Humans of the Uniting Church
Chris Bairstow
March 20, 2024
This year, we’re excited to be featuring some of the inspirational people who make up the Uniting Church. Check out the growing hub of stories here. If you know of someone with a great story to tell, contact us and nominate them to be featured.
In this edition of Humans of the Uniting Church, we meet Chris Bairstow, who coordinates the incredible playgroup ministry at Manningham Uniting Church in Melbourne. One of the most thriving playgroups in the country, the church hosts groups and children and their families on five days of the week in a new and purpose built community space. Chris shares her faith journey, as well as the story behind the growth of this thriving ministry for children and their families.

"Jesus is alive in our Playgroups. We all go home after Playgroup feeling tired but blessed by the experience!"
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
What’s your Uniting Church story?
I grew up in West Brunswick attending St David’s in Melville Rd from when I started school. I went to Sunday School and church with the lady who lived next door to us. My parents didn’t go to church but I don’t know why because they were certainly Christian and we lived in a very Christian household! I have many happy memories of my time at St David’s (1957 – 1972) eventually helping teach Sunday School and being on the PFA. The mentors I had at this time certainly built my faith which has sustained me to this day.
After being married at the church we moved interstate and after a couple of years we returned to Melbourne but ‘church’ wasn’t on our radar at that time. When our son started school in 1983 I decided it was time to ‘find a church’. We rocked up to what was then Doncaster East Uniting and were met by such a warm and friendly group of people that we didn’t look any further. Our family have remained through the amalgamations firstly with Wesley, East Doncaster then Templestowe UC, Doncaster UC and The Grove UC until we are now Manningham Uniting Church in Templestowe.
How do you spend your time?
After taking a package from my teaching career in 1994 I was offered the position of Family Ministry Coordinator for 2 days per week at what was then Deep Creek Uniting Church in East Doncaster. I retired from this role in 2007. From around 2012 I was a volunteer at the Playgroup at Templestowe Uniting and in 2016 I was asked to take on the role until a new coordinator could be found. At the end of this current school term, I will be retiring from this role after 8 years!
In this time where I have been employed for 20 hours a month, we have grown from 1 small playgroup in the old hall, through Playgroup in the park during the pandemic (when we weren’t in lockdown) to currently five Playgroups in our purpose built Playgroup room in our new Church and Community centre which was opened in November 2021. There had always been a culture of Playgroups at Templestowe, Doncaster and East Doncaster so when the new building was being designed there was a high priority given to the need for a purpose-built Playgroup space.
In these 5 Playgroups there are currently 117 children from 90 families and a waiting list of 33 families. I lead 3 groups and we have 2 other ‘leaders’ and 18 helpers who volunteer each week. In my wildest imaginings I never realised that there was such a need in our community.
I also help with KidsChurch and Family@10 worship on Sunday mornings and am on the Pastoral Care team and Dementia Support group.
Family is very important and we are very blessed that both our children and their families are an active part of our church community. I also play golf once a week with friends from outside our church. I originally started to play when I was working at Deep Creek because I couldn’t be contacted on the golf course! This was before mobile phones! It’s a great way for me to get some exercise even when my game is not so good and to connect and laugh with a different group of friends.
What enlivens your faith in Jesus?
As I watch the interactions with the mums, dads, grandparents and playgroup volunteers I can see the mutual benefits to everyone. Jesus is alive in our Playgroups. We all go home after Playgroup feeling tired but blessed by the experience!
What’s one thing you're passionate about?
As you may have gathered I am passionate about the value of Playgroups to the community. Having worked in ministry with families for many years I have experienced the joys and tears of these people and have seen the blessing a church community can be for them. The value of a simple listening ear and the care of all our helpers is often much more than we can imagine. It is the Holy Spirit at work through all of us.
What's one thing you love about the Uniting Church or that you hope for?
I love that the Uniting Church is accepting of all people and I hope more people can find a caring and loving community that is meaningful to them and can enrich their lives.
What's one thing you would like the rest of the Uniting Church to pray for?
I would like the church to pray for ways in which we can provide pathways into our church community for our Playgroup families even after the families move on from Playgroup.