Sydney Anglican Property is about to turn 1! And it’s been a massive first 12 months of “putting property on mission”. Here we take a look back at what God has achieved through our work so far and check out what lies ahead in 2025.
When Sydney Anglican Property (SAP) came into being, most people probably didn’t even notice. After all, 1 January is a pretty sleepy day on the calendar! But while things may have kicked off with most people on the beach, it hasn’t taken long for the newly formed property arm of the Diocese to make a splash.
The challenge for SAP from the outset of 2024 was to bring four separate property-related entities together in one organisation – a big enough task in itself. But as CEO Ross Jones points out, not only has the team made the transition feel seamless, they’ve delivered in ways he couldn’t have imagined after just 12 months.
“The establishment of SAP was a generational shift in the way property is managed across the Diocese,” Mr Jones said. “But from the moment the team came together, the energy and shared passion for delivering gospel outcomes was really clear.
“The results in just one year are testament to that shared passion, as we look to put property on mission right across the Diocese.”
Those results make for some impressive reading. Click on the infographic below for all the numbers.
Making a difference 1 property (out of 1,100!) at a time
One of the areas that has Mr Jones most excited is the way in which SAP’s Parish Property Services team has been able to deliver benefits to hundreds of parishes in the day-to-day management of their properties.
“It’s easy to get excited by some of the bigger projects we’re working on – whether that be building brand new churches in greenfields areas or delivering large-scale urban renewal projects on existing church land.
“And it’s right that we do so, because they have the potential to deliver really significant benefits for communities right across Sydney.
“But while those projects are underway, we still have around 1,100 individual properties across more than 260 parishes that need to not only be maintained but used effectively for gospel ministry.
“And the sheer scale of that represents a fantastic opportunity to make a difference.
“For example, the savings unlocked for parishes via just two cost-saving programs this year [the Energy Efficiency Program and the Bulk Procurement Program] have totalled almost $700,000!
“That’s $700,000 now able to be spent on gospel mission that our parishes wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. That’s something I praise God for!
“These programs remain available, so I’d love to see a time when every parish in the Diocese is taking advantage of them. If they did, the savings from these two schemes alone would total many millions.”
As well as cost saving initiatives, SAP maintains a register of available State and Federal Government grant programs that parishes can apply for. In 2024 alone, parishes have been successful in attaining 75 grants totalling about $4 million in funding (including a one-off amount of $2.3m from the NSW Government to build a preschool at St Mark’s Sadleir under SAP’s Urban Renewal Pilot Program – the single biggest grant ever received across the Diocese).
“This year we’ve promoted an amazing 21 different funding schemes to parishes. The result is a host of brand new infrastructure, the delivery of which either would not have been possible or would have diverted significant funds from gospel work.”
Strategic framework
While the day-to-day work of property management goes on, SAP has also been busy establishing a strategic framework to guide future decision-making via it’s Ministry-led Buildings and Property Strategy. The strategy is being delivered region by region with the strategy for the South Western Region already finalised earlier this year.
Two more regional strategies – for the Northern and Western Regions – are currently in draft form and undergoing initial consultation with ministry leaders before being released for wider comment early next year. Drafts for the South Sydney and Wollongong Regions will then follow later in 2025.
“This is such an important aspect of the work we do,” Mr Jones said. “If we just concentrate on the individual buildings, we risk losing sight of the wood for the trees.
“We need to be continually asking ourselves whether the assets we have line up with the changing face of our Diocese. Are they located where the people are, or will be? What types of buildings might best facilitate ministry and evangelism into the future?
“These are essential questions to answer if we’re going to be effective in the way we use property. If we get the answers right, we can have an enormous impact for the gospel. If we don’t even ask the questions, then we’re really not being good stewards of the resources we have.”
In addition to the regional buildings and property strategies, SAP is also in the process of producing a Diocese-wide Heritage Strategy.
“We’ve also commissioned a study of the ministry benefits of co-located childcare facilities on church properties,” Mr Jones said. “The aim is to be able to share the practices of childcare facilities that have strong ministry/evangelism outcomes across the Diocese with a view to replicating these successful practices in other areas.
“All of this work will give a much clearer view of the big picture right across the Diocese. And that will enable us all to make decisions at the local level with far greater insight and confidence.”
2024 milestones
As all of this important ground work has been taking place, however, 2024 certainly hasn’t been short on major milestones for SAP.
In March this year, for example, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel cut the ribbon on the first completed project under SAP’s Urban Renewal Pilot Program.
The Beacon Hill Specialist Disability Accommodation facility provides much-needed independent living arrangements for up to eight members of the local community who need it most, while delivering an ongoing income stream to the Frenchs Forest parish. A wonderful example of using church property to bless the community while retaining ownership of an important asset.
Meanwhile, in May one of our new greenfield churches – Cornerstone Anglican – had their Commencement of Ministry service on the site in Box Hill that will soon be transformed from a sleepy rural property into a thriving community of believers.
And as we move into 2025, there’s plenty more going on. Just this month, a development application has been lodged for the redevelopment of the St Andrew’s site at Lane Cove (part of LCM Churches). This project is set to deliver not only brand new ministry facilities for future generations, but also residential accommodation close to the village heart of Lane Cove, and a state-of-the-art 400-seat auditorium for the use of both church and community groups.
“Several more DAs for both greenfields and urban renewal projects are due to be lodged in the first few months of 2025 as well,” Mr Jones said. “And that’s on top of the 10 parish led building projects already underway this year with a similar number set to begin construction next year.
“The pipeline of projects has certainly been primed over the first 12 months of SAP’s existence and we’re excited to see many more projects starting to rise from the ground over the next 12 months.
“But most importantly, we’re excited to see what God has in store for our Diocese as he rolls out his mission of saving souls across Sydney and Wollongong.
“Its SAP’s role to provide the ministry buildings and infrastructure necessary to house the activities that build up the body of believers and to provide bases from which to reach out to the community with the love of Christ. “Then it’s over to parishioners to faithfully use their own touch-points in the community as mission fields under God. As it says in Romans 10:14-15 –
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
“Ultimately, that’s what we’re here for. And if we at SAP can play a role in facilitating that mission, then we will be extremely grateful for the privilege.”
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