PARISH PROFILE 2022

Anglican Parish of Moggill-Mt Crosby

Church of St Michael and All Angels

Contents

         Location of the Parish                                                     Page   2

         History of the Parish                                                        Page   2

         Church of St Michael and All Angels                            Page   3

         Parish Facilities                                                                Page   5

         Clergy and Office Bearers                                              Page   7

         Our Parish Community and Our Hopes                       Page   8

         Outreach and Charity Activities                                     Page   9

         Local Transport, Shops and Schools                           Page   9

         What We Are Seeking in a New Priest                        Page 10

         Further Information and Expressions of Interest        Page 10

Moggill-Mt Crosby Anglican Parish Profile 2022

Church of St Michael and All Angels

Location of the Parish

The Moggill-Mt Crosby Anglican Church Parish is within the Southern Region of the Brisbane Diocese. It comprises three districts: Moggill, which also includes the suburbs of Bellbowrie and Anstead; Mt. Crosby, which includes Karana Downs; and the Karalee and Chuwar suburbs of Ipswich on the south side of the Brisbane River.

The Parish Church is in Moggill, in the outer Western suburbs of Brisbane (see yellow highlight in map below). It is roughly a 35 minute drive to the centre of Brisbane outside of peak traffic hours, 10 minutes to Kenmore or 15 minutes to the major shopping centre at Indooroopilly.

Moggill in relation to Brisbane    

The community is growing. The latest 2021 Census statistics shows that the entire area covered by the Parish now has approximately 26,900 residents, of whom 5,780 are children under the age of 15. Of significant interest is that the census shows 3,354 people indicated that they were of the Anglican faith. This represents a huge opportunity, as well as a challenge, to attract such people back to attending church.

History of the Parish:

Worship at Moggill commenced with a Sunday School, which started in 1962 at the home of a local resident. By 1968, part of the former Moggill School became the Church of St. Michael and All Angels. The building was the original one-room Moggill school house, built in 1866. It was moved to its present site (beside the modern Moggill State School) and dedicated as a church in July 1968. In 1972 a hall was added.

The naming of the church was influenced by the children attending Sunday School at the time. During a visit to St. John’s Cathedral, the children became aware they were the only group without a banner depicting a patron saint. They sent a card to the Rector, requesting a saint of their own. Later, during Sunday School, after much discussion, St. Michael and All Angels was chosen.

Worship in the Mt. Crosby end of the parish separately began approximately 30 years ago. Weekly Eucharist services were held in private homes on a roster basis. When numbers grew, the services eventually moved to a room in the Mt Crosby State School. However, due to there being relatively few people in the congregation it was eventually decided to concentrate all Church Services at the Church of St Michael and All Angels in Moggill.

The Parish of Moggill – Mt. Crosby was formed as a Provisional Parish out of the Kenmore Parish in 1993. It is serviced by a Part-time Priest working three days per week.

Church of St Michael and All Angels

The Church of St Michael and All Angels is located at 3407 Moggill Road, Moggill, some 22 km from the Brisbane CBD, 1 km from the Bellbowrie shopping Centre and just 100m from a new shopping centre at Moggill. It is immediately adjacent to the Moggill State School and directly opposite St Catherine’s Catholic Church

Weekly Sunday Eucharist Services are held at 8.30 AM followed by morning tea served in the Hall. Prior to the Covid pandemic, average Sunday attendances were 45 to 50. However, as the majority of our regular attendees are elderly, these numbers have decreased due to Covid concerns, so that current numbers are around 30 or so while we are still in the grip of the pandemic. A few parishioners join our Services using Zoom. 

Archbishop Phillip Aspinall celebrating the Sunday Eucharist during Covid restrictions

The Sunday Service is a traditional Communion service, using the Second Order in “A Prayer Book for Australia”. Hymns are sung to the accompaniment of a piano or electronic organ or, on occasions, other instruments. Details of the Service, Scripture readings, prayers, notices of Parish events, etc are contained in the Good News Times (GNT) which is sent weekly on a Saturday to parishioners via email.

A Prayer Service is held in the church every Wednesday morning followed by morning tea and there is an active Prayer Circle within the congregation. As an adjunct to this, the church has a Prayer Blanket Ministry which involves distributing hand-made quilts or hand knitted blankets made by parishioners to those suffering illness or bereavement (both within and outside the Church), as a sign of Christian love and care. The blankets and quilts are first blessed by the Priest.

The Church also has an active Bible Study Group, which usually meets in the Church after morning tea following the Sunday Eucharist Service. Each year Lenten Study Groups are formed that meet in the Church in the lead up to Easter.

Special Services are held on occasion and in the past have included an outside procession for Palm Sunday, a pet blessing service, a special Defence Force service, Anzac Day Service, Australia Day themed service, a service to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible and a 50th anniversary celebration. The Church is, of course available for Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages and Funerals.

Blessing of the animals

A roster system is in place for Liturgical Assistants, Readers, Prayers and Welcomers. A Morning Tea roster is currently being re-introduced.

