Love Grows

Love Grows

As a school and church community, we have been lead on a journey by our incredible Chaplain – asking some honest (and tricky) questions:

What does our community actually need?
Where are they at in their lives and in their faith?
And how do we share the Word in a way that feels welcoming and accessible?

Because the reality is this – many of our families are open to connection and even to faith, but are not engaging with traditional church.

Rather than seeing that as a problem, we have seen it as a call to create something different.

From that, one simple idea has shaped everything:

Belonging comes before believing.

Love Grows 1.0

After months of prayer, planning and deep collaboration between our school and church, we launched our very first Love Grows gathering this Sunday and it truly was a tremendous success. A testament to the work and faith of our Chaplain and the team.

Over 120 people came – and for our little school and community, those are significant numbers.

But what mattered just as much as the attendance numbers was who was there.

Around a third of the families were not connected to the school or church community and nearly all are not currently part of a Sunday service on our site.

These are families who are open – but looking for something different.

So what is Love Grows?

Love Grows is not a traditional church service. It is what is known as a Messy Church gathering – a relaxed, intergenerational faith experience where children and adults participate together.

Instead of rows and formality, families arrive into a space already full of life.

There are creative activity stations – craft, clay, chalk and collaborative art – where children and adults can explore together at their own pace. Children are free to move, to play, to create and to simply be themselves, without pressure.

Leaders move naturally through the space, chatting, connecting and noticing people. Conversations begin easily. There is no expectation to sit still, no pressure to get things “right” – just an open invitation to engage in whatever way feels comfortable.

At the heart of the afternoon, we gather briefly for a simple celebration. There is a song, a short and accessible message and a moment of prayer. It is calm, gentle and intentionally unforced.

Afterwards, we share food together – creating space for people to sit, talk, linger and continue those connections.

It is a very intentional response to where families are at – gentle, welcoming and relational.

What we saw on Sunday

Families arrived progressively – some right on time, some later, some a little flustered from life (which is exactly the point!).

Children moved freely between activities. Parents joined in, or paused to talk. Connections happened quietly and naturally across the space.

The short message centred on “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

It was simple, calm and accessible – more like a school chapel than a formal service.

Afterwards, the hotdogs were served (always a winner!) – and something important happened – people didn’t rush off.

They sat. They talked. They stayed.

New conversations began. Familiar faces lingered longer. There was time and space for relationships to grow.

Why this matters

This work sits right at the heart of our Lutheran identity and mission.

As a Lutheran school, we are called not just to educate, but to live out the Gospel in ways that are relational, accessible and grounded in grace. Faith is not separate – it is embodied in community, in welcome and in presence.

Love Grows is exactly that – the Gospel made visible in relationship.

This is mission – lived, relational, local mission.

To see families who would not walk into a church building engaging, connecting and feeling comfortable… to see children free and joyful… to see conversations beginning… is incredibly exciting and deeply rewarding.

It feels like we are stepping into something that really matters.

This is just the beginning

Love Grows is not a one-off.

It is the beginning of something we hope will grow slowly and sustainably – through relationships, trust and genuine connection.

Because when people feel like they belong…love grows.

And when love grows…we trust that faith will grow too. Check out a video here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxdeyIGP5WI