Welcome

This guide is to help you with your first few visits to our church and to provide some insight into the beliefs held within our church. Thank you for taking the time and courage to take this step in finding out more about us. We recognise that attending a new group for the first time, especially a church, can be daunting for some people. Hopefully we can make that experience as stimulating and enjoyable for you as possible. Please remember that all of us are happy to answer the queries you may have and sincerely hope you will enjoy our company and any of the gatherings you should choose to attend. We would love to see you there.

What is the New Church

The New Church is an international organisation, taking shape in numerous groups including our national association: The New Church in Australia. The New Church has many unique beliefs, but also has much common ground with many other religions. The New Church can be categorised as Christian, but there are many essential differences compared to traditional Christian churches. Our faith stems from the revelations found in the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772).

What do we believe

There is only one God, who is the Lord God Jesus Christ. Believing in Him is part of a saving faith. All evils are influences by evil spirits and all goodness is from the Lord. The Lord provides that we each live in freedom to choose our own way of life. Each day our choices shape the quality of our character and spirit. We determine whether we can live in heaven or in hell by the lives we lead. It may be, that your first visit is not a traditional worship service. Sometimes our Sunday mornings have a guest speaker, workshop style or spiritual growth group. This is to cover the wide variety of needs in our community and of our members..

First Visit

Books and Pamphlets. There are books and pamphlets displayed in the back of the hall. Pamphlets are free of charge and books can be borrowed or purchased. Please ask someone if you are unsure. Voluntary Offering. Our offering is kept at the back of the hall and is usually brought forward during the service for blessing. We will not ask anyone to make a donation, but any contributions made to help further the Lord’s work would be gratefully appreciated.

Holy Supper

Although the New Church does not have a lot of traditional practices, the Sacrament of the Last Supper is held once a month. Everyone present at our service is invited to join with us in sharing the Holy Supper. So feel welcome to take part in this part of the service. But – again – please do not feel compelled to partake nor embarrassed if you wish to abstain. Please see our current newsletter for details on the next service that includes the Holy Supper.