Earlier this year, our parish had the privilege of hosting Divine Renovation Open House. It was an opportunity to welcome leaders from other parishes and share something of our journey from maintenance to mission – not to say, “Hey, look at us,” but to honestly share what is working in our context, what we are learning, and the challenges we continue to encounter.

This weekend, that conversation continues on a much larger scale at the Divine Renovation Renewed and Sent Parish Renewal Summit in Sydney, bringing together around 600 bishops, priests, deacons and lay leaders from across Australia and beyond. Fr James Mallon, founder of the Divine Renovation movement and author of Divine Renovation, will be the featured speaker at the Sydney conference.

Our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) – Fr Josh, Fr Minje, Beth, Vivienne and Steve – will attend the Summit and lead two workshops. These workshops will provide an insight into how our SLT meets, how we listen to one another, and how each person brings their unique God-given gifts to the table – while, most importantly, listening together to the Holy Spirit.

The workshop is as much about the process as the topic, but excitingly, the conversation will focus on Creating a Culture of Testimony – something we hope to increasingly foster in our own parish. Because everyone has a story to tell.

Our parish mission is to actively accompany people to encounter Jesus. When we have encountered Jesus, we have a story not just worth sharing, but one that sits at the very heart of our parish’s vision: that every person in our parish – all 130,000-odd people who live within our geographical boundaries – experiences the joy of intimacy with Jesus; a joy that transforms hearts and inspires a desire to boldly and joyfully share what they have received with others.

Our stories may be dramatic or beautifully ordinary. What matters is that we are willing to share them. Renewal is never finished. It begins whenever we say “yes” to where the Holy Spirit is leading. So please pray for our Senior Leadership Team this weekend – but also ask yourself: What is my story? Where have I encountered Jesus? And who might need to hear it?

Find out more about the Renewed & Sent Parish Renewal Summit: https://renewedandsent.com.au and please keep our Senior Leadership Team in your prayers as we gather in Sydney this weekend.

Fr Josh