Faith taking shape at St Mark’s Caloundra

Faith is taking shape at St Mark’s Caloundra, with the help of a $14,000 LLL Australia Mission and Ministry Grant. The grant is supporting the congregation to develop intergenerational ministries through St Mark’s Makers and their monthly Saturday Sunset Service. Pastor Ray Morris shares more.

Our theme at St Mark’s throughout 2026 is Growing Space for Faith and Community, and we are discovering that this ‘space’ is about much more than buildings. It is about creating opportunities where people of different ages can encounter Jesus, explore faith, participate, serve, develop genuine friendships and discover a real sense of belonging.

St Mark’s Makers

St Mark’s Makers continues to develop as an integral part of our Sunday worship rather than as a separate children’s program.

Each Sunday, children and young people gather for a short introduction connected directly with the Gospel and sermon theme and then continue with a creative activity during the sermon. Their work frequently becomes part of our worship space and the continuing story of the congregation.

Recent activities have included our Living Cross/Living Tree, which began with fingerprint leaves and has continued to grow with ‘Fruit of Faith’: lunch bags and practical gifts supporting Mission Possible and people experiencing homelessness or domestic violence; and most recently, Welcome Placemats, connected with Matthew 15 and our theme, A Bigger Table – Sharing God’s Grace.

The placemats were filled with crosses, hearts, pictures and words expressing welcome, kindness, hope and God’s grace.

One of the most encouraging developments is that Makers is becoming genuinely intergenerational. Children, teenagers, parents and older members naturally interact around the activities, while the whole congregation increasingly takes an interest in what our Makers are creating and discovering.

Lacey and Mikayla: faith expressed through art

Two recent examples have particularly encouraged us.

Lacey Casement, one of our young Makers, was awarded first prize in the Junior College section of the 2026 PLC Blake Prize at Pacific Lutheran College.

Lacey’s artwork explores Baptism through the image of a puzzle, with Jesus as the central piece holding everything together.

In Lacey’s own words:

‘Jesus is the piece that holds everything together. Through Baptism you are always connected to Jesus.’

She goes on to describe the heart as representing Jesus’ love, Baptism connecting us to Jesus, being held safely in God’s grace, and being connected to God and God’s family. This image was created at St Mark’s baptism font and with our members.

Another of our young Makers, Mikayla, has created and gifted to St Mark’s a beautiful artwork entitled ‘Open Door to Spiritual Renewal: Reborn in Water, Renewed by the Spirit.’

Inspired by Titus 3:5 — “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” — Mikayla’s stained-glass-inspired artwork explores Baptism, renewal and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Her artwork now has a home at St Mark’s as a lasting visual expression of the faith being explored and articulated by our young people.

For us, these are significant outcomes.

The purpose of St Mark’s Makers has never simply been to provide children with something to do during the sermon.

We want to create space where children and young people can hear the Gospel, wonder, create, ask questions and discover ways of expressing faith for themselves.

Lacey and Mikayla are wonderful examples of this beginning to happen.

They also remind us that intergenerational ministry is not simply about adults teaching children.

Our children and young people have something to show us, teach us and share with the whole worshipping community.

Saturday Sunset – food, friendship and faith

Our monthly Saturday Sunset Service is also continuing to develop.

The revised format deliberately gathers people around tables for a shared meal at 5:30pm, with conversation, a simple faith reflection, prayer and blessing.

Rather than reproducing Sunday morning worship on Saturday evening, we are creating a relaxed and accessible gathering where faith can emerge naturally through food, friendship and conversation.

Our August gathering has the theme Goodness in the Ordinary — noticing God’s presence in everyday experiences: a conversation, an act of kindness, a shared meal or an unexpected moment of hope.

Saturday Sunset is helping us explore another pathway into Christian community, including connections with families, Pacific Lutheran College and people for whom traditional Sunday worship may not initially be the easiest point of connection.

Signs of growing community

We are also noticing encouraging signs in the wider life of St Mark’s.

Sunday morning tea has become an increasingly important extension of our worship and ministry. People are staying longer, conversations are happening across generations, new friendships are developing, and our gathering space is often buzzing well after worship has finished.

Recent visitors have said:

‘The first time I came here, it just felt right’, and,

‘What a friendly group of people. I feel welcomed and happy to worship.’

These may appear to be small things, but we believe they are important signs of people forming genuine connections with a Christian community.

Our relationship with Pacific Lutheran College also continues to strengthen. At the end of August, PLC students will bring donations collected through their Sleepover for Hope to St Mark’s for presentation to Mission Possible, connecting young people, worship and practical Christian service with people experiencing homelessness and domestic violence.

Support from LLL Australia is making a difference

Although we are still early in the grant period, we are already seeing encouraging fruit from LLL’s investment in this ministry.

• Children and young people are participating visibly in worship.
• Families are engaging.
• Faith conversations are emerging from creative activities.
• Young people are finding their own language and artistic expression for Christian faith.
• Practical service is being connected with worship and discipleship.
• Connections with Pacific Lutheran College are strengthening.

Saturday Sunset is providing another pathway into Christian community.

And friendships across generations are growing.

We are learning that the question is not simply:

‘How do we attract younger people?’

A much more helpful question is:

‘How can we create space where different generations encounter Jesus, participate, serve and grow in faith together?’

LLL Australia’s support is helping us explore that question in very practical ways.

There is still much for us to learn, and we will continue to document participation, stories, photographs and ministry outcomes as these initiatives develop.

But for now, we simply wanted to share some of the early fruit and say thank you to LLL Australia.

Their generosity is helping us create genuine space for children, young people, families and older members to discover and share faith together. Growing Space for Faith and Community.

Every blessing,

Pastor Ray Morris
on behalf of the Mission & Vision Team
St Mark’s Lutheran Church, Caloundra

Images shared with permission.

Find out more about LLL Australia:

https://www.lll.org.au/
Facebook @LLLAust
Instagram @lll_australia