Church returns to Docklands

Church returns to Docklands

By Sean Car

Seven years on since making its name as the “Church in a Pub” at the former James Squire Brewery at NewQuay, the team at City on a Hill is bringing a weekly church service back to Docklands.

Launching on Sunday, September 15 at Hoyts at The District Docklands for a regular 10:30am service, pastor Dave Chiswell, who is leading the church’s return to Docklands, said the church was thrilled to be making a comeback.

Having started its first service in 2007 here in Docklands, City on a Hill has since grown significantly with church services now established across Melbourne, including Maribyrnong, Geelong, Chadstone, as well as Hoyts Melbourne Central.

It also has a church in Brisbane and will soon expand to the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise.

Having now outgrown its capacity at its CBD location – a 440-seat Hoyts cinema – Mr Chiswell said the response to its relaxed and “less confronting” approach to church had always been positive.

“Melbourne is getting full particularly our 10:30am [city] service [that has] about 440 seats in the cinema and they’re mostly full on a Sunday. The opportunity to start a new thing and come back to Docklands was really exciting,” he said.

“We’re looking to fill some of that gap and by doing so, fill some of that gap in community that people feel as well. That will bring different people together from the different precincts.”

“All the way through we’ve just met in weird venues. It works really well for us as it just makes it really easy to invite people along. It’s a lot less confronting than walking into a church for the first time.”

“A lot of our demographics are overwhelmingly 19 to 39 so it’s probably not the traditional demographic of people walking into traditional church buildings quite so much so it’s been cool to watch that evolve and be part of it.”

While the service is held in a more relaxed setting, Mr Chiswell said the message was still the same. And rather than a traditional church choir, it offers a more “Hillsong-like” band.

The service, which also include a kids programs for children aged five and under, will kick off at 10:30am on Sunday, September 15 at Hoyts, The District Docklands.

Cityonahill.com.au

Join Our Facebook Group