Westside Church

WestSide Church is a Pentecostal Christian church affiliated with the Assemblies of God. The church is located in Greystanes, in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The church is led by Senior Pastors Tom and Imogen Zaharis. WestSide Church's other members of the pastoral team include Associate Pastors Louie & Denise Antoniou, Youth Pastors Jim & Nicole Andresen, Children's Pastor Alex Ananin, Pastoral Care Naomal & Priya Antony, and Michael & Sally Williams, Rangers and Prayer Coordinator.

WestSide Church has grown since it first started. It currently is attended by approximately 300 people each week and is still growing.

History

WestSide Church was originally planted as a church in Wentworthville by Tom and Imogen Zarharis from the Petersham AOG Church when it was given the name WestSide in 1999. It is now currently located in Greystanes, in the western suburbs of Sydney when a move in order to search for a new building found them moving the location to a neighbouring suburb, located in Greystanes High School. In 2006 a merge occurred with the Carlingford Church, now basing the main church at the site of Greystanes.

Ministries

WestSide Church has several ministries operating that run to support the vision of the church, "building a thriving church, which impacts and introduces the world to an amazing God." In order to reach this vision, it has leadership teams that make this happen. Each group works in cooperation with one another, but focuses on different aspects of church development. All of this happens in cooperation with the senior pastors: Tom and Imogen Zaharis.
Volunteers: This army of dedicated church members run many different aspects of WestSide Life. From cell groups, to social events, to kids programs, these volunteer leaders are the heart of WestSide Church.
Pastors and Department Heads: This team oversees the spiritual and social development of the church's members and programs.
The 'Vision Team': This team focuses on setting direction for the church.
The 'Advisory Council': This team concerns itself with the facilitating and implementation of the vision, and many initiatives of WestSide Church, as well as handling the different legal and financial requirements that must be met. Pastoral care is also available through the Pastors, who offer prayer, support, home visits, hospital visitation and emergency home care. The main ministries of WestSide Church are:

Kids

WestSide Kids is a dynamic and exciting kids program, tailored to meet the age specific needs that your child may have. From a child who is just walking to a student in year 6, WestSide kids has something special for each child.

WestSide kids runs simultaneously with the adult services, so kids are dropped of by their parents just prior to the 9:30 am service start time at the group that is for them. There are three age specific groups within the kids program. Each group is run by qualified and screened teachers and assistants.

* Dynamites is for kids who are walking through pre-school age. These precious children are introduced to their loving creator and saviour, through engaging activities, stories and games.
* KidZone KidZone is all about making Christianity fun and engaging for kids in kindy to year four in school. KidZone builds into the lives of every young attender, a sense of purpose and belonging, in an environment of encouragment and love.
* Outrageous Kids Outrageous Kids or 'Ok Kids' is for kids in years five and six in school. Every week, these young people grow in faith through a high energy program that is best described as

Youth

"Seeing the potential in young people realised through Christ!" WestSide Church has two programs which run regularly all-year round; 'Ignite,' and 'I.D.' (or Ignite Devoted).

* Ignite Youth is for high school aged students, and runs from 7:30pm - 9:30pm every Friday night. Ignite is held in the hall of Greystanes High School, and is open for any student from any school. Students are encouraged to come into a personal knowledge and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, through an atmosphere of encouragement, faith and excitement.
* I.D. is for students in years 7 to 9. On Sunday mornings, students participate in the main worship service, but then leave for a message that is more tailored to where thay are at in life. This group is 'Ignite Devoted.' I.D. focuses on developing the students understanding of Christianity and how it applies to them today. Unlike the Friday night program, I.D. allows for greater interaction with leaders, and gives more opportunity for student input.
* Cadre's is the name of WestSide's youth home groups. The two age brackets for cadres are students in years 9 to 12 and young adults aged 18 to 25 and each run once a month.
* School Ministry WestSide church is strategically located on the school grounds of Greystanes High School, automatically making schools ministry a very relevant arm of WestSide. Jim (the youth pastor) oversees the scripture program at Greystanes High School and Merrylands High School. Each school has a team of volunteers from local churches who teach classes, run lunchtime programs and breakfast clubs, host seminars, provide pastoral care and much more. In addition to these two schools, WestSide contributes financially to help support similar work done in the other three public high schools in the Holroyd City Council Area (Holroyd High School, Girraween High School, and Pendle Hill High School).

Men

"WestSide men exists to empower men for life." By connecting men to their creator, and placing them in an environment of encouragement and support, WestSide is seeing men unite as brothers.
WestSide men provides a host of opportunities for men from all walks of life to participate and be a part of the WestSide Men's ministry. Below, are just a few of the different opportunities provided.

* Band of Brothers: A Monthly meeting for guys to get together, encourage one another, hear from the word of God and enjoy a cup of coffee together
* Wild at Heart: These are high adventure outings. WestSide Men arrange these outings to get the blood pumping, and provide an opportunity for men to take a break from the day-to-day.
* Outings: The guys regularly get together just to spend time with one another. These outings are loosely structured times, and include activities like bushwalks, bike rides, breakfasts, movie outings and similar.
* Valiant Man: This program is ran once a year. It is a ten week course that helps men to tackle the very real struggle that they have with sexual integrity. This program is very practical, very honest and has been a great blessing to many men.

Women

"My heart is to see women of all ages and backgrounds love God passionately. Also to see all women to entering into a fulfilling relationship with their Creator and to have them find and live out the destiny that God has called them to. I desire every woman to experience God in a revolutionary way that will change her forever.
Through the different ministries at Westside Church for women, you CAN experience Him in new ways and get to know the one true God who loves and cares for you so much." Denise Antoniou

* Inspire for Women "God is calling women to rise up and take a hold of their destiny and to grow up into the woman He has called them to be." Inspire is an evening for women who want more of God. It’s for Women who want to grow and be spoken to at a deeper level. This is truly an inspirational night where you will be challenged, ministered to and encouraged to go the distance with God.
* Woman to Woman "God desires us to be healed of our past so we can live freely in the Grace He has given us." Woman to Woman is a course designed specifically for women. It covers many subjects that women face daily. The teaching material is on DVD and the group discussion is based on the subjects taught on the DVD. This course is excellent for women who desire to get closer with God and who want to be enjoy life.
* Door of Hope This is an amazing course for women who have experienced abuse, but want to be free from the effects of it in their lives. The teaching material is on DVD and the group discussion is based on the subject taught on the DVD. As women share their lives with others women are set free.
* Women's Events Westside Church holds events every couple of months for women to be a part of. These are times of fun, getting to know new friends and times where you can be pampered and ministered to as a woman.

Music

WestSide's music is mainly focused on praise and worship. WestSide is known to get inspiration from Hillsong Music as well as many other Christian music and artists. WestSide produces some of it's own songs too.

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