There is no Sunday School program at present as there are insufficient regular attendances of young children.

Parish Facilities:

The Parish has all its facilities on the one property at 3407 Moggill Road at Moggill, next to the Moggill State School. As has been mentioned, St. Michael and All Angels Church was the original Moggill School built in 1866 and is a heritage listed building. It was purchased from the Queensland Education Department in 1968 and dedicated as a church in July of that year. In 1972 a separate hall was built and the two buildings were linked to provide extra space at the back of the church, with kitchen facilities and toilets. The church buildings occupy less than half of the land space of the site, leaving potential for further development and potential income. Disabled access is available for both the Church and the Hall.

The Church and Hall are in good condition, but being built of timber and being old, the buildings will always be in need of maintenance. Maintenance schedules are updated and prioritised regularly and working bees are held to maintain the church grounds, although more complex or physically demanding work is undertaken under contract. Major maintenance work is programmed for implementation as part of the Parish budgeting process.

The Church Hall is equipped with ceiling fans and reverse cycle air conditioners (as is the main Church building) and has a sound system connected to the main Church. The sound system has proven to be invaluable during the period of social distancing during Covid which restricted the number of parishioners who could sit in the main church building. Additional parishioners were able to hear and participate in the Services while seated in the Hall, viewing the Service through louvre windows between the Hall and the Church.

The Hall is used for parish luncheons, dinners and other events, such as trivia nights. It is also available for regular renting by a variety of community groups which cater for special interests, such as dance, karate, exercise programs, the CWA Moggill Branch Choir and other private single events such as birthday parties.

The grounds of the Church include a landscaped “amphitheatre” in front of the Church building, which is very useful for outdoor functions, such as Australia Day barbecues. To the rear of the church buildings the ground slopes away, but a large area has recently been filled and grassed to provide a further space for outdoor activities.

The carpark at the front of the church has recently been properly sealed and has marked spaces for 45 cars. As we are situated immediately adjacent to the Moggill school, we allow the car park to be used daily by parents of children at the school for safer drop-offs and pick-ups. We see this also as an outreach activity that hopefully will attract attention to the church.

The car park and other grounds are also now rented out every two weeks each month on a Saturday for the Moggill Community Market. The church has a complementary stall at this market and, again, we see this as an outreach activity that might attract members of the community to enquire further about the church.

The church is also equipped with large-capacity rainwater tanks and solar panels.

The Parish does not own a residence and there is no Parish vehicle. Allowances are paid in lieu of these to the incumbent Part-time priest. Currently there is a part-time Parish Secretary who has an office area between the church and the hall, which is equipped with a computer, filing cabinets, etc.

Clergy and Office Bearers:

Until recently, the Parish was served by a salaried part-time priest employed for three days per week, Bishop Rob Nolan, who retired in September 2022. The Parish is currently served by a locum part-time priest, the Revd John Cuffe, and has an Honorary priest, the Revd Angela McNeill, who, while still pursuing a full-time professional career, occasionally conducts or assists at Services at the Church, as does the Revd Kevin Booth, who is a Chaplain in the Australian Defence Force.

The Parish Council currently comprises our Priest, three Church Wardens, the Treasurer and three other members, and includes two Synod Representatives as well as three Nominators. All Parish business is conducted through the parish Council or by the Wardens in consultation with the Priest and on occasion through ad hoc groups. There are six licensed Liturgical Assistants within the congregation who assist with Services on a rotational basis.

Revd Angela McNeill, Bishop Rob Nolan, Revd John Cuffe and LA Jon Hilder

Our Parish Community and Our Hopes:

It is fair to say that, with notable exceptions, the majority of our regular attendees at church at present are elderly, which, of course, is similar to the situation one would find at many churches these days. However, whilst many of us may now lack physical vigour, there is a spiritual vitality in our particular congregation that belies our ages.

One of the hallmarks of our congregation is the spirit of harmony that exists among us. We are a deeply caring, inclusive and welcoming congregation, looking out for each other and providing support whenever it is needed. We are a very friendly lot!

The challenge for us, as it is for so many other churches, is to grow our congregation and, in particular, to attract younger members of the community to come and embrace Christ into their lives and take part in active worship with us. As already mentioned, the recent 2021 Census data show that 3,354 people in our general area identified themselves as being followers of the Anglican faith. Why are they not with us in church? Some, of course, may have identified as being Anglican purely due to their childhood upbringing, and may have just “ticked the box”, without having ever had any real sense of being Anglican or having ever attended church regularly. And a few others might actually attend church but are travelling farther into Brisbane to other churches. Surely, though, with such numbers identifying as being Anglican there must be an opportunity to engage with them and grow our congregation. This must be our mission!

At the time of writing, we are about to commence work on a Mission Action Plan (MAP) to provide a blueprint for how we might achieve our aims to grow our congregation; in particular, how we might go about attracting younger people to our congregation.

