OUR MISSION
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“I am the gate;
whoever enters through me will be saved.”
John 10:9
We exist to love Jesus Christ the Gateway to Life and make Him known across all ages and stages of life.
Gateway Port Stephens is a Presbyterian church located on the Tomaree Peninsula. As a Protestant, Evangelical, and Reformed congregation, we believe in the Bible's authority and power to transform lives and communities.
We strive to faithfully present the good news of Jesus Christ so that everyone may know Him personally as Lord and Saviour. For we know that Jesus is the Gateway to truth and life.
JOIN US
Sunday Services
We meet together to worship and proclaim our creator and saviour, Jesus Christ.
Sunday Services
@ 8:30am & 10:30am
Combined School Holiday Services
@ 9.30am
In our services we speak to God in prayer, sing songs of worship and hear the Bible read and explained.
Our kids engage with Creche, Kid's Church and Link Discipleship, and then we spend time together catching up over a cup of coffee.
Come! Be encouraged, challenged and refreshed by meeting together and sharing the joy that is found in Jesus Christ.
Our Purposes
To see people from all ages & stages of life connect with Jesus and his Church.
To see people grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus.
Serve
Go
To be a community that spurs one-another on in love and good deeds.
To see people go into the whole world with the message of Jesus.
Grow
Connect
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:16-20
Connect Pathways
First Saturday of every month
2 - 6 pm
Gateway Presbyterian Church Back Hall
Free Admission
Members bring games to cater to all ages and interests, apart from heavy euros. What gets played depends on who turns up.
Free tea, hot chocolate and barista made coffee.
Child friendly with a gated playground – Parental supervision required.
During the year we host movies on the lawn under the stars.
Free Admission
There will be a Sausage Sizzle before the movie, with popcorn and drinks, at a small cost.
Fun for the whole family.
Child friendly with a gated playground – Parental supervision required.
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There is a Womens walking group that meets every at various locations around Port Stephens on a Wednesday morning.
After their walk (About 5km) they stop for coffee at a near by cafe. Generally stroler friendly and always welcoming, even if you come just for a coffee and a chat.
For more information or join the SMS chain contact Admin below.
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Every Thursday afternoon
Gateway Presbyterian Church Back Hall
Do you enjoy sewing, knitting, crochet, quilting or any other craft?
Join us for an afternoon of craft.
BYO supplies.
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Meeting once a month on a Wednesday afternoon.
Taking turns to host.We join together to discuss the book of the month, reading a range of genres, from Biographies, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Christian/Religious Fiction and Books translate from other languages.
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Babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and parents will be treated to music and story, activity and interaction, structured and unstructured fun.
Each session is designed for delight as you participate together. You’ll experience a rich learning environment.
Tuesday Mornings - during the school term
10am – 11:30am
$5/week, per familyWant to know more about mainly music? Visit mainlymusic.org
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Once a term all growth groups gather to Pray and sing Praises together.
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During the year we host an afternoon of worship for those who enjoy traditional hymns.
CAROLS UNDER THE STARS
Every year we hold a family carols event, with live music, sausage sizzle, face painting and craft for the kids. Ending the night with the Advent Story about the birth of Jesus, with live animals.
Dates and extra details to come.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power.
Colossians 1:9-11
Grow Pathways
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Sunday Creche - 18mths to K
Kids receive a simple morning tea, clear and interesting bible teaching and there is normally some sort of craft activity.
10:30am Church Service Only
Mainly MusicBabies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and parents will be treated to music and story, activity and interaction, structured and unstructured fun.
Tuesday Mornings - during the school term
10 – 11:30am
$5/week, per family -
Kids Church - K to 5
Gateway Kids Church is all about helping kids to grow in their love and knowledge of Jesus.
Sign in: Parents/carers are invited to sign-in their kids for Gateway Kids during the service. This is a good time to meet the program leaders and ask any questions.
During school holidays: The service will include a kids talk and activity sheets are available.
Salt Kids - 2 to 5Salt Kids is an after school group for kids where we have a great time together as we enjoy food, fun and learning about faith.
Cost: $5/child (includes simple arvo tea and dinner)
At drop off and pick up, parents are asked to sign in and out the children their care.
Friday’s during term
4:30 – 6:15pm
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Gateway Youth - Year 6 to 12
All youth are welcome to join us in the greatest adventure ever – coming to know the author of life, Jesus!
Friday’s during term
7 - 9pm
@ Gateway Pressy ChurchEquipYA - Year 11 to Uni Age
Join us on a Thursday evening from 5-7pm as we share a meal, enjoy time together, and get stuck into the Word. Meeting in Corlette.
Contact Cooper (Pastoral Assistant) or Josh to join.
