Welcoming You

St Faith's is a Christian Church. Our faith rests on a belief that there is one God who is Lord of creation and of time and eternity. God's Son, Jesus Christ entered history and lived a human life of humility and sacrifice as an example to all of us. Most significantly, Jesus gave His life on the Cross in order that our wrongdoings may be pardoned. Finally Jesus rose from death, lived for a short time with His friends the disciples then rose to return to God. We seek, as disciples of Christ to follow His example.

There is a place for anyone in our Church. We welcome any and all. We are young and old, new to the Church and lifelong members, certain and uncertain of our faith, gay and straight, women and men, rich and poor, locals and travellers, happy and sad, liberal and conservative, married and single. Our doors will never shut on any person.

If you join us you will be welcomed personally by one of our parishioners. If you want company during the service they will stay with you and guide your understanding of what goes on. And we will respect your need to be alone.

Our services follow a pattern which includes prayers for ourselves, acknowledgement of our wrongs, reading from the Bible, a sermon from the Vicar (the Priest who leads the parish), prayers for the world and other people, 'the Peace' where we greet each other, and the Eucharist. Many of our services include music, both modern and ancient, usually accompanied by a traditional organ or piano. For special occasions there will be a choir formed of members of the parish and the service will be more elaborate.

The Eucharist is the central part of the service. It recalls Jesus' last night with his friends where He shared bread and wine, marking His life and death. We ritually share bread and wine as a community celebration of Jesus' life and death. Our services involve ritual that includes sitting, kneeling and standing. But we are not fussy and someone will guide you if you are not certain of what to do. Or you can simply sit.

After the service we repair to the hall for morning tea and to catch up with each other-- lots of fun, lots of people and kids running around. Sometimes a dog or two. Occasionally we will run a forum on a topic of interest. Once a month there is a parish barbeque.

We would love you to join us. You can just come as you are for any service. There is no dress code. Children are a special gift and we encourage them always to be with us. There is Sunday school for the school-age ones and a place for time out for the bubs. If you want more information or have some questions, call or email the Vicar.

Anglican Tradition

St Faith's is an Australian Anglican church. This means we trace our heritage, back through the Church of England in Australia, the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church (from which we arose in the 16th century) to the first church established by Christ and his disciples in Palestine. We also share some tradition with Judaism. Our core beliefs are set out in the Christian Bible and other statements of our faith. We normally use "A Prayer Book for Australia" to pattern our worship.

Music is drawn primarily from "Together in Song" however other sources are used by the Director of Music to create a programme of music for the service that is at once interesting and theologically sensitive to the themes of the day.

Normal Eucharistic services will include the Priest and possibly a deacon in traditional vestments and often a party of servers. Women are welcomed in the sanctuary. We have had a woman priest in the past and will do so again. On special occasions we conduct High Mass with incense, processions and all the trimmings!

Our pattern of worship follows the now standard liturgical year of Advent, leading to Christmas, Epiphany after Christmas, Lent leading to Easter, Pentecost, Trinity and the Ordinary Sundays through to the end of the year until the next Advent.

Anglicans Online is a good website on Anglican belief.