Ethnographic-Area Interviews Day 1

Today, Erin and I went out into different suburbs of Sydney and studied them by interviewing people of the town. The three cities we studied today were Strathfield, Auburn, and Cabramatta. These three areas are all potential spots of the Harbour City Church plant or at least, we hope, will be affected by the church plant. One of the "core values" of Harbour City Church is a love for the city and a commitment to working for the good of the greater Sydney area. Our task was not only to identify the various cultures and religions of these suburbs, but to discover one thing that the individuals of the suburbs felt the town needed. For instance, a gentleman from Auburn informed us that he believed the homeless and alcoholic populations were serious problems. HCC's core commitment to helping the city in all ways, spiritually, culturally, and socially in this region would then have to be a concern for the alcoholics, those affected by alcoholism, and the homeless. Today I learned the great importance of having open ears with the people you are trying to reach. If HCC chose not to discover and understand the various people, culture, and problems of each suburb, how would they effectively " become all things to all people, that by all means [they] might save some." In all ministry, knowing and loving the context in which you are is of great importance.