Good Shepherd Deakin
A new Church for Central Canberra
Join us for Sunday Worship
Good Shepherd’s new Congregation now meets in the Chapel of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture: 15 Blackall Street, Barton.
11.00AM Service with Children’s Church every Sunday
Good Shepherd is planting a new Church
We love our Bush Capital! We love its natural beauty, its pleasant neighbourhoods, and its vibrant culture. And we love its people. That’s why we wanted to plant a new Church, to help more people in Canberra know, love and live for Jesus. Through his life, death, and resurrection, we believe that Jesus offers what our city most truly desires: hope that comes from a new and eternal life, joy from authentic community, and rest which flows from being at peace with God. We are a community of Jesus’ followers who want to share this good news with Canberra.
Maybe you are curious about Jesus or want to reconnect with him. Maybe you’ve just moved to Canberra and want to invest in a Christian Community. Maybe you are a follower of Jesus who wants to grow in your faith and help build his Kingdom. No matter who you are, if God might be prompting you we would love to meet you and hope you will join us at our new Church for central Canberra.
“I believe God is moving to plant a new community of his people in central Canberra, and trust that he is at work to use this community to call many people in our city back to himself. I want help build a movement of gospel centred, Bible focused, Jesus followers who will join God in this mission. If you too want to invest in this planting of a new Church, join us!”
Ben Soderlund, Church Planter
Our Story So Far
Canberra, and central Canberra in particular, is one of the least churched areas in Australia. At present, there are no Christian Churches that regularly meet within the inner Canberra suburb of Deakin. The suburb’s only Church, St Luke’s Deakin, closed in 2016. Deakin borders Parliament House and is the location of the official residence of the Prime Minister in Canberra, The Lodge. That the suburb of our Prime Minister is now without a local Christian witness is a potent symbol of the Church’s post‑Christendom decline in Australia.
However, the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn is building a new Early Learning Centre (ELC) on the disused site of St Luke’s Deakin, including multi-purpose facilities for Christians to use for worship. So the new site will be a Christian preschool during the week, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with families who live and work in the Deakin area, and a home for Good Shepherd Deakin on the weekend, a new Church with the best Sunday School rooms in the city!
Our sending Church, Good Shepherd Anglican Church, is located in Deakin’s neighbouring suburb of Curtin. Good Shepherd was actually planted by the people of St Luke’s Deakin back in the 1960s. And in a demonstration of God’s providence and kindness, Good Shepherd will now plant a new Church into the ELC that is being built on the old St Luke’s Deakin site.
Join us on Sunday at our temporary home: The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Barton
While our new facilities are being built over 2025, Good Shepherd is pleased to partner with the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture and St Mark’s National Theological Centre, who are hosting our new congregation and children’s church until our Deakin ELC is constructed.
The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture is located at 15 Blackall Street in Barton and is part of Charles Sturt University’s Canberra campus. Once you arrive, follow the signs and look out for our welcomers to find the Centre’s chapel where we meet. You are welcome to use the free parking available on site.
St Mark's National Theological Centre
15 Blackall St, Barton ACT 2600
Stay in contact and support us in prayer
We need your prayers! Sign up to our mailing list to receive regular updates and our monthly prayer email, and pray with us that God would bless the Church Plant and that though it many people would come to know Jesus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect at one of your Services?
As a new Church Plant, our Worship Services are pretty simple and relaxed. Every Sunday our Church, made up of a diverse group of singles, couples and families, all gather in the name of Jesus, hear from God through a reading from the Bible and a sermon on that Bible text, and worship God by singing together, praying together and building friendships and encouraging one another. Once a month we also share in the Lord’s Supper together. You are welcome to visit on any Sunday, sit wherever you would like, and participate to the extent you feel comfortable.
Can I just show up on a Sunday?
You sure can! Our Services are public gatherings. There is no need to let us know you’re coming, but if you do let us know we can save you a seat and make a plan to connect with you before or afterwards.
Can Children come?
Yes! Your children of all ages are welcome to come and sit in the Service with you. During the school term we also run a Children’s Church program every week during the middle part of the Service for primary school aged children (and also pre-school aged children who are accompanied by a parent or guardian), in which your children are welcome to participate. All our Children’s Church leaders have been safety trained and hold a current ACT Working with Vulnerable People check.
How long do the Services go for?
We start our Services at 11:00am, and they run for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
What is your Church’s Vision?
Good Shepherd Deakin, as a congregation of Good Shepherd Anglican Church, exists to help all people know, love and live for Jesus.
How can I financially support the work of the church plant?
You can direct your bank to make a transfer to the Deakin Bank account
Account Name: Deakin Church Plant BSB: 702389 Account: 0521 0082 Bank: Anglican Investment and Development Fund (Indue Ltd)