Tumbletown is a children's soft play area, parents retreat, and cafe located under the church hall of Murwillumbah Baptist Church. It provides a space for children to play independently while parents can relax and socialize. The facility is staffed by volunteers and offers refreshments. Since opening, Tumbletown has attracted many young families from the community and generated enough funds to hire a full-time pastor. It also creates opportunities for outreach through playgroups, Bible studies, and other church-run programs. A seed grant from Baptist Community Services helped improve some initial facilities and launch new community activities. Tumbletown has been successful in both outreach and supporting the financial needs of the church.

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Children's Soft Play, Parents Retreat
and Cafe
Provides a flexible platform for creative bridges to faith.
Encourages friendship and uninterrupted conversation.
Appeals to young families and carers
Draws attention of Church attenders towards caring outreach.
Potential of surplus funds for other ministries
Gives opportunities for a wide diversity of abilities and spiritual
gifts to be exercised e.g. praying, serving, training volunteers,
purchasing supplies,maintenance, leadingplay groups and family
nights.
Tumbletown Workshop
Baptist Community Services Conference
"Towards Kingdom Communities" 29th Oct 2005
mmOutlineproposal
Suggested 'bridges to faith'
Example budget and volunteer forms

2. REPORT ON NEW COMMUNITY SERVICE
MURWILLUMBAH BAPTIST CHURCH
Murwillumbah Baptist Church found itself in an all to common dilemma.
The church congregation wasageing, offerings were insufficient to support a
full-time pastor, a couple of difficult experiences in the past had disheartened
many and even though the buildings andmanse were all paid off - it wasdifficult
to see a viable future.
The Church resolved to invite
How would thechurch reach out to the . _ _ . , _,,
Rev 6raham Eggms from the
community m an attractive way ana raise
some additional funds to ailow a full-time
pastor to be employed?
nearby Tweed Coast Community
Baptist Church to provide some
interim leadership and
assistance. After about six
months of filling both pulpits and covering basic ministries, the Tweed Church
decided to appoint Pastor Peter Knight to lead the work at Murwillumbah
Baptist. Once the ministry at Murwillumbah wasready to hand over, Peter
would transfer to work with the Tweed Church to plant some new outreach
ministries.
This led to an exciting year. A children's talk was incorporated into the morning
service, two new housegroups were begun, a 'prayer for healing' service was held
one Sunday evening for two seriously ill church members, 8 newScripture
classes were taught, two 'Close Encounters' - a one day' kids club in school
holidays were held followed by a Sausage sizzle for parents, a 10 week alpha-
type course called 'Introducing Sod' washeld in the local golf club, Deacons met
frequently to agree ontheir shared values, a group of teenage girls invited their
friends and began a bi-monthly outing and study. A newspark of life was
Turnbletown is a maze ©f cushioned tunnels, padded under 2's
a huge ball pit constructed in a rooms under the church ha!!,
by cafe tables, excellent Gloria Jean's coffees and
light refreshments such as pies, ice creams and drinks -
staffed six days a week, 9:30 til! 5:30, by volunteers from the
Church.
evident, encouraged by three baptisms and five new members (including a
retired pastor and his wife. Rev John & 6wen Giles).

3. But the lack of young and middle ages wasstill a problem. How would the church
reach out to the community in anattractive wayand raise some additional funds
to allow a full-time pastor to be employed?
Following an idea that arose during a brainstorming session between Peter
Knight and Graham Eggins the idea of building a soft-play centre as a 'parents
retreat' and children's play area beganto emerge. Eventually this trickle
became the raging torrent of Tumbletown'.
Tumbletown is a
• maze of completely netted cushioned tunnels,
• padded area for upto age2and
• a huge ball pit constructed in rooms under the church hall.
It includesa cafe serving excellent Gloria Jean's coffees andlight
refreshments such as pies, ice creams and cold drinks. The Centre was quickly
supported by young families from the town, as the parents were able to relax
and enjoy a great coffee andsome adult conversation- while their children
were safe, happy and playing independently. Children 2 years and over pay $4 to
use the equipment and refreshments are sold at close to commercial rates.
Everyday starts with prayer as a group of 14 committed volunteers work in
teams of two to welcome parents and children, provide the refreshments andbe
a friendly Christian face to young families whooften are nearly overwhelmed
with modern life, children andeverything else. The volunteers being
predominantly older fits well with this ministry as retirees canoffer time,
energy, Christian maturity andbe a grandparent type figure -sometimes
reading storybooks to children.
Various Christian magazines (Christian Women,
Christian Parenting, John Blanchard's tracts on SeptEveryday with
prayer.... 11<& Suffering, Bible documents, Evolution) were
placed on a table for some interesting reading.
On visiting the facility a month after it officially opened, Mrs June Heinrich -
CEO of BCS wasstruck by the opportunities it created. On the way home June
Heinrich said, "Every Church should have one!". Tumbletown is ideal for:
• Playgroups
• Midday Evangelistic Bible study
• Evening family Housegroup
• All kinds of pre-evangelistic andevangelistic meetings.

4. BCS Seeding Grant Assistance
It wasreadily obviousthat the church hadcut a number of corners in aneffort
to stay within budget andwaswaiting for Tumbletown income to payfor quite a
few, semi-necessary items. Air-conditioning had been installed but the
electrical supply hadyet to be upgraded to allow it to be switched onat the
same time as the pie warmer or dishwasher, resulting in some careful juggling on
hot days. A top quality sign board with colourful logo had been donated but the
church waswaiting for funds to add opening times andcontact details. Some
old school tables had been cobbled together and carefully covered with table
cloths but along with the steel chairs were not that comfortable. The list could
go on. June Heinrich suggested that BCS could assist to bring the purchase of
these items forward through it's Seeding Grants for Communityprojects appeal
and so donated $5,000. This was given towards:
• cafe tables andchairs
• lounge chair area andcoffee table
• business bureau peripherals
• signage
• electrical supply upgrade
• advertising formal community contact meetings
o "Coffee <& Toddlers" play group for young mums <& others and
o "Indoor Bowling" for more elderly child minders
The Church wasoverjoyed with the gift andthanked &od for His generosity.
After two months opening they have, on average, tripled their breakeven point
and have been blessed with great newcontacts and natural outreach
possibilities. A needy town of over 15,000 people can continue to be impacted
with the gospel as a wonderful newfull-time pastor with his young wife and
family, Pastor Andrew & Naomi Brown, accepted a call and began their ministry
there in February 2005.
Whenever you are around the far north coast of NSW make sure you call in or
better still, make a special trip. If youwould like aninformation pack about
Tumbletown and explore the possibility of installing something similar in your
Church feel free to contact Pastor Peter Knight, geter@knight.c_c or 02 6676
2063.

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