ONE of the top leaders of the Uniting Church sees the opening of Wagga's Pilgrim Uniting Church as a "green shoot" among the continued closure of churches.
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Reverend Myung Hwa Park Moderator of the Uniting Church Australia Synod of NSW and ACT spoke of diversity, obvious in the congregation, as more than 200 people packed the modern building in Glenfield Park.
"It doesn't happen very often, that denominations build a new church," Mrs Park said.
"This is a growth corridor and we want it (the church) to be visible."
"It is a pilgrim journey of faith."
The church, in the retail heartland of South City Shopping Centre, is a modern, multipurpose space and reflective of the Church's ability, and necessity, to move forward and adapt.
"With the Uniting Church - it is in our DNA to be open and constantly moving and accepting of new things," Mrs Park said.
Mrs Park said she hoped to see new churches crop up throughout the country, but stressed the focus was on adapting to the changing needs of society.
"We will see the effects (of change) - the new church is a by-product (of that)," she said.
Chairman of the Wagga congregation of the Uniting Church Glenn Elliott-Rudder was thrilled that the church - 18 years in the making - was brimming with people.
"It's wonderful to see the reality of a lot of hard work - (people have) packed out the place," he said.
With a number of song performed in other languages - and performances from African and Korean groups - Mr Elliott-Rudder said the diversity of the congregation was reflected.
"We have five services a week (in different languages) and its wonderful to bring everyone together and unite the Church."
Both leaders spoke of the importance of the Church's central location.
For Mrs Park the relevance of Christianity, in what she sees as a "increasingly materialistic", world is as important as ever.
"It's a very obvious reason - Christianity transforms us," she said.
"Things are constantly pulling us apart - we are losing the sense of community- this (the Church) is pulling us together."