian Taxation Office regulations. We applied for Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status for this purpose in 2023, and our application was approved by the ATO based on the building’s educational purpose.

The Ministry Centre will provide recreational education, particularly through our children’s and youth programmes. Other spiritual formation activities, such as Growth Groups, could also be eligible.

To ensure we comply with all requirements, we’ve received professional legal advice and conducted a detailed analysis of the building’s design intent. The multipurpose rooms, seminar spaces and related facilities are primarily designed for educational spiritual formation programmes, and we’ve determined that approximately 70% of the project costs qualify for tax deductibility. In this context, the term “school” is a broader concept than a structured educational institution and extends to recreational education activities.

This means donors can claim full tax deductions for their contributions to the School Building Fund, supporting our mission to provide educational opportunities for young people in our community. The remaining 30% of project costs will be funded through our general Building Fund in the form of non-tax-deductible donations.

We hope and pray that these options will mean that many will prayerfully consider giving more than they would otherwise be able to.

Proceeding with the Building for Generations project at this time is good stewardship. Doing so: seizes ministry growth opportunities while there’s momentum (particularly among young families), locks in construction costs before they further escalate, uses our DA approval before it expires (August 2027) preventing the cost and risk of resubmitting, plans to finance at a time when interest rates are expected to decrease, addresses facility deterioration before costs escalate further, assists with a safe collaborative environment for our staff team, and utilises significant tax-deductible giving opportunities through the ATO-approved “School Building Fund” status.

Proceeding with the Building for Generations project at this time is good stewardship. Doing so:

  • Seizes ministry growth opportunities while there’s momentum, particularly among young families
  • Locks in construction costs before they further escalate
  • Uses our DA approval before it expires (August 2027), preventing the cost and risk of resubmitting a fresh DA
  • Plans to finance such a project at a time when interest rates are expected to decrease
  • Addresses facility deterioration of the admin building before costs escalate further
  • Assists with a safe, effective, collaborative environment for our staff team to lead our church
  • Utilises significant tax-deductible giving opportunities through the Ministry Centre project’s ATO-approved “School Building Fund” status

Timing and deadlines

We’ve made various enquiries and have been advised that our Development Application can’t be extended beyond August 2027. Substantial commencement must have started by then. Missing this deadline would require: re-lodgement and the associated costs, reassessment (a complete reassessment of the Development Application, including consideration of issues such as traffic), higher costs (construction costs due to inflation – these have already increased since DA approval), and growth limitations (continued growth limitations for our congregations and ministries, including a Morning Church at capacity).

In short, yes. We have ministry needs and opportunities right now that are inhibiting our kingdom impact. For example, for our priority with children to be realised, we cannot fit all of the children that can reasonably be expected. In addition, with the additional space provided by the Ministry Centre, it would be feasible to start a new English-speaking family congregation meeting parallel to Mandarin Church, sharing children’s ministry (this is nothing more than an illustrative idea). The DA deadline simply adds helpful urgency to address existing constraints that we’re living with, but are not optimal for kingdom growth.

We’re moving through a carefully planned process with clear milestones: November 2025 (early giver fundraising dinner seeking approximately $325,000 for detailed design), Term 1 2026 (complete detailed design using Early Contractor Involvement process), Mid to Late 2026 (launch major congregation-wide giving campaign), Early 2027 (tender process and financing), Mid 2027 (construction commencement to meet August 2027 DA deadline), and 2027-2028 (construction period, with most operations including church services staying onsite with no construction on Sundays).

We’re moving through a carefully planned process with clear milestones and decision points:

November 2025: Early giver fundraising dinner at Pennant Hills Golf Club on Thursday, 6 November. This event seeks to raise approximately $325,000 to fund the detailed design process and recover remaining Development Application costs already invested. Substantial tax deductibility is available by giving to our ATO-approved School Building Fund.

Term 1 2026: Complete detailed design using Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) process. This approach brings a builder to manage the detailed design process to ensure realistic pricing and ongoing value management, designing to a budget.

