How did we get here?

Providence began in 2009 under Nigel Gordon’s leadership. It began as a small group of people sent out on an adventure in mission by St Matthew’s in Shenton Park. Working through house churches, the original group was committed to telling the gospel, building gospel community, and doing the good deeds that flow from the gospel as they sought to bring the message of the gospel to secular Perth.

In 2011 they were able to plant a second church in Midland which has grown and flourished under the leadership of Steve McAlpine. And in 2014, a second larger group was sent out (again from St Matthew’s) to seed Providence City with an evening congregation of mainly young adults. At this point, on Pentecost Sunday in 2014, Rory Shiner became the second senior pastor of Providence City. In 2021 City and Midland partnered to plant Providence Bayswater, under the leadership of Paul Young.

We give thanks to God for his extraordinary kindness and grace in leading us so far. As we reflect on our story, we are struck by the kingdom-generosity of a church like St Matthew’s, by the original conviction that Perth is a mission field, and that to reach our city with the good news of Jesus will take creativity, sacrifice, and passion.