Our connection to the Christian story

We believe

Anglicare WA is a dynamic organisation dedicated to serving Western Australian individuals, families and communities. We were founded by the Anglican Archbishop Geoffrey Sambell whose vision was to create a welfare and justice arm of the Anglican Church, offering charitable and health services in the Perth metropolitan area. Archbishop Geoffrey’s vision has evolved and expanded over time, but today we still we embody the same Christian spirit and values that drove him.

At Anglicare WA we believe that there is more to life than just getting by. We believe that everyone deserves to belong, have a hopeful future and know that they have the support they need to flourish. In difficult times everyone deserves to receive the help they need to put the pieces of their life back together.

We stand beside people, families and communities to support them as they move from surviving, to coping, to building, to thriving. We believe that everyone has a special purpose and unique gifts, talents and contributions to bring to the world. Part of a rich life is uncovering these. When you are loved and supported the way you deserve to be, then life is a precious gift.

Many of these ideas came to us from Jesus Christ. They are principles which changed the course of history. They inform Anglicare WA’s sense of purpose and keep our focus on the best ways to assist people as they move from “surviving to thriving”. They animate us and our work.

We are a Christian organisation but to be honest, that’s pretty hard to pin down in today’s world. People are unsure about what being Christian means. Many experience Christianity from the outside of a Church which has a mixed history, or they have views developed from past experiences or what they have seen in the news or on TV. Others have had no exposure to the Christian story and its message beyond the Christian values which contributed to the shape of our society.

For those of us who have engaged with the Christian faith deeply, we see people transformed by a personal relationship with Christ and the God he spoke about. We remain fascinated by this miracle. In this relationship faith means that we are inspired by the liberating and hopeful story which Jesus told through his teaching and actions.

For instance one of Jesus’ great messages was to love one’s neighbour; that through reaching out in loving service to others, you will find healing and purpose for yourself. We like that idea. That’s what we want Anglicare WA to be, a significant partner with formal and informal networks which heal bodies, minds, souls and communities.

At Anglicare WA, we are certain that Christ’s message is open and embraces all-comers. We want everyone to benefit from the care and service we provide, not just Anglicans or Christians, not just religious people. Everyone who needs us deserves our very best and we want to work alongside anyone who is committed to this agenda of service and support. We offer no restrictions on who we support, just open doors and a genuine welcome.

We employ people with different world views and experiences, but with strong shared values, and always will. This deepens our capacity and our wisdom. We hope to create a work-place that is caring and passionate, creative and dynamic and in harmony with each other even though this is sometimes challenging given the values of the work-a-day world.

Anglicare WA is one part of a much greater Christian movement which connects the great dimensions of our tradition with an unknown but hopeful future. Christianity will always be a work-in-progress here on earth. Christians are not perfect, but we try hard. We don’t assume we know all the answers but we are committed to stand beside others in order to develop, improve, form and heal each other in the process. This is the only way we can fulfil our God given potential and keep the dream of a whole and just society alive.

There are many wonderful ideas, hopeful stories and helpful advice from centuries of Christian wisdom. There are great insights to be found in our faith on living a life full of purpose and meaning. There is also something very special about calling on a community to pray on important concerns. You may want to explore these ideas, but you are in no way obliged. Like everything we do, we make the opportunity available and leave the decision to you.

This is Anglicare WA. This is what we believe and want to share with our staff, the people we work alongside and the Western Australian community.