The Shed Ministry is a new and innovative way for the church to reach into its community in a loving and fun way. Shed based projects encompass the concept of people working together in a 'shed environment' exercising their God given gifts and abilities, forming a community that shares and cares for each other and its wider community.

Some of the programs the shed project runs are:

WeFish

The program runs weekly during school terms and includes 6 elderly volunteers teaching 12 boys lessons on basic fishing skills. These lessons teach knot tying, rig assembly, casting, bait use, how to read tides, how to catch, clean, and cook fish. The lessons go for 2 hours after school and include an evening meal. At the end of each term the participants are invited to join the ‘wefish club’. This club continues the relationships built during term by going out fishing on a weekend at least six times a year.

 DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP
 The Southern Social Planning Study (1999) identified some of the key social issues facing the Onkaparinga area as mental health problems and social isolation.  Due to increasing numbers of diagnosed men with dementia the need to find suitable programs to stimulate and support both clients and carers is of vital importance. The dementia support group, made up of between 6-9 men, meet every Thursday over a four hour period to support, care and socialize together in a safe and friendly environment. The men meet in the shed and spend time working on small projects to stimulate brain activity and build relationships.

BACKYARD BLESS

Backyard Bless is an outreach program involving a number of members of AUC who ‘bless’ people in our local community with services like mowing, gardening, mulching, pruning etc. Backyard Bless is conducted on an occasional basis for a 2 hour period on a weekend. The aim is to provide a service to people who are not currently connected to AUC (or any other church). People who receive this service are nominated through the AUC office. As well as doing the gardening, the team usually shares a morning tea with the recipient(s) and provides them with a card indicating that Backyard Bless is a gift from AUC.

SHEDDING

Due to the economic crisis and the shutting down of industries such as the Mitsubishi plant increasing numbers of tradesmen are finding themselves in early retirement. This shed project would provide support, camaraderie and a sense of self worth to help combat social isolation, depression, disability and drug/alcohol issues. 

This group also aims to meet the needs of people in the local community who, through financial difficulty, cannot afford a ‘handyman’.  

These ‘handyman’ jobs include gardening, carpentry, plastering and cornicing, paving, basic building jobs, tiling, mechanical and boat building.

Currently the shed project has received the donation of an old 17 foot wooden boat that is in need of restoration.

This project is the ‘baby’ of the shedding group. When community handyman jobs are not being done by the men, the boat is then the project’s focus.

For further information, contact the office, (08) 8370 6472 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it