Mid to Late 2026: Launch major congregation-wide giving campaign. This broader appeal will engage the whole church family in the vision and seek the funds needed for construction, with consideration to an appropriate level of ongoing loans that we can service.

Early 2027: Tender process and financing.

Mid 2027: Construction commencement, ensuring we meet our August 2027 Development Application deadline. This is a firm deadline that cannot be extended.

2027-2028: Construction period, culminating with the Ministry Centre coming online to serve our growing ministry needs. We anticipate that most of our operations, including church services, can stay onsite during the construction period, as construction work cannot operate on Sundays.

Practical concerns

Morning Church is pretty close to full – 330-380 adults plus children gathering each week. Rather than challenging Morning Church’s capacity, the Ministry Centre will enable us to better serve the families we already have while being prepared for those God is bringing. The additional people we’re anticipating are primarily children and youth who arrive in the same cars as adults. The issue isn’t so much more cars, but space for children’s programmes. The Ministry Centre enables creative solutions we simply can’t implement now. Jesus’ words remind us: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them”.

What We’re Experiencing Now:

You’re absolutely right that Morning Church is pretty close to full – 330-380 adults plus children gathering each week. Each week, approximately 20-30 children stay with their parents in the North Hall. It’s a wonderful testament to God’s blessing, but it does present us with some challenges.

Why the Ministry Centre Actually Helps:

Rather than challenging Morning Church’s capacity, the Ministry Centre will enable us to better serve the families we already have while being prepared for those God is bringing. At a macro level, the natural turnover we’re seeing at Morning Church is that elderly people moving to retirement villages or other congregations are being replaced with families with younger children. Of course, there are many others who visit and join us too, but this is the dynamic at a macro level. The Ministry Centre will help in a few ways:

  • The additional people we’re anticipating are primarily children and youth who arrive in the same cars as adults. The issue isn’t so much more cars, but space for children’s programmes. A typical family congregation would see one child for every two or so adults, whereas we’re currently seeing one child for every 3.5 adults. We’re seeing more children come, but we need more space to foster their spiritual formation. This is consistent with the “bubble” we observed in the composition of those who participated in the 2025 Kids Holiday Club, which saw a disproportionate number of younger primary children
  • The Ministry Centre enables creative solutions we simply can’t implement now – one illustrative example would be a new on-site family service running parallel to Mandarin Church, using a shared English Kids Church. Another example would be age-appropriate programming that spreads people across different times and spaces

A Heart for Families:

St Paul’s has a history and heart of welcoming young families. As our church grows, our current facilities mean we’re limited in how we can serve children and youth. The Ministry Centre would enable the kind of age-appropriate, nurturing ministry that aids in spiritual formation and helps families flourish.

Jesus’ words remind us: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). We want our facility to maximise the number of children coming to Jesus.

We have approximately 80 on-site spaces, and this number doesn’t change with the Ministry Centre. Council has required signage discouraging parking on Trigg Avenue, though this remains a public street. We anticipate more children and youth coming in the cars that are already coming on-site. In addition, with more flexible facilities, we gain timing options and creative programming opportunities that can help us manage demand at peak and other times more effectively.

The Operations Group will manage this as best we can during construction. On Sundays there will be little impact as construction work cannot operate on Sundays. We anticipate that most of our operations, including church services, can stay onsite during the construction period. As we get closer to construction commencement, we’ll communicate more detailed plans for managing any disruption.

Strategic direction

20-25 years ago, St Paul’s did follow a church planting model and pioneered such an approach. However, after years of experience and prayerful reflection, leadership came to see real advantages in developing larger congregations. Some challenges included planting churches close to “home base,” staffing many children’s ministries, the work of setting up and packing up long term, and limited availability of suitable off-site spaces. The North Hall project was an outcome of this revised approach. The Building For Generations project will enable us to operate at a scale where we can plant from a position of strength, with facilities that enable intentional leader training and launching new congregations with solid foundations.

