HIS VISION
OUR MISSION
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a cross shaped life*, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
AMEN.
* We have added in this line as we believe it bridges the gap between Jesus’ birth and death with a statement about his remarkable life as servant king.
THE 'GO' OF CHRIST
We acknowledge today that we have come together
to be reminded of the go of Christ.
So, we’ll go and feed the hungry,
We’ll go and clothe the naked,
We’ll go and fight for justice,
We’ll go and end oppression,
We’ll go and proclaim anew the old old story,
We’ll go and reach those who are running from God and God’s Church,
We’ll go and associate with those who don’t look like us, talk like us, don’t act like us and even don’t like us.
And we’ll do it all in the name of the one who sent us,
His name is Jesus!
Each week at Westcity we say the above paragraph as our benediction.
We do this because we believe that the purpose of the church is to be a caring community for the world. Because we believe we aren’t just called to make a living but to make a difference.
To be a city on a hill that can’t be hidden.
We also believe that as we ‘go’ and serve others we enter into Christ’s work of welcome, restoration and healing both for ourselves and others.
That when we come alongside those on the margins we see and encounter Christ.
WESTCITY VALUES & PRACTICES
Westcity Values:
At Westcity, as a Church we commit to becoming and being a community that is:
- Welcoming by finding ways to ensure people find their place and discover friendship.
- Inclusive by demonstrating wholehearted acceptance of others irrespective of our points of difference and challenge.
- Loving in overlooking offence, extending friendship, offering care and support, being truthful and practicing at all times the radical welcome of Jesus.
- Compassionate towards those less able, less willing and less empowered to represent themselves and their needs.
- Kind as an active practice of love; always putting forward and looking for ways to show people their value and worth.
- Peace-seeking in every situation (non-violent). This is not passivity, nor fight or flight, but the third way of fighting back with radical love that gives dignity to the oppressed while at the same time holding onto the hope of transformation for the aggressors.
These are the core values that we as a church community feel we must share in order to grow and function together as a body (albeit a flawed one), that seeks to be a healthy community of welcome, reflective of Jesus in all that we do.
Westcity Practices:
At Westcity, the practices we have discovered, that help us to live as Jesus’ community are:
- Peacemaking (Anabaptist example)
- Sacramental (The table, baptism, washing feet)
- Charismatic expression (The Spirit of Life)
Click HERE (on the gold font) for a copy of the ‘Westcity Way Handbook – for Visitors’ (which contains a more detailed explanation on our values and practices).
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 2024: More Like Jesus
PILGRIMAGE TOGETHER
Following Jesus is not a set of tasks, or a life of intense religious fervour. It is more like a life-long apprenticeship to a master craftsperson. There will be obedient tasks and moments of transcendent faith but these happen as we just keep following. Keep walking.
In the words of many who have gone before us, it is a pilgrimage.It is a thirst that every person has, but not everyone has their thirst quenched. And so not everyone experiences the adventure that lies before all who take the risk. Because there is risk in deciding to follow Jesus.
There is the risk that you will leave things that you once thought important, or even vital. There is a risk that you will discover a way of being that is not punctuated by all the traits that make up business-as-usual. And there is a serious risk that you might become someone you like, and know deep down is worthwhile and loved. You might even find yourself liking and even loving others in the same way!
So, pilgrimage will mean there is stuff being left behind, stuff being discovered, and milestones being reached. Or, you could say that on any pilgrimage we are always leaving, discovering, and renewing. At least, that is what we hope is being encouraged in the Westcity Way, as we have a crack at loving God, loving others, and following Jesus.
Teaching Team
We are grateful to our much-loved community members and Pastors who form our ‘Teaching Team’ and regularly share their stories, as part of our Sunday messages.
Phil, Kelley, Dawn, Ky, Kathleen, Theo, Chin, Josh P, Neil, Lauren, Travis and others.
MINISTRY TEAM
Phil Stevenson
Lead Pastor: Weekend Services & Events / Community Life / Home Churches / Leadership / Missions
Melanie Longhurst
Executive Pastor: Operations / Finance / Communications / Youth / Children / Leadership
John Seah
Associate Pastor - Buildings & Maintenance
Nina Bergmann
Volunteer Coordinator
Theo Messenger
Children's Ministry Coordinator
BOARD MEMBERS
Sam Jaschke
Treasurer
Sam is a Project Engineer, with previous finance experience as a volunteer Treasurer. Sam also has a passion for home renovations and projects. Some of the many strengths Sam contributes to the board include teamwork, strategic financial planning and regulatory compliance. Sam and his lovely partner Hannah also volunteer their time to assist with a variety of Westcity church projects.
Heidi Rawson
Deputy Chair
Heidi loves God, people and is a follower of Jesus. However daily she finds herself climbing out of the driver’s seat to let Jesus back where he belongs. She knows and has learned through the ups and down of life that the only way to live a full and enriching life is with Jesus at the helm!
Heidi is married to Joey and whilst raising her four children she has completed post graduate studies in Employment Relations and a Masters degree in HR and Law. Heidi has served on the board of Westcity and Wembley Primary School for many years and does facilitation work with Peacewise.
Melanie Longhurst
Secretary
Melanie has enjoyed being part of the Westcity community since 2011. Her professional background includes teaching, leadership, health promotion, wellness, community development, management and business development. Melanie is passionate about sharing faith in Christian community. As well as loving adventures (and peaceful time) with her gorgeous husband, kids, extended family and treasured friends.
Steve Jansz
Board Chair
Steve is a married to Gillian and father of two girls. He brings a high level of passion, skill and understanding in the area of pastoral care, education, youth work, chaplaincy, rehabilitation (community and aged care) and wellbeing, developed over 30 years.
His roles have seen him both as practitioner and manager, in program development and service delivery, and at different times called upon to show effective leadership, supervision and pastoral care, mediation, conflict resolution, team and critical incident management. Steve has also served on the Fusion Student Housing Service Advisory Group and Australian Association for Pastoral Care in Education.
Phil Stevenson
Board Member
Phil has been captured by the love of God seen in Jesus and has committed to follow Him boots and all. He used to think he was a big deal and his office contained many leather bound books and smelled of mahogany.
He now believes Jesus is still the head of the church, directing and leading it and so sees his mandate as lead Pastor is to love and serve the Westcity community by pointing them to Jesus. By helping them get filled with Christ's resurrection life and by encouraging anyone who'll listen to love like death can't hold them back.
He is married to Caroline and they have two girls who don't let Phil share any photos of them on any media platform without first going through their publicist.
Kirrily Kilbane
Board Member
Kirrily Manning (Kilbane) is an occupational therapist committed to working out the teachings of Christ into her life. Kirrily partners with the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) and established OT as a profession in Ukraine. She also designed and project manages an OT skills training program for 100 doctors and rehabilitation workers in rural Vietnam.
Kirrily is the board secretary of ARCS (Adoption Research and Counselling Services) and has been serving as Chair of the Westcity Global Purse Committee. Kirrily teaches at the school of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Therapy, Curtin University. She sees Community Based Rehabilitation, the rehabilitation of communities of people with disabilities in the developing world, as a practical outworking of the Sermon on the Mount; a loving and practical mission to enable the kingdom of Jesus to come in the here and now.
Bronwyn Smith
Board Member
Bronwyn has a professional background in teaching and more recently in politics, as a member of the City of Wanneroo Council. Bronwyn leads our Welcome Team and also serves as part of our Common Purse Local team. Some of the many strengths Bronwyn contributes to the board include leadership, teamwork and strategic planning. Bron has been a much-loved part of our church community for several years (and first attended back in 2014).