Link Discipleship - Year 6 to 9For those keen to dig into the Bible and stretch their understanding of Christianity.
8.30am + 10.30am Sunday services during term
Meets in the Youth Nook.
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Whether you're studying, working, starting a family, or figuring out what’s next, Gateway is a place to connect and grow. Our young adults gather regularly for Bible study, share meals after church, and enjoy a welcoming community.
EquipYA
For those fresh out of high school or in Years 11 & 12, a Thursday night Bible study offers a chance to share dinner, hang out, and dive into God’s Word together.Thursdays during term
5 - 7pm
CorletteContact Cooper (Pastoral Assistant) or Josh K for more details
Games AfternoonJoin us for an afternoon of games, great coffee, and good company. Admission is free, and there’s something for everyone—from casual games to strategy classics.
Families are welcome, with a gated playground available (parental supervision required).
First Saturday of every month
2 - 6 pm -
The Gateway Women’s Ministry aims to encourage women to connect with each other in spiritually refreshing relationships by:
connecting women to Jesus Christ through teaching,
leading in God’s Word and encouraging spiritual growth
providing fellowship opportunities and activities for women at Gateway
caring for each other through prayer and practical support
offering encouragement through ongoing relationships and mentoring
looking for opportunities to serve in our church and the community.
We are praying that God will continue to show us the ways we can serve to bring women closer to each other and to Jesus Christ.
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The men organising the Gateway Presbyterian Church Men’s ministry will say that men’s ministry is not just important, it’s imperative.
Our Contemporary culture would have men think that ‘standing on their own two feet’ is the way to be man. A reading of the Bible shows the powerful image that God’s way to be man is for him to stand and rely on Jesus - for wisdom and direction.
Men in the Bay need encouragement and friendship which is achieved when they get together. So the Gateway Men’s Ministry exists to organise events so that men can get together and talk about the issues they face at work and in their homes.
Events that are organised during the year include Breakfasts on a Saturday Morning, Pub night and Fellowship on Fridays, Overnight Camping trips up in the Hunter Valley – all of which are organised for blokes to meet and yarn.
So we hope you can join us….
As men, we believe we have responsibilities in our walk with God, our relationships within our families, our personal finances and our health.
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Whether you're retiring, working, grandparenting, or looking for a fresh start, there's a place for you here. Gateway is a welcoming church with a strong community of seniors and plenty of ways to connect, grow, and get involved.
It's never too late to explore faith, get to know Jesus, or find purpose in serving Him. Join us as we gather under King Jesus and live for Him with all we have and all we are.
Growth groups
Gateway’s Growth Groups meet throughout the week at many different times and locations. These groups are a great way to connect, build friendships, and explore the Bible together. Growth Groups are important places of prayer, support, and connection - as we grow deep in God’s Word together.
Whether you're new to the area or looking to grow in your faith, we'd love to help you find a group that suits you. Growth Groups are a place to ask questions, share life, and care for one another. If you’d like to join, fill out the form on our website, and we’ll be in touch!
OUR LEADERS
“It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- Matthew 20:26–28
As a Presbyterian Church, we are governed by a group of Elders known as a Session, which is led by the Senior Minister. They are responsible for the leadership and spiritual oversight of the church.
A second group, the Committee of Management (COM), is responsible for the care of ‘stuff’ (property & finances) under the direction of the Session. Members are elected each year at our Annual Congregational Meeting (ACM).
Meet our leaders below!
Staff Team & Elders
Rev Ross Pethybridge
Senior Minister
Evan Barns
Kids Minister
Cooper Rispin
Youth & Connect Minister
Louise Baker
Administrative Coordinator
Gil Coleman
Pastoral Care Ministry
Our Elders - Rev Ross Pethybridge, Shane Prior, Daniel Priest, David Prisk, Ewen Williamson, Keith Dallywater, and Justin Coleman.
Committee of Management
Committee of Management (COM) - Alan Baker, Cormac Gray, Florence Hanson, Kathy Glapa, Keith Brown, Kevin Henderson, Rev Ross Pethybridge, Warren Stalder.
Ministry Team Leaders
David Barber
Growth Group Ministry
Carol Brown
mainly muisc
Sarah Tong
Worship Ministry
Safe Ministry Protocols
Gateway Presbyterian Church ensures that ALL adults involved in any roles have completely fulfilled all legal and Presbyterian Church of NSW child protection protocols.
This involves all adults obtaining a Working With Children’s Check (WWCC), along with completing and maintaining their ‘Breaking The Silence’ training.
