A group of about 18 of us left the church at 11:30 and headed to Spencer via the Sackville Ferry. After regrouping at Wiseman’s Ferry, we enjoyed a short scenic drive before arriving at Spencer. Lunch was held at a beautiful spot right on the wharf, where Trent & Bianca were fantastic hosts . The laksa soups proved very popular!

After lunch, everyone made their own way home at their own leisure, though a few of us stayed back and had some really interesting conversations.

My original hope for this outing was to create a way to kickstart a men’s ministry in our church, and also to provide an opportunity to invite friends and family members who don’t normally come to church. I wanted it to be a relaxed, social setting where people could see that we’re not a bunch of “weird people,” but rather a community they could feel comfortable being part of.

I believe our church really needs a men’s ministry of some kind, but events like this—especially when our partners are included—work beautifully as a bridge. They allow us to connect with one another more deeply than we can during the quick five-minute coffee after Sunday service, and they provide a welcoming environment to introduce others to our church family.

After our recent series on Revelation, I was struck by the sobering truth that while I will one day be celebrating in heaven, friends, family members, and loved ones who don’t know Christ will be facing an eternity without Him. Not just missing out, but eternal suffering, That is something I find very difficult to reconcile. My Bible knowledge isn’t strong, but I know that if I can bring my friends and family along to church, then more mature believers will have opportunities to share and connect with them.

Looking back on the day, I can see that a little more planning would have helped. My brother and a couple of mates who came along ended up sitting apart from the main group at lunch. It wasn’t anyone’s fault—it just happened that way—but I would have loved for them to sit among our church members and share conversations. 

They still had a great day, but it felt like a missed opportunity that could easily be avoided in the future with a bit more thought.

We’ll definitely be organising more outings and also working toward a more formal men’s ministry in the near future. This first event was a great start, and I’m excited to see where God leads us from here.