Learning from Our Journey:

20-25 years ago, St Paul’s did follow a church planting model. St Paul’s was one of the Sydney Anglican churches to pioneer such an approach, and God brought much blessing. However, after years of experience and careful, prayerful reflection, our then-leadership came to see some real advantages in developing larger congregations. Some of the challenges included planting churches so close to “home base”; staffing so many children’s ministries; the work involved in setting up and packing up over a prolonged period of time; and the limited availability of suitable off-site spaces to support the strategy long term. Many churches around Sydney have walked a similar journey. It’s worth acknowledging the pain that many experienced as these plants were progressively closed. Nonetheless, the North Hall project was one of the outcomes of this revised approach as St Paul’s pivoted toward a larger congregation model.

The Opportunity of Larger Congregations:

Church size in itself is not a moral category, and there’s a need across our city and country for churches of all sizes. That said, the Lord has developed St Paul’s into a large church with larger congregations. Over the years, for example:

  • St Paul’s has trained and sent over 100 MTS trainees to serve the Gospel around Sydney, Australia and the world
  • Each term, our scale means we can run Christianity Explored. We’ve always seen people who are investigating Jesus actively participate
  • Each week, we see scores of visitors, many who don’t know Jesus, and others who are searching for a new church home
  • Whilst many churches need to make hard decisions about which ministries to focus on, St Paul’s has been able to provide “cradle to grave” ministries
  • We’re able to operate children’s and youth ministries on some scale. This means there’s more opportunity for people to be spiritually formed in cohorts. Whilst, sadly, some fall between the cracks, this cohort development is so important to so many, particularly in a world where there’s so much pressure away from the Gospel. Many would testify to keeping up with their cohorts for years following youth ministry
  • Whilst we always need more staff, we’re also able to have staff with specialist skills in respective areas, increasing the quality of the ministries we’re able to operate. One example is that we’re able to employ specialist youth and children’s pastors
  • More people can be intentionally trained and equipped for ministry
  • We can develop and maintain a critical mass of community presence – so many people in our area have heard of St Paul’s, and this provides an enhanced opportunity for people to be introduced to Jesus

We don’t see the choice between developing a large church and church planting as an either/or decision. We, and other churches, have learnt much about church planting. This has only come through being entrepreneurial and trying things. Our conviction is, at an appropriate time, to learn from the past and plant churches in sustainable ways in the future (a variation on this theme would be to develop a “multi-site” approach, like some other churches have). St Paul’s itself began as a church plant from Ryde Anglican church many decades ago.

The Building For Generations project will enable us to operate at a scale where we can plant from a position of strength, and with facilities that enable us to intentionally train leaders well and launch new congregations with solid foundations. In addition, we need to ensure that the ‘home base’ can recover quickly to further foster sustainable church planting.

Right now, we have an immediate opportunity to develop our infrastructure to better serve larger congregations with healthy and sustainable proportions of children and youth. We pray that the “bubble” we’re seeing in early Primary School will continue into upper primary years, and then into our SALT youth group. This creates a strong base from which future planting can happen effectively. With God’s help, we’re seeking to build wisely for both current and future ministry opportunities.

Yes, we have. Right now, we’re constrained in doing so: we have Early Morning Church (7.45am), Morning Church (9:15am) and Mandarin Church (11.15am). Simply, there’s no more on-site capacity on a Sunday morning. Furthermore, we conducted a survey in 2023 that showed little interest in alternative times. 

The Building for Generations project emerged as a way forward to enable and support more children and youth on site, as well as providing more space for other creative solutions.

Stewardship and priorities

We’re not choosing between building and ministry, or building and charitable works. We’re delighted that the people of St Paul’s support almost 350 Compassion children in the Philippines (amounting to some $230,000 annually), our partnership with Berkeley Life Centre, hosting Anglicare clothing bins, annual Toys and Tucker food drive, ministries such as Play Circle and ESL classes, and more. We’re very active in charitable works already, and the Building For Generations project will enhance our ability to do so in existing ways, as well as provide infrastructure for future generations to do so in new ways that haven’t yet been dreamt up or prayed about. The choice isn’t an either/or one – theologically, charitable works are an outworking of the Gospel and a way to express the love of Jesus to our world.

