Each year, our northern churches come together for a combined service – a chance to worship side by side, sit under God’s word, and be encouraged by seeing how he is at work across our churches. Coming together for the service also strengthens the relationships behind our shared ministry, as familiar faces reconnect and new relationships begin. More than simply bringing us together, the service brings into focus the gospel mission we hold in common: working together so that more people might come to know Jesus.
That shared mission was reflected in the service itself, with people from across our northern churches contributing throughout the morning. From all-age and youth ministry to testimony, Bible reading, music and prayer, different people and congregations helped shape the service. It was a practical expression of partnership, with different gifts and experiences brought together in service of the same mission.
In his message, Chris Jolliffe took us to Isaiah 52:7–53:12 and asked what will keep us moving forward in mission when the cost begins to feel heavy. Using the image of shifting through gears, he traced the passage from Jesus, the suffering servant, to ourselves as sinners saved by him, then as witnesses entrusted with his good news, and finally to those who are yet to believe. It was a powerful reminder of both the message we share and the people we long to reach – and of why we keep moving forward together in mission.
We have already seen what that looks like in practice. The Hill was established as a shared ministry centre for the Trinity churches in the north. Earlier this year, those same churches worked together to plant Trinity Church Holden Hill—sending people, sharing resources and taking on the cost of establishing a new congregation. After the sermon, we watched the testimony of a young person who had previously been part of Trinity Church Campbelltown before joining the planting group. She shared her story of faith and her decision to be baptised, becoming the first person baptised at Trinity Church Holden Hill. Her story reflected how ministry and relationships can continue across the Network as new congregations are established, and people grow in faith.
That same pattern is visible in other ministries across the Northern Region. Seek, a ministry for students in Years 7–12, gathers young people from across our churches, while courses such as Life and Discover are run across congregations, alongside joint training and events throughout the year. The combined service is one visible expression of a much broader rhythm of ministry already happening between our churches.
Looking ahead, the service also turned our attention further north, to a large and growing part of the city where new communities continue to take shape. With Trinity Church Holden Hill now established, the churches in the Northern Region are already praying and planning towards another church plant in 2028. As Adelaide continues to expand northward, there is a significant opportunity to reach more people and communities with the gospel.
The morning gave us a clear picture of a region looking outward and moving forward together. There is much already happening across the Northern Region, and much more to prayerfully consider as new communities grow and new opportunities emerge. What remains constant is the gospel mission at the heart of it all – and the conviction that we can pursue it together.
