Monday, July 2, 2007

Not just new to the area, but new to Australia!

The citizenship ceremony I attended made me ask the question, 'how many new people are there in our area?' I searched around on the latest census data and discovered that in some parts of our area 50% of the people are new in the last five years. Not only new to the area, but new to Australia!

I know that 50% just seems like a nice round statistic, but it is hard to comprehend that as you walk past every house and every flat that half the people you see living there were new to Australia in the last five years.

This is the reality of living in an urban context. The suburbs are not like this at all. Our church has this wonderful opportunity of being a Christian community that can welcome these people to our shores.

Check out the 2006 census data for new arrivals in our area.
...and the data for just down Canterbury Road.

(It would be great to have a name for our church that immediately was welcoming to these new people to Australia, and not be at all seen as holding the banner for a denominational/ethnic allegiance)

1 comment:

Justin said...

Summer Hill International Anglican Church?