We’re not choosing between building and ministry, or building and charitable works. We’re delighted, for example, that the people of St Paul’s support almost 350 Compassion children in the Philippines (amounting to some $230,000 annually), as well as our ongoing partnership with Berkeley Life Centre, which includes supporting their Op Shop. On top of this, we host Anglicare clothing bins and our annual Toys and Tucker food drive. Furthermore, we run ministries such as Play Circle and ESL classes. We also more directly support those in need as circumstances arise. Each year, our facilities are used as a staging area to organise gift packs for thousands of Sri Lankan orphans.

We’re very active in charitable works already, and the Building For Generations project will enhance our ability to do so in existing ways, as well as provide infrastructure for future generations to do so in new ways that haven’t yet been dreamt up or prayed about. Currently, sometimes we’re restricted in space so that it must be an either/or choice. More space will enable more multiple and simultaneous opportunities. We’re excited to contemplate the possibilities.

The choice isn’t an either/or one. At one level, they both work together because, theologically, charitable works are an outworking of the Gospel and a way to express the love of Jesus to our world with the ultimate aim of people knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Proceeding with the Building for Generations project at this time is good stewardship: seizing ministry growth opportunities while there’s momentum, locking in construction costs before they escalate, using our DA approval before it expires, planning to finance when interest rates are expected to decrease, addressing facility deterioration before costs escalate, assisting with a collaborative environment for our staff team, and utilising significant tax-deductible giving opportunities. Our experience with the North Hall has been that purpose-built facilities communicate that the Gospel and church remain vibrant and relevant. Throughout our 175-year history, visionary investment in ministry infrastructure has been both normal and necessary.

Proceeding with the Building for Generations project at this time is good stewardship. Doing so:

  • Seizes ministry growth opportunities while there’s momentum, particularly among young families
  • Locks in construction costs before they further escalate
  • Uses our DA approval before it expires (August 2027), preventing the cost and risk of resubmitting a fresh DA
  • Plans to finance such a project at a time when interest rates are expected to decrease
  • Addresses facility deterioration of the admin building before costs escalate further
  • Assists with a safe, effective, collaborative environment for our staff team to lead our church
  • Utilises significant tax-deductible giving opportunities through the Ministry Centre project’s ATO-approved “School Building Fund” status

Our experience with the North Hall has been that the purpose-built facility has actually communicated that the Gospel and church remain vibrant and relevant in our community. It’s enabled ministry growth that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Throughout our 175-year history, visionary investment in ministry infrastructure has been both normal and necessary. We’re here today because previous generations made courageous and costly building decisions, often when they couldn’t fully see the long-term impact. They invested in the Gospel, which would impact people they hadn’t or wouldn’t even meet. This is the kind of inspiration we have the opportunity to emulate.

We must certainly be careful not to make such decisions to be more comfortable – this is a trap many churches have found themselves in. That said, the motivation with the Building For Generations project is to respond to genuine ministry constraints and opportunities, particularly for children and youth ministries and spiritual formation. The North Hall served adults. This Ministry Centre is primarily about serving youth and children. Right now, children and youth are learning about Jesus in spaces that aren’t appropriate for their needs and lack sufficient space. The cost of doing nothing is also significant, as we lose ministry opportunities during a time when our community is growing all around us. As the parable of the talents teaches us (Matthew 25:14-30), God wants us to invest what He’s entrusted to us for kingdom multiplication.

We must certainly be careful not to make such decisions to be more comfortable. This is a trap that many churches have found themselves in.

That said, the motivation with the Building For Generations project is to respond to genuine ministry constraints and opportunities, particularly when it comes to children and youth ministries and spiritual formation. The North Hall served adults. This Ministry Centre is primarily about serving youth and children. Other groups will incidentally benefit too. However, this project is primarily about developing an up-to-date facility to serve and enable spiritual formation for the children and youth of both today and tomorrow. Right now, children and youth are learning about Jesus in spaces that aren’t appropriate for their needs and lack sufficient space.

