In 1999 a group of people from four churches in the northern suburbs of Melbourne began discussions about the way forward for their churches which were becoming so small that it was obvious they would not remain viable indefinitely. The outcome of these discussions was the courageous decision to close the four churches (Preston, West Preston, Northcote and Ivanhoe), sell the properties and join together to become Northern Community Church of Christ. The church was to be a multi-congregational church and began with two congregations. The church now has seven congregations meeting at different times during the week, each with its own unique form of worship and meeting the needs of a wide range of people.
My role at Northern Community is Seniors Pastoral Care Minister with particular responsibility for the Sunday morning congregation. The members of the original four churches were predominantly older which meant that the seniors ministry was a significant part of the new church. There was naturally a sense of grief felt by the members of the churches as they moved on from their places of worship – for some the church they had come from had been their church home all their lives and the sense of loss was acute.
