A Sense of Belonging

The dictionary definition of "place" describes it as a community or setting where one feels connected and cared for. That’s exactly what Wallsend Multicultural Uniting Church has been for me—and so much more.

My journey with the church began in 1956 and continued through to 2025, adding up to 69 years of connection, faith, and service.

Back in 1956, Wallsend Methodist Church was a vibrant, thriving community. Each Sunday, up to one hundred children would attend Sunday School, spread across three large rooms, while a full church service took place next door in the beautiful old sandstone church. Evening services were held too—it really was a busy, lively hub of faith and fellowship.

Some of my happiest memories come from that time. I began teaching Sunday School at age 15 and continued for 33 years. There were evening youth services, a couples’ club when I became a young mother, and eventually I served as an elder, secretary, and Sunday School superintendent.

As a parent raising three daughters, I especially remember the Easter Camps of the 1980s and beyond. My husband and I went along as cooks and “camp parents,” helping to care for the kids. One year, we had 750 teenagers at camp! Those were such joyful, life-giving times.

I also remember the excitement of building a new church in 1964 to replace the old sandstone one, and then, some years later, the shift from the Methodist Church of Australia to the newly formed Uniting Church in Australia. That transition was marked by a beautiful celebration in the Great Hall at Newcastle University.

It was heartbreaking when the Wallsend Uniting Church had to close in June 2019 due to asbestos issues. But our story didn’t end there.

Today, we continue as the Wallsend Shortland Multicultural Uniting Church, gathering each Sunday at 9:30am at the Shortland Uniting Church, located on the grounds of Margaret Jurd College. It’s a smaller building, but with fewer people now and an ageing congregation, it’s just the right size for us. Our average age is 82, with more members in their 90s than in their 60s!

Still, there’s a strong sense of belonging in our group. We feel happy, safe, and deeply connected through our Christian faith. For me, the church has always been a love that holds me. Seventy-two years ago, at the age of 12, I asked Jesus to come into my heart—and he’s been with me ever since.

Today, the church is heading in a new direction. We continue to pray for fresh insight and creative ways to serve in a changing world. Recently, we joined with Jesmond Park Uniting Church and now share a full-time Minister of the Word, the Rev. Yvonne Ghavalas, who guides and cares for us all.

So yes—"place" means connection, care, and community. And that’s exactly what this church has been to me for nearly seven decades. A place of joy, growth, service, and faith.

Wendy Raine

Today, the church is heading in a new direction. We continue to pray for fresh insight and creative ways to serve in a changing world. Recently, we joined with Jesmond Park Uniting Church and now share a full-time Minister of the Word, the Rev. Yvonne Ghavalas, who guides and cares for us all.