In addition, our staff and volunteers are trying to work and collaborate effectively despite being hampered by inadequate facilities. Small groups can’t form or expand because there’s nowhere for them to meet. Meanwhile, our 50-year-old administration building has reached the end of its useful life.

The cost of doing nothing is also significant, as we lose ministry opportunities during a time when our community is growing all around us. We need only look at the cranes in the area that are quite literally building high-density housing on our doorstep. The Building For Generations project is about providing infrastructure for decades to come.

This isn’t about enhancing comfort (although it will!). It’s about effective stewardship of the Gospel opportunities God has placed before us, seeking to multiply the enormous resources that the Lord has entrusted us with.

As the parable of the talents teaches us (Matthew 25:14-30), God wants us to invest what He’s entrusted to us for kingdom multiplication, not merely preserve it.

Biblical and theological foundations

Focus Group participants specifically asked, “What does God think about debt?” This reflects genuine theological interest, and we’re delighted by this appetite for biblical teaching on stewardship, debt and generous giving. We’ve responded by introducing monthly teaching spots addressing these questions with biblical clarity and practical application. On debt: The Bible doesn’t call debt a sin, but warns about its dangers. There’s an important distinction between borrowing to fund lifestyle beyond our means (clearly discouraged) and borrowing for assets that enable productive outcomes, particularly Gospel ones. On giving: Scripture consistently calls God’s people to generous, sacrificial giving. For 175 years, we’ve benefited from previous generations who gave sacrificially to build facilities we now enjoy.

Focus Group participants specifically asked, “What does God think about debt?” This reflects genuine theological interest, and we’re delighted by this appetite for biblical teaching on stewardship, debt and generous giving. We’ve responded initially by introducing monthly teaching spots that address these questions with biblical clarity and practical application.

On Debt:

The Bible doesn’t call debt a sin, but it does warn about its dangers. Proverbs 22:7 reminds us that “the borrower is slave to the lender” because debt can create bondage and limit freedom. Romans 13:8 urges us to “let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.” Psalm 37:21 teaches that “the wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” The biblical wisdom is to avoid debt where possible and repay it faithfully when unavoidable.

However, Scripture also recognises that some debt may be necessary or unavoidable: medical emergencies, caring for family (1 Timothy 5:8), or significant life circumstances. Proverbs 22:26-27 warns against carelessly guaranteeing debts, reminding us that wisdom requires careful consideration. The key biblical principle is faithful stewardship: can we service the debt responsibly without presuming on the future (James 4:13-15)?

There’s an important distinction between borrowing to fund lifestyle beyond our means (clearly discouraged) and borrowing for assets that enable productive outcomes, particularly Gospel ones. A mortgage that provides stable housing for your family, or a church building that enables gospel ministry for generations, is different from credit card debt funding unnecessary consumption. Proverbs 21:5 teaches that “the plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Jesus’ parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) teaches that God expects us to invest what He’s entrusted to us wisely, and for multiplication, not merely preserve it. The servant who buried his talent was condemned for failing to put resources to productive use. Sometimes, faithful stewardship means taking calculated steps, including appropriate and serviceable debt, to multiply kingdom impact.

On Giving:

Scripture consistently calls God’s people to generous, sacrificial giving. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “God loves a cheerful giver,” and in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 he describes the Macedonian churches giving “beyond their ability” out of joy. Jesus himself taught that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also (Matthew 6:21). Proverbs 3:9 instructs us to “honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.”

Giving isn’t primarily about funding church operations; it’s about forming our hearts, expressing gratitude for God’s grace, and investing in eternal purposes. As 2 Corinthians 9:6 reminds us: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

For 175 years, we’ve benefited from previous generations who gave sacrificially to build facilities we now enjoy. They built for people they would never meet. Many in our congregation today contributed generously to the North Hall, and we’re again being asked to exercise that same faithful stewardship, building for future generations who will gather, learn and grow in spaces we provide. As Psalm 78:4-7 reminds us, we are to tell the next generation “the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord” and establish His testimony, so that future generations “would put their trust in God.” This is biblical stewardship: faithful, generous, forward-looking and gospel-focused.

