A church overflowing with Joy, Impact and Growth

Our beliefs

At St James we recognise the Bible as God’s word, so what we believe comes from its pages. It makes clear that we can have hope for this life and the next through Jesus Christ, who is revealed in the Bible as “the way, the truth, and the life”. He is the only way for us to know and be reconciled with God, which is the true purpose for which every person exists.

Estrangement and rebellion from God is as old as the human race itself, and is true of every person regardless of their background or moral character. It is a double tragedy: we not only miss out on the wonder of relationship with God, but we are guilty before him and deserve his judgement.

Because of his goodness and love, God has sent his Son into the world to be what we could not – a perfectly faithful human being – and yet to accept God’s judgement for our sin by dying on the cross in our place.

By turning from our resistance to God and trusting in the risen Jesus we can have forgiveness and reconciliation with God, and the expectation of eternal life.

To be Christian is to be part of the kingdom of God which begins with Jesus, includes all who follow him, and will be fully realised at Jesus’ return.

Along with Christians all around the world and over the past 2000 years, our understanding of the Bible’s message is summarised in the historic creeds (belief statements) of the church, and in an Anglican statement called ‘The 39 Articles’.

St James has a rich history of serving the Lord: 

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Our 10 Year Vision:

An Overflowing Church

Overflowing Joy

10 years from now St James will be a spiritually vibrant church, grounded in the gospel, whose joy and confidence in God overflows in boldness to do courageous things for his purposes in the Inner West and beyond. At St James people will be engaged and inspired, and equipped to live prayerfully as ambassadors for Christ in our homes, workplaces, and all of life. We will be a church of people who love to gather and who are quick to recognise and celebrate God’s good work among us.

Overflowing Impact

Our deepening recognition of God’s generosity to us will overflow in sacrificial service of our community. We will demonstrate God’s love in ways that address needs and make an impact for good in people’s lives.

Overflowing Growth

As we live and proclaim the gospel of Jesus we will make room to include more people of all ages and situations, reflecting the richness of the Inner West. We will encourage and involve the young in our church life. Our joyful commitment to Jesus’s mission will be seen in our willingness to grow as we welcome increasing numbers of newcomers and new believers into our widening congregations.

3 Year Goals

Site Masterplan

We will have a formal property masterplan that clarifies the future of the site and addresses constraints on ministry development.

New Congregation

We will be bedding down a new congregation planted with a core of St James regulars, and planning for our next one.

Community Impact

We will be involved in multiple programmes or partnerships that engage St James people in meeting needs in our local community.

Gospel Overflow

We will inspire and equip all regulars to represent Christ in daily life. Every regular will have an ‘over-flow story’, and we will share these stories with each other and in church.

1 Year Vision:

At St James in 2024 we will be courageous ambassadors for Christ in all of life. Each of us will take a new step to represent Jesus where we live, work, or study and every growth group will have stories that celebrate this.

Current 90 Day Goals: March – May 24

Belonging Pathways

Implement new Belonging Pathway to ensure people settle in easily at St James.

Prayer for St Lukes

Engage in prayer for overflowing growth in Concord-Burwood North as St Lukes merges with St James.

100 at Alpha

Encourage St James regulars to bring friends to encounter Jesus for an Alpha Course of 101 people.

Gospel Conversation

Equip 75% of St James regulars to have everyday gospel conversations through the Ripple Effect Course in Growth Groups.

  • Devote time in our November services to celebrate how God has been working amongst us this year.
  • Site Makeover to allow for the generous welcome of the community over the Summer period.
  • Have one hospitality moment over the Summer- invite someone from your congregation over, go for a coffee, to an outdoor movie, to the beach.
  • Strengthen our belonging pathways to allow people to settle into St James more quickly through clarifying entry points to Growth Groups and serving
  • Recruit a team for Community Impact Partnership to help St James meet needs in our local community.
  • Implement our integrated kids, youth and adults strategy into our congregations to build a rich sense of belonging for all ages.
  • Test our new welcoming system to ensure that every newcomer to St James meets 3 regulars on a Sunday.
  • Launch a new St James website to allow for better interactions with our local community, for inviting and informing newcomers and improved function and engagement for regulars.
  • Recruit a leader for Community Impact Partnership to help St James meet needs in our local community.
  • Build belonging through integrating kids, youth and adults into the congregations through practises at services and inclusion in congregational events
  • Explore opportunities for partnership and the possibility of a future congregational plant with St Luke’s Concord
  • Grow our culture of generous welcome and sharpen our welcoming systems to ensure that every newcomer to St James meets 3 St James regulars  on a Sunday
  • Cultivate prayerful dependence on God for the Vision Plan by establishing regular Overflow Prayer Gatherings.
  • Hold congregational events to build a sense of belonging as we kick off the year.
  • Develop structures for developing and equipping leaders right across St James so ministries can grow more easily.
  • Congregation teams will identify key needs and opportunities, and develop plans to strengthen our life together.