Outreach and Charity Activities:

Apart from interacting with the local community through making our grounds available for parents with children at the adjacent school and for the monthly community market, we also participate in Ecumenical activities in association with other Christian churches in the area such as the Ecumenical Good Friday Service. Co-ordination of these events rotates among the various pastors and priests in the area and these activities are well attended by parishioners and the community. The Church also communicates with the public via our web site: https://sites.google.com/site/anglicanmmc/Home

We also raise funds for the church in a number of ways. We have a sale table at the rear of the church and a stall at the monthly community market where we sell goods made by parishioners. We also occasionally run such things as trivia nights, wine appreciation nights, high teas, fashion shows and other lunches or dinners to raise funds for specific charitable purposes or special projects. We also hold monthly Men’s and Ladies’ church breakfasts for parishioners which generate additional funds that we are able to give to those in need.

Each year we allocate funds to a number of charities and causes. By way of example, we make annual financial donations to the Inala Careforce pantry that supplies food to needy families. Parishioners also donate non-perishable food packages to the pantry. We have in the past also supported financially a World Vision child, the Bush Ministry, Bishop Daniel in South Sudan and a former parishioner, Esther Fondo, to help with the building of a wall for her church grounds in Kenya.

Local Transport, Churches, Shops and Schools:

The Moggill district is well served by the 444 bus service (a bus every 15 minutes), which stops at Kenmore and the Indooroopilly major shopping centres on its way to Brisbane City.

There is a brand new Shopping Centre directly opposite the Moggill school, some 100 metres from the church, which contains a Post Office, Coles supermarket and a variety of other stores. There is also a regional shopping centre in Bellbowrie, but since the 2011 floods inundated the shopping centre it has declined, with a number of tenancies remaining vacant. Bellbowrie also has a Tavern and a McDonalds. In the western part of the Parish, at Chuwar, there is another large new Shopping Centre, with a Woolworths supermarket, a McDonalds and a medical centre.

There are licensed clubs at Bellbowrie, Mt. Crosby, Karana Downs and Karalee and a range of sporting clubs as well as Guides and Scout groups.

There are several good parks with a dedicated “dog park” area, children’s play areas, heated swimming pools and a Golf Course and country club at Karana Downs.

At both ends of the community there are several childcare centres. There are active community groups such as QCWA, Neighbourhood Watch, Lions, Rotary and Men’s Shed.

The local primary schools provide activities such as fetes and other activities. The local Moggill oval boasts an A grade cricket pitch and is regularly used for competition and social matches.

Other places of Worship in the area

Roman Catholic Church

Uniting Church

Community Church

Baptist Church

Local Schools

The area is served by several primary schools:

Moggill State School

Mt. Crosby State School

Pullenvale State School

Karalee State School

Students attend secondary schools nearby in Kenmore or Ipswich or are able to be transported by buses organised by some private schools in Brisbane.

What We Are Seeking In A New Priest For Our Parish

As can be seen from our Parish Profile, our congregation is able to support a part-time priest, working on a three-day per week basis. We do not have a rectory, but we can pay a housing and car allowance as well as the other normal allowances and superannuation. The position would therefore suit someone who has a partner in full-time employment or who wishes to retire from full-time service to a delightful part of the Brisbane outer suburbs and serve an equally delightful and inclusive congregation!

Whilst our Mission Action Plan is not yet complete, our objectives are fairly clear from the section on Our Parish Community And Our Hopes. We are keen to attract a priest who will energetically embrace our desire to grow our congregation and, particularly, to attract younger people to our church.

Whilst our focus is particularly on faithful mission, we need a priest who also understands margin. We need to balance the day to day necessities of funding our church with expanding our community. Both need to be stable, enduring and resilient. The priest will need to recognise the needs of the current congregation and of prospective parishioners and help devise approaches to retain one and to attract the other.

At a more prosaic level, the priest will need to work effectively with the Wardens and administrator for the effective day to day running of the church. Whilst good administration will not make the church, poor administration and communication will be a barrier to attracting new members and to retaining the current congregation.

Further Information and Expressions of Interest

Further information about the Parish can be obtained from our website at https://sites.google.com/site/anglicanmmc/Home or from one of our Wardens and Nominators, Rob Law, who can be reached at roblaw1512@gmail.com or on 0403842329.

If you have a sense that God may be calling you to the Parish of Moggill Mt Crosby or, if you have some questions about the role, please contact the Bishop for the Southern Region, Bishop John Roundhill, at jroundhill@anglicanchurchsq.org.au or on (07) 3835 2213 – Bishops’ Office.

50th Anniversary

On Sunday 24 June 2018 St Michael and all Angels Anglican Church at Moggill comprising the Moggill and Mt Crosby Parish celebrated its 50th Anniversary. A special eucharist service followed by a light lunch made the occasion one to remember with many special guests  and long standing parishioners attended as well as many former parishioners who had moved away from the area and were able to visit on the day. Joan Jones attended with her daughter Lorraine and recalled the cross stitch based on Psalm 1 that she presented to the church which takes pride of place on the church walls. More photos taken on the day are shown below.