Consultation and communication

During our consultation, it became apparent that some were unaware of the remaining residual debt from the North Hall building project. We realise we need to do better in helping more people understand this, and also in our regular communications about our finances. In 2019, St Paul’s launched the “GROW” campaign to repay the then $1.4m remaining debt. This ended up being in the middle of a leadership transition and on the eve of COVID – it’s understandable the GROW campaign got lost at the time. This debt has been raised each year at our church’s AGM and appears in our annual financial reports. We acknowledge that while this information has been available, it hasn’t been widely noted. Even then, this debt has now whittled down to just $400,000, less than 10% of the total project cost.

During our consultation, it became apparent that some were unaware of the remaining residual debt from the North Hall building project. We realise we need to do better in helping more people understand this, and also in our regular communications about our finances. We’ve been seeking to do this in 2025 and welcome ongoing feedback and suggestions. Including this FAQ is one way we’re seeking to do so.

In 2019, St Paul’s launched the “GROW” campaign that sought to repay the then $1.4m remaining debt on the North Hall project. This ended up being in the middle of a leadership transition at St Paul’s, and also on the eve of COVID. It’s understandable that the GROW campaign got lost at the time. Nonetheless, this is the debt that has now been whittled down to just $400,000. Given that the total project cost was $4.4m, we praise God that the residual debt is now less than 10% of the project cost.

This debt has been raised, even highlighted, each year at our church’s AGM by our Treasurer. It also appears in our annual financial reports.

We acknowledge that while this information has been available, it hasn’t been widely noted. With God’s help, we’ve been managing repayment of the remaining costs of building the North Hall. By parking cash and holding interest-free loans from parishioners, our interest costs have been minimal. We’ve made the decision to incorporate this residual debt into the new financing. This avoids project delays, DA re-lodging costs and associated risks, higher costs due to inflation, and alleviates current ministry limitations more quickly. The approach represents leveraging what we can to look to the future.

We’ve prioritised thorough consultation throughout this process. This has included: Staff and Ministry Leader Consultation (2021), Annual General Meetings (regular updates), Working Groups Established (early 2025), Monthly Communications (throughout 2025), Parish Council Engagement (ongoing), Focus Group (June 2025, attendees from across St Paul’s), and other adhoc feedback. This is an ongoing process, and if you have questions, concerns or suggestions, please reach out to the Fundraising and Communications Working Group or speak with a member of Parish Council.

We’ve prioritised thorough consultation throughout this process, recognising that a project of this significance requires broad input and genuine community engagement.

Staff and Ministry Leader Consultation (2021): Extensive consultation occurred among staff and ministry leaders during the initial development of plans. Ministry leaders, particularly those from children’s and youth ministries, helped identify future needs that shaped the project design.

Annual General Meetings: The project has been a regular agenda item at AGMs, with updates provided on progress, planning and opportunities for involvement. At the 2025 AGM, people were invited to express interest in joining one of the working groups.

Working Groups Established (early 2025): Several groups were formed to provide focused expertise and oversight:

  • Strategy and Project Control Group
  • Fundraising and Communications Working Group
  • Design Working Group
  • Finances Working Group

Monthly Communications (throughout 2025): Regular updates through Raj’s monthly financial communications at services, ensuring transparency about both operational funding and the Ministry Centre project.

Parish Council Engagement (ongoing): The project is a regular discussion point at Parish Council meetings. Parish Councillors, who are elected at the AGM, provide governance oversight and represent the broader congregation.

Focus Group (15 June 2025): attendees with excellent diversity across congregations, ministries and age groups participated in a detailed discussion about the Ministry Centre vision, needs and concerns.

Ongoing ad hoc Feedback: We continue to collect questions, concerns and suggestions to learn from and inform our communications. We’re eager to ensure we’re addressing the issues that matter to our church family.

