LOWER  MANNING  CONGREGATION

This Congregation, as its name suggests, is located on the lower reaches of the Manning River, north-east of Taree and south of Laurieton. The Congregation includes within it coastal beaches, river flats, rolling hills and forests and even craggy volcanic peaks. In the past it was principally a dairy-farming and timber-getting area but is now largely a retirement area with a small portion of its income coming from tourism and service industries.

The people of the Lower Manning Congregation worship in three different locations:

There are three fellowship groups within the Congregation (each at one of the places of worship) and, reflecting the area’s attractiveness to retirees, no youth group and no Sunday School. The Congregation works ecumenically with Anglicans and Catholics (the only other denominations having congregations within the area), not only in religious instruction in schools but in other activities as well.

The Congregation has developed the following as a statement of its Mission Goals:

To be the People of God in this area by increasing our interaction with the local community in ways that offer pastoral care, enhance the worship of God and lead to Christian growth and learning.

and has been working out these mission goals throughout the life of the congregation but also in specific projects in particular areas of the congregation, especially at Harrington and at Upper Lansdowne.