For two young men at Peninsula Parish in Miramar, the discipleship house has become a place to grow in faith, open the door to rangatahi, and learn what it means to live with Jesus at the centre.
When the opportunity came up early last year to move into St Aidan’s discipleship house, Zac Thomson didn’t need long to decide.
“I’ve been at St Aidan’s for most of my life, so it was almost a no-brainer to give it a shot,” he says. “I wanted to support the church community and its mission of growing youth and young adults.”
For Caleb Sutherland, the road to the house was far less expected. At the end of last year, he thought his plans for the year ahead were settled: where he would live, which community he would join, and the mission he would take on. But when he brought those plans to God, he sensed a very different invitation.
“I came to God thinking I wasn’t ready for what I was going to do, and I asked him for help,” Caleb says. “He took a long look at what I wanted to do and said, ‘This is far too easy,’ and he threw it all away. ‘How about this: move to the opposite side of the city, far from your family, your friends and almost anyone you know. Join a church you’ve never been to, and do a mission I’ve been making you ready for.’
“Who am I to argue with the one whose Spirit fills my lungs? So off I went to Miramar and to the discipleship house.”
Over the past year, the house has become a hub of hospitality. There are monthly pizza lunches for the youth after church, board game nights for young adults, mentoring for young people, and night prayer.
“The space gives real freedom to just have people around for hangs and chats,” Zac says.
The youth have noticed. “It’s really fun going to the Discipleship House for pizza lunches and hanging out with friends,” says Esme, 12, who is part of the youth group.
Caleb describes the parish as “fertile ground for what the Lord was doing”.
“As we discovered what it meant to be a community together, I felt a huge amount of support to plant things like pizza lunches, board game nights, mentoring for young people and night prayers,” he says.
For him, the highlight has been the friendships, especially with the youth group. “It’s been amazing seeing how many people we could reach out to and make friends with. The diversity of young people at our youth group is absolutely incredible. It’s a miracle that we get to sit down in a room with all of them.”
For St Aidan’s, the house is the fruit of a long-held hope.
“The parish has been planning and praying for the discipleship house for many years,” says Mark Vink, parishioner. “So it has been great to have Zac and Caleb move in, and to see them developing in their faith journeys and discipling our young people. My kids love going there for Bible study and to hang out. It’s becoming a real hub within the parish.”
Zac says being near the vicarage and connected to many parishioners means there is “heaps of support for us in the house, with both faith and general life. That’s a huge benefit as we grow in our faith journey and go further into adulthood.”
He has loved having a place to welcome people. “It’s been great living in a community that really encourages us to grow,” he says. “And it’s great being able to get up on a Saturday, look out at the park and watch whatever sport is on.”
For Caleb, the year has been one of deep formation. When he preached at St Aidan’s, Esme was paying attention. “Caleb’s sermon at church was cool,” she says. “I loved his drawings. They made it very interesting.”
“I’ve learned a lot this year,” Caleb says. “I’ve learned what it means to be part of a community with Jesus at the centre, and how to back myself. I’ve been mentored in how to resolve conflict and how to live my life alongside other followers of Jesus.”
The discipleship house has rooms to fill for 2027.