This is an ongoing process, and the Lord has gifted many in our congregation with valuable insight and experience. We recognise that undertaking a major building project in a church environment has its challenges, which is precisely why we’re committed to consultation, transparency as is reasonably possible, and shared discernment as we move forward together. If you have questions, concerns or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Fundraising and Communications Working Group or speak with a member of Parish Council.

Decision points and risk management

We’ve built multiple checkpoints into the process to ensure we’re proceeding wisely and sustainably. Decision Points Already Passed: Development Application Approval (August 2022), Initial Cost Estimates, Value Management Exercise. Upcoming Decision Points: Fundraising Milestone (November 2025 and beyond – raising approximately $325,000), Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) Process, Construction Certificate Process, Major Fundraising Campaign Success (ability to raise required funds), and various stages throughout construction.

We’ve built multiple checkpoints into the process to ensure we’re proceeding wisely and sustainably. Several critical decision points have already been passed, and further milestones remain ahead.

Decision Points Already Passed:

  • Development Application Approval (August 2022): If the DA had not been approved, the project would not have proceeded. This was a fundamental go/no-go point that we successfully cleared.
  • Initial Cost Estimates: High-level cost estimates have been completed, giving us confidence in the project’s achievability. These estimates will be refined through the detailed design process.
  • Value Management Exercise: An initial value management review has been completed to ensure the project delivers maximum value within budget constraints. This process will continue throughout the project lifecycle.

Upcoming Decision Points:

  • Fundraising Milestone (November 2025 and beyond): Raising approximately $325,000 to fund the detailed design and construction certificate process. This demonstrates community support and enables the next phase of planning.
  • Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) Process: The detailed design will be managed by a builder using an ECI approach, ensuring we design to an estimated cost rather than risk exceeding budget through architectural elaboration. This maintains cost discipline throughout the design phase.
  • Construction Certificate Process: Obtaining the construction certificate represents another critical checkpoint before commencing building work.

Major Fundraising Campaign Success: Our ability to raise the required funds through a combination of generous giving and appropriate, serviceable borrowings will determine whether we proceed to construction.

The project includes decision points allowing for scope adjustment based on actual costs. We’re committed to financial sustainability above all else. The ECI process with builder involvement ensures cost management happens during design, not after. We’re moving forward in prayerful dependence that God will supply what is needed. However, if fundraising falls short or costs prove higher than projected, we can adjust scope, delay construction, or pause the project entirely. We will not proceed if doing so would compromise the church’s financial health or future ministry capacity. As Proverbs 16:9 reminds us: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

The project includes decision points allowing for scope adjustment based on actual costs. We’re committed to financial sustainability above all else. The ECI process with builder involvement ensures cost management happens during design, not after.

We’re moving forward in prayerful dependence that God will supply what is needed. However, if fundraising falls short or costs prove higher than projected, we can adjust scope, delay construction, or pause the project entirely. We will not proceed if doing so would compromise the church’s financial health or future ministry capacity. At each stage, we’ll assess what’s possible and communicate transparently about our options.

As Proverbs 16:9 reminds us: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” We’re planning diligently while remaining dependent on God’s provision and guidance.

Getting involved

Prayer Partnership: Join us in praying for: Wisdom in planning (James 1:5), Unity across our church family (Psalm 133:1), God’s provision through His people’s generous giving (Philippians 4:19), Protection from division or discord, That God would be glorified in the whole process, That the Ministry Centre would enable gospel faithfulness and fruitfulness for generations. Prayer is foundational to this entire process.

Attend Information Sessions (regular updates through Raj’s monthly communications and special information sessions as we progress), Visit Morning Church (consider visiting one Sunday to observe current space constraints firsthand – see the Den, shipping containers, and creative workarounds), Speak with Ministry Leaders (talk with those involved in children’s ministry, youth programmes, or small groups about practical constraints they navigate each week).

