Justice & Mercy Conversation
The Journey So Far
A brief history of PCNSW justice and mercy ministry
The first Social Service Committee (SSC) in PCNSW was formed in 1912 to carry on the work being done by deaconesses at the Palmer Street Church in Woolloomooloo. A small team of dedicated women worked among women, men and children providing assistance with groceries and clothing, and bringing people into church.[1] This combination of helping people in need and sharing the gospel has been at the heart of the Committee’s work since that time.
In the 2010s the name Jericho Road was used for the first time in reference to the work of the SSC. Initially Jericho Road was “an initiative of Presbyterian Social Services” and eventually the “an initiative” was dropped and Jericho Road was adopted to represent the work of seeking justice and showing mercy.
A brief history of PCNSW justice and mercy ministry
The first Social Service Committee (SSC) in PCNSW was formed in 1912 to carry on the work being done by deaconesses at the Palmer Street Church in Woolloomooloo. A small team of dedicated women worked among women, men and children providing assistance with groceries and clothing, and bringing people into church.[1] This combination of helping people in need and sharing the gospel has been at the heart of the Committee’s work since that time.
In the 2010s the name Jericho Road was used for the first time in reference to the work of the SSC. Initially Jericho Road was “an initiative of Presbyterian Social Services” and eventually the “an initiative” was dropped and Jericho Road was adopted to represent the work of seeking justice and showing mercy.
Jericho Road seeks to provide high quality and distinctively Christian care to all those in the community who are most vulnerable and who would otherwise be isolated from support. Jericho Road works with and for PCNSW to demonstrate the character of God by providing fresh hope and care for those who are in need, in a way that seeks justice, shows mercy, and makes Jesus known. It’s a two-way road. We support local churches to seek justice and show mercy in their context (such as food ministries and emergency relief). We also operate some ministry activities that are too large for a local congregation to run (such as chaplaincy and Allowah, which provides healthcare and disability support to young people with very high needs), and we ask churches to partner with us in providing those ministries.
Why is justice and mercy ministry important?
Why do justice and mercy ministry, and why have a Social Service Committee? Thinking more broadly, should seeking justice and showing mercy to those in need be part of what the Presbyterian church is about? We believe the answer is “Yes!” and that there is a clear gospel imperative for serving others in this way. To put it another way, justice and mercy ministry is not separate from preaching the gospel – when we love people in the name of Jesus, we are preaching the gospel.
We are inspired by the events on the Road to Jericho recorded in Luke’s gospel, and in particular the parable of the good Samaritan who went above and beyond in helping the robbed and injured man – crossing cultural divides, experiencing vulnerability, and giving sacrificially.
We meet many people by the side of the road at Jericho Road. People like Phil who was ministered to by our Chaplain at Kirkconnell Correctional Centre near Bathurst. Phil experienced compassion and love in his interactions with our chaplain, and through that care found salvation in Jesus. And people like the children and families at Tregear Presbyterian Preschool in Sydney’s west, who are receiving much more than an education. It’s an education soaked in God’s love and care and gospel opportunities.
To read more about the theological basis for justice and mercy ministry you can read Rev Jason Forbes’ papers available on the bottom of this page.
Current Challenges
Jericho Road only exists today because of the prayerful and financial support of many over the years. We are so thankful for the support of many churches, PWAs, Dorcas, and many individuals which have given generously to enable justice and mercy ministry to continue.
In recent years Jericho Road has operated at a funding deficit. God has shown generosity in the hearts of many which enables donations of about $1.3M per year. Even after donations our funding deficit is approximately $1M per year. We have been able to use cash reserves to fund these deficits, but those reserves are running down and will only last another 1-2 years.
So, the Presbyterian denomination has some thinking to do about the place of justice and mercy ministry in the denomination, and how much we prioritise that work. At the 2024 General Assembly a resolution was passed:
Request the Committee[2] to undertake a denominational conversation to ascertain the level of commitment to and perceived importance of justice and mercy ministry in the church, and from that develop a proposal for creating a denominational approach to financially support these ministries, including but not limited to Allowah, on a secure ongoing basis.
As part of this conversation we are seeking the input of all those that are part of the Presbyterian Church in NSW. As part of working with and for the Presbyterian church, we want to know what you think. In the lead up to General Assembly 2025 we will be conducting surveys, having conversations and facilitating workshops, to obtain as wide a sample of views as possible. Thank you for joining us on the journey.
A Shared Path for Justice & Mercy Ministry
But much more than this. We do mercy because this is what it means to love God with ALL our being, and to love others as we love ourselves. You can’t love God, and then not do mercy. It just doesn’t reflect who God is. By not doing mercy, you’re reflecting something other than God. Devotion to God and doing mercy to others cannot be separated. They go hand in hand. Wouldn’t it be great if people could not only hear the gospel being taught, but see the gospel being lived.
As your neighbour in the NSW Presbyterian Church, Jericho Road runs a number of ministries on behalf of the Presbyterian Church. These are things that are too big for a local congregation to run on their own, but they are things that are important for us to run together. As your neighbour, we want to work with you and your church to make seeking justice, showing mercy, and making Jesus known a part of every day in your community.
We want to work with you and your church to make seeking justice, showing mercy and making Jesus known a part of every day in your community. Our aim is that together, the NSW Presbyterian church can be a neighbour to those in need, and extend mercy that is vulnerable, sacrificial, willing to take on burdens, radically generous, and ongoing.
Why We Serve: The Call to Justice and Mercy
Why do we need to formalise a denomination-wide Justice and Mercy initiative?
- Because some churches are too small to do it on their own.
- Because some churches who do have the means to give generously and have the hearts to do so may not be in the position to meet people where they’re at – may not ever have the chance to.
- Jericho Road is not separate from the denomination. It isa formalised and collective effort focused on ensuring that these things happen.
- We know that churches are diverse in size, numbers, resources, location, etc and go through periods of … with lots of people able to do these things, but other times they may not be in the position to actively be showing practical outworkings of God’s character. Because Jericho Road is here purely for that, our denomination is able to ensure that our churches can deal with whatever is happening with them locally, but not at the detriment of care of others because we can be there on their behalf~. We are a constant outworking of our denomination’s commitment to demonstrate God’s love and do so in partnership with churches.
read below: papers written by rev. Jason Forbes on
The Theological Basis for Justice and Mercy Ministry
