We see the church as a supportive community of people who seek to walk a path often different from that of our self-centred culture. We see in Jesus the Christ a person who `shows us the way`.

Whilst some take a literal approach to the Bible, many of our members have an exploratory approach to their faith journey, seeing scriptures as containing God`s word but needing discerning in order to speak to us afresh in our present context. We respect that each person has gifts and wisdom to share and contribute to the whole. Many use the quarterly `With Love to the World` booklets as their bible study or to follow the lectionary readings set for each week.

All of us have a sense of God as a loving force in our lives, that death is not the end, and that the power of love and compassion pushes back the darkness of fear, hatred and violence in our world.

A Rainbow Lunch at Floreat Beach The ZOE`s fund- raising group

Our church members are concerned about peace and social justice issues, both as individuals and as a community. The Kingdom of God can mean many things but it cannot mean less than a transformed social order where the hungry are fed, the sick are cared for, the imprisoned are visited and the distressed are aided and comforted.

In taking seriously Jesus` challenge to become involved in practising these Kingdom of God values in our daily living, we see that all Christ followers are called to serve those we meet on life`s journey. We fulfil this in many different ways including:-

• taking an active role in assisting refugees with accommodation and language needs;
• providing a befriending support through Rainbow Lunches held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month for those who are isolated or with psychiatric disabilities;
• involvement in peace activities;
• advocating for mental health and prison reform;
• donating to a food bank at Innaloo Uniting Church;
• supporting Youth Care and school chaplaincy at Churchlands Senior High School;
• supporting the `Wheelchairs for Kids` project in making wheelchairs for children in more than 60 countries throughout the world;
• funding the education of some children associated with the Seeds of Hope orphanage in Bali and the Railway Platform Kids Inc in India;
• supporting the Catherine Hamlin Hospital in Ethiopia;
• raising money for our ZOE (Zimbabwean Orphans Education) school project in an AIDS devastated area of Africa.

The life and witness of our community is overseen by a Church Council working together with retired minister and long-time associate, Revd Neville Watson. Even though officially retired, Rev. Neville Watson, continues his renowned advocacy for peace and social justice, which has included participating in Peace Camps in Baghdad and Bosnia and the provision of practical support for aboriginal, refugee and prisoner-release programs.

Our church community includes people of all ages, with different backgrounds, from a dozen countries of origin as well as Australia - but there`s always room for more!

"Wembley Downs Uniting Church believes that all people are made in the image of God, and as such we accept every individual regardless of race, age, creed, gender or sexuality, asking only that we seek to live in the way of Christ, individually and together, that our relationships with each other express love and respect."

The Church Council relaxing in the courtyard

Some of our community enjoying a barbecue at the annual Church Camp

Rev. Neville Watson speaking after his return from Baghdad where he witnessed the horror of its bombing.