Attend Information Sessions: We’ll continue providing regular updates through Raj’s monthly communications at services, as well as special information sessions and appropriate project briefings as we progress through each phase.

Visit Morning Church: If you attend other services, consider visiting Morning Church one Sunday to observe current space constraints firsthand. See the Den where you might struggle to stand upright, the shipping containers housing staff, and the creative ways we’re working around current structural limitations. Understanding the current reality helps clarify why we’re pursuing this project.

Speak with Ministry Leaders: Talk with those involved in children’s ministry, youth programmes, or small groups about the practical constraints they navigate each week. Parish Council members, particularly those from Morning Church, can share their firsthand experience of the space limitations affecting ministry effectiveness.

Consider Your Contribution: Reflect prayerfully on how you might contribute skills, energy and resources to this project. This might include: professional expertise (construction, project management, finance, legal, communications), volunteer support during the building phase, prayer partnership, encouragement to the project teams. Engage with Working Groups: If you have specific expertise or interest in particular aspects of the project, consider how you might contribute to the various working groups.

Consider Your Contribution: Reflect prayerfully on how you might contribute skills, energy and resources to this project. This might include:

  • Professional expertise (construction, project management, finance, legal, communications)
  • Volunteer support during the building phase
  • Prayer partnership
  • Encouragement to the project teams

Engage with Working Groups: If you have specific expertise or interest in particular aspects of the project, consider how you might contribute to the Strategy and Project Control Group, Fundraising and Communications Working Group, Design Working Group, or Finances Working Group. In due course, we’ll also need an Operations Group to manage during the construction process.

Financial Contributions: Take time to pray about your family’s or individual capacity to participate financially. The biblical encouragement is toward generous, sacrificial giving according to what God has provided, not according to a fixed formula. Some will give more, others less, according to God’s work in your heart, your capacity and stewardship of what the Lord has entrusted to you. Consider: praying and asking God what He would have you give, discussing with your spouse or family, looking at your budget to see what’s possible, considering both one-off gifts and pledges over time, exploring whether tax-deductible giving through the School Building Fund might enable you to give more, remembering this is in addition to, not instead of, your regular Ministry Budget giving.

Financial Contributions: Take time to pray about your family’s or individual capacity to participate financially. The biblical encouragement is toward generous, sacrificial giving according to what God has provided, not according to a fixed formula. Some will give more, others less, according to God’s work in your heart, your capacity and stewardship of what the Lord has entrusted to you.

Consider:

  • Praying and asking God what He would have you give
  • Discussing with your spouse or family
  • Looking at your budget to see what’s possible
  • Considering both one-off gifts and pledges over time
  • Exploring whether tax-deductible giving through the School Building Fund might enable you to give more
  • Remembering this is in addition to, not instead of, your regular Ministry Budget giving

As 2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Contact information

Church Office: Contact the office at office@stpaulsanglican.org.au or 02 9871 6077 for general inquiries and to be directed to the appropriate person for specific questions. Fundraising and Communications Working Group: This team welcomes questions, concerns and suggestions as we move forward together. Parish Council Members: Your elected Parish Council representatives provide governance oversight and can address questions about decision-making processes, financial planning and strategic direction. Raj is available to discuss the theological vision, ministry rationale and strategic planning behind the Ministry Centre project.

Church Office: Contact the office at office@stpaulsanglican.org.au or 02 9871 6077 for general inquiries and to be directed to the appropriate person for specific questions.

Fundraising and Communications Working Group: This team is specifically tasked with ensuring clear, transparent communication about the project. They welcome questions, concerns and suggestions as we move forward together.

Parish Council Members: Your elected Parish Council representatives provide governance oversight and can address questions about decision-making processes, financial planning and strategic direction.

Senior Pastor: Raj Gupta is available to discuss the theological vision, ministry rationale and strategic planning behind the Ministry Centre project.

This is an ongoing conversation. We genuinely want to hear from you, answer your questions, and ensure everyone in our church family has opportunity to understand and participate in this significant project. Your questions help us communicate more effectively and make better decisions together.