To find out more go to: https://breakingthesilence.org.au/
During the 1960’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s the Presbyterians Church at Nelson Bay met at a church building located on the corner of Moorooba Crescent and Church Street in Nelson Bay. The parishioners were a faithful and generous group of Christian believers who had raised the funds to buy the property and place a small weatherboard Church on the site. Parking was minimal and as the new century began, the Church had to make the important decision to build on that site or relocate.
Under the leadership and direction of the minister Robin Turner, in 2003, the Church purchased the current site at 43 Gan Gan Road and building commenced.
The first service at the new location was led by Robin Turner on Easter Sunday 11th April 2004 and later that year the official opening was held on 16th & 17th October 2004.
As the Church grew it was decided that more space was needed at the back of the auditorium and so a second building stage was begun in 2013. On the 16th February 2014 we celebrated the opening of our extension which provided lots of multi-purpose rooms for Kids Church, Bible Studies & Office Space.
Under God’s grace, Gateway Presbyterian Church has enjoyed steady growth under the leadership of Robin Turner, Duncan Anderson, Ben Smith, Jon Nuttal and the current ministers - Rev Ross Pethybridge, Cooper Rispin and Evan Barnes.
Our History
What We Believe
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-7
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Romans 10:9
As a Presbyterian Church, we hold to the same values and beliefs as stated by the Presbyterian Church of Australia, NSW.
The Supreme Standard of the Church is the Word of God contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Subordinate Standard of the Church is the Westminster Confession of Faith read in the light of the Declaratory Statement.
We are Protestant, Evangelical and Reformed.
We believe that there is One God who is the Creator and Judge of the world. In the fullness of time He has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
God has made Himself known in His infallible word, the Bible.
We believe that human beings are created in God’s image. However, when Adam sinned, that image was stained and tarnished. We inherit Adam’s fallen nature.
The penalty for sin is death, leading ultimately to the second death which is everlasting judgement.
The law reveals that we are sinners but does not save us.
Christ is the Lord from heaven who came to lead a sinless life, and offer Himself up as the sinless sacrifice to pay the death penalty which we deserve.
We cannot earn salvation. We can only receive it when the Holy Spirit enables us to have faith in Christ alone.
Trusting in Christ and not our own merits, we seek to live godly lives, loving God and our neighbour.
We seek to serve Christ in the fellowship of the body of His people, the Church. Our joining this body is signified by baptism, our ongoing commitment to Christ is signified by taking part in the Lord’s Supper.
If you have any questions please get in touch.
What the Presbyterian Church of Australia Believes
Worship
The worship of the Presbyterian Church has always been marked by simplicity and reverence. It consists of praise, prayer, the expounding and preaching of the Word of God, and the sacraments. The central purpose of worship is always to bring glory to God, and this must always control what happens in a worship service. Occasionally someone approved by the minister may be invited to preach, but the minister is always answerable to other ministers and elders (i.e. the Presbytery) for what happens.
The Church believes that there are only two sacraments; Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ought to be observed properly and carefully.
Doctrine
The highest standard by which the Church’s belief and practice is to be measured is the Word of God; the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. So that others can clearly understand what the Presbyterian Church of Australia believes is taught in the Bible, the Church has adopted the Westminster Confession of Faith (with two minor amendments) as a statement of its key doctrines. While the Church believes the Confession sets forth Biblical doctrines accurately and reliably, the Confession is always referred to as the subordinate standard, and the Bible is the supreme standard.
You will find the Church’s doctrine of the Bible defined in Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. The Confession of Faith is quite detailed, and explains the Bible’s teaching on God, Creation, the wonder of being human and the awfulness of sin, and the whole work of God in salvation. The Confession is careful to emphasise that this salvation is by the sovereign Grace of God. It also sets out clear positions on living the Christian Life, and worshipping as a part of the Church in society. The Confession ends with a simple statement on the expectation that Christ will one day return.
At the time the Presbyterian Church of Australia was formed, it also adopted a Declaratory Statement. The Declaratory Statement does not replace the Bible or the Westminster Confession of Faith, but was designed to show how the Westminster Confession of Faith is to be interpreted and used by this Church. The introductory wording from the 1901 Scheme of Union is given below, and shows how these are all related.
The Supreme Standard of the united church shall be the Word of God contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments:
The Subordinate Standard in the united church shall be the Westminster Confession of Faith, read in the light of the following declaratory statement:
The Declaratory Statement has six clauses. Among other things, these clauses require the Church to be grounded on the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, to accept the events of the incarnation, life, death resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the events at Pentecost as real supernatural events, to be eager to preach the gospel to all, to hold out the moral law of God as binding on all people, to affirm the freedom of the Church from all civil headship and control, and to allow liberty of opinion on matters in the subordinate standard not essential to the doctrine it teaches so long as this liberty is not abused to the injury of the unity and peace of the Church.
