False and dishonest “Northside Community Church” in Sydney, Australia, whilst their pastors were pleasantly presenting themselves as welcoming, their pastors arrogantly evaded to answer my questions, and eloquently banned me from fellowship with other single Christians in small-group settings.

(http://northsidechurch.org.au)

Northside Community Church in Sydney, Australia, at a first glance might appear as an unusually welcoming church, but in reality its church pastors are equally as prejudiced as most pastors of other churches, with the distinction of personal eloquence. The degree of insincerity of the pastors of Northside Community Church is therefore greater compared to other churches.

I repeatedly inquired with Northside Community Church about availability of attendance in fellowship groups, community groups, cell groups or small groups with opportunities for also single Christians to meet and communicate with each other, but my inquiries were arrogantly responded to with statements such as “I'm satisfied we've answered your questions.” and “We have more than adequately replied to your questions.”. Finally, their senior pastor explicitly answered that I was ineligible to attend any of the “all age” groups of his church where there are other young single Christians. The only group that the senior pastor would allow me to attend was his “explore” group which he personally leads. I did once visit his “explore” group; a group which strictly constituted married couples who all were in the age of 50+ and beyond.

The dialogue with Northside Community Church in Sydney, Australia, is read chronologically from the bottom upwards beneath, with the most recent email at the top:

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Northside Community Church.

Hello Graham Agnew,

Thanks for finally replying to my questions, which you [had not] answered previously.

1) There are no Connection Groups that I am welcome to participate in at your Northside Community Church.

2) I am not welcome to attend any Young Adults groups. Your website (http://northsidechurch.org.au/ministries/young-adults) informs that the Young Adults group’s upper age is 35. You lowered the upper age in your letter to me to 30.

3) You did not want me to attend the Christmas Dinner.

Graham Agnew, in contrast to your falsehood I will be straight with you.

Your statement "we have more than adequately replied to your questions" in conjunction with the reality of your evasion of an answer to my questions speaks volumes of your false nature and dishonesty.

Like the sly devil, you pretend to be welcoming but in reality are banning me from the freedom to fellowship at your church.

Like satan, you even banned me from "all age" groups with your statement "At that time, you will be eligible for our "entry level" Group known as Explore".

Shame on you!

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Torsten,

Thank you for your latest email. I still feel, as I always have, that between Sam and myself we have more than adequately replied to your questions.

However, I will add the following: You keep referring to our Young Adult Groups and I need to say there are no Groups in this category available to you because eligibility for these is for those up to around 30 years of age! So that leaves only Adult or what we sometimes refer to as "All Age " groups for you and yes, these are in recess until next February. At that time, you will be eligible for our "entry level" Group known as "Explore" on Tuesday nights. This is the Group you were warmly welcomed to a couple of weeks ago.

I hope this reply helps to clarify the issues for you.

Re the Dinner tickets, I do believe these have now been sold out. There were tickets available last Sunday evening and I'm sorry you were not able to secure one.

I trust this finds you having a great week...

Regards,

Graham

Hi again Graham Agnew,

This is just a friendly reminder that you have yet not replied to some specific questions which I asked your church.

Thanks for your niceness. But, apart from friendly approaches and nicenesses, I actually seek useful and pragmatic information, and real opportunities to communicate with other Christians.

1) Are there any at all Connection Groups at NorthSide where also single younger adults meet?

2) Is your Young Adults Ministry active? When and where (schedule of location and time)?

3) I heard several times that there was a Christmas dinner. When? Two Sundays in a row I was prepared to purchase a ticket to the event but saw no person selling tickets.

Is it correct that your church is socially inactive during December and January apart from the staged "services" on Sundays?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Graham Agnew,

Thanks for a friendly response. And thanks for all your niceness. But, apart from friendly approaches and nicenesses, I actually seek useful and pragmatic information, and real opportunities to communicate with other Christians.

1) Are there any at all Connection Groups at NorthSide where also single younger adults meet?

2) Is your Young Adults Ministry active? When and where (schedule of location and time)?

3) I heard several times that there was a Christmas dinner. When? Two Sundays in a row I was prepared to purchase a ticket to the event but saw no person selling tickets.

Is it correct that your church is socially inactive during December and January apart from the staged "services" on Sundays?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Good morning Torsten

Thank you for your latest emails. I'm satisfied we've answered your questions about Fellowship and Connection Group opportunities in recent emails and (more importantly) by way of warm and courteous conversation, both with me and with some of our Team members.

Trusting this finds you enjoying this beautiful day...

Regards,

Graham

Hi Graham Agnew,

There are Connection Groups. Are there Connection Groups that I can join?

There is a Young Adults Ministry. Is there a Young Adults Ministry that I can join?

Regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Graham Agnew,

There are Connection Groups. Are there Connection Groups that I can join?

There is a Young Adults Ministry. Is there a Young Adults Ministry that I can join?

Regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Tortsten,

Thank you for your latest email and humble apologies for not replying to the two emails sent last week. We've done some checking and believe it or not every email went through to our respective Spam files? I'm not sure if you can throw any light on why that may have happened but it does seem extraordinary. None of us check our Spam files on a regular basis, hence we did not pick up the emails.

Equally surprising - today your email has come directly to me!

I'm not sure what to make of your comment about feeling "pursued" by my staff members and I - that was certainly not our intention. The reality is, we take a special interest in all newcomers and over the years this fact has proven to be quite a strong point of difference (so people tell us) between ourselves and some other Churches. If the warmth of our welcome has in some way inadvertently "overwhelmed" you, we sincerely apologise.

In response to your questions, we simply reiterate what has been shared with you verbally, namely there are opportunities for people to meet socially at Northside, the main ones being our Sunday services, including after Church dinners (as you've already experienced) and our Connection Groups - including the one tomorrow night to which you have been personally invited.

Thanks again and I trust you're having a great week....

Regards,

Graham

Graham D. Agnew

Senior Pastor

Northside Community Church

Cnr. Oxley St & Pole Lane

Crows Nest NSW Australia 2065

Phone 02 9439 7822

Graham Agnew,

You and other staff of Northside Community Church intensely pursued me yesterday, upon my second visit to your church premises. I did not seek any of you, but you and your staff sought me.

Beneath is a copy of the two emails which I had send to your church, but which apparently had not reached you yet for some reason.

I would appreciate a response to my inquiry.

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Dear Northside Community Church,

Hi.

Last Sunday, Nov.24, I visited your church at the evening gathering. I met several friendly persons.

Ten days ago, I sent an email to your church inquiring about any opportunity within your church where also Christian singles might meet and communicate, and subsequent to that question I also asked if there might be small mid-week fellowship groups that I can attend.

For some reason, your church has yet not replied to my inquiry.

I therefore ask again:

- Are there opportunities in your congregation where also single Christians can meet and communicate - and build relationships?

- Are there fellowship groups, community groups, cell groups or small groups that I can attend?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzén

Email: torsten@nenzen.net

Dear Northside Community Church,

Hi.

I am a Christian single man here in Sydney. I seek a Christian community in Sydney where I also might find opportunities to fellowship, socialise, meet and talk with other Christian singles.

Are there opportunities in your congregation where also single Christians can meet and communicate - and build relationships?

Are there fellowship groups, community groups, cell groups or small groups that I can attend?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzén

Email: torsten@nenzen.net