The parish of St Peter’s Weston has become the parish of St Peter’s Weston Molonglo.

The new name was accompanied by an adjustment in the parish boundaries, with the addition of the Molonglo Valley suburbs of Coombs, Wright and Denman Prospect.

The changes formalise a decade-long understanding of St Peter’s missional responsibility to the area.

The rector of St Peter’s, the Reverend Nick Colyer, said, ‘The people of St Peter’s have long had a heart for the Molonglo Valley. This clarifies our responsibility to reach Molonglo residents with the good news of Jesus. And it says to those residents: St Peter’s is a church for you.’

Over the past decade, the Molonglo Valley has been transformed from rolling hills to busy suburbs. It is now home to over 11,000, with a projected population of over 50,000 by 2040.

‘Those people need to hear Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and life,’ Reverend Colyer said. ‘Our dream, God willing, is to see lots of healthy Christian congregations meeting in these suburbs in the coming years— including Anglican ones. We think this is an important step.’

The new parish name echoes changes to other local institutions— the local soccer club has been known as Weston Molonglo Football Club for several years.

The name change and boundary adjustment was agreed to at August’s meeting of Bishop-in-Council.

On 16 October Nick Colyer was inducted as the new rector of St Peter’s Weston.

Nick previously served as a senior assistant minister at Anglican Churches Springwood in the Blue Mountains. He is married to Sarah and they have three young children.

Nick grew up on the northern beaches of Sydney and first heard the gospel at his local primary school in weekly Scripture classes. But it was not until his final year of high school that he gave his life to Christ.

At his Anglican school, he was exposed to the gospel through chapel services and Christian Studies classes, and over time the great truths of Christianity took hold. Nick became convinced that Christianity made sense of the world—its goodness yet brokenness, our longings for something more.

In year 12 a friend invited Nick to a Christian lunchtime group, an act which challenged him to consider where he really stood with Christ. In the culture of the students at the time, to even attend such a group was to stick your neck out. But God had gripped him—in saying ‘yes’ to the group he also said ‘yes’ to Jesus.

Nick’s early Christian formation took place at St David’s Anglican Church, Forestville, and the Sydney University Evangelical Union. During this time God continued to open his eyes to the depths of his grace, and the great treasure of the Bible.

After graduating from Sydney University with a degree in history, Nick worked as a sub-editor for a travel magazine. He married Sarah during this time, and together they became more involved in ministry at St David’s. Soon Nick was invited to do a ministry apprenticeship, taking responsibility for the church’s youth ministry.

Convinced that full-time parish ministry was where the Lord would have him, Nick then spent four years studying at Moore College. During this time he was a catechist at All Saints’ Oatley West and St Bede’s Drummoyne. After graduating, Nick was deaconed in Sydney in 2013.

Nick’s first curacy was at Hoxton Park Anglican Church in southwest Sydney, where his primary responsibilities were youth and young adults’ ministry, and oversight of the 6pm congregation. The first two of their children were born there. Nick was priested in 2016, and then moved to Springwood in late 2017. There he was responsible for small groups and the 4:30pm congregation, and the final little Colyer was added to the family.

Nick enjoys bushwalking with his family, curling up with a good book, and watching NRL (in a strange twist of God’s sovereignty, he’s been a Raiders fan since childhood!). His greatest joy is seeing people come to appreciate the goodness of God, and growing in their love for him.

He is very much looking forward to serving the saints at St Peter’s and leading the mission to reach the lost in the local area.

By Reverend Nick Colyer