By Garry Sanossian
Blessed with an expansive property in Figtree, Wollongong, NewDay Church began exploring how its underused space could better serve the local community. In 2017, they opened NewDay Kids Early Learning Centre, which is now their greatest catalyst for building new relationships and serving young families.
“The mission comes to our door. It gives us a real focus and purpose and brings unity to the church,” NewDay Church Lead Pastor Jono Prince said.
As planning for the centre got underway, NewDay considered more than just making better use of their property.
“There was a realisation that we were going to have families, kids and staff coming to our church site every single day,” Jono said.
“There’s a massive mission opportunity here.”
Jono Prince, Lead Pastor of NewDay Church.
That opportunity has shaped how NewDay approaches the centre, with decisions focused on serving children and families rather than simply generating income.
During COVID, that commitment became especially visible when the centre held its fees steady for around 18 months to two years. “We made deliberate choices not to raise fees for parents because we recognised the struggle,” Jono said.
“Our decisions are led by purpose, not by profit.”
That same desire to serve families has also created new opportunities for connection. One of the first ministries to grow around the centre was a not-for-profit coffee service during drop-off.
“Parents might once have simply dropped their children off and left. Now they’re greeted and some stay for a chat or a coffee,” Jono explained.
NewDay Kids Early Learning Centre taking part in NewDay Church’s Christmas service, which welcomed families from the local community.
Those relationships can extend beyond the daily rhythm of the centre. One childcare parent attended NewDay’s annual Easter egg hunt for the second year and brought a friend. “The friend was amazed by everything that we had on and how it was virtually free,” Jono said.
“She said to her friend, ‘This is what this church does. They’re so involved in the community and they do these amazing things.’”
This year, the event welcomed more than 800 people, including 330 registered children.
“We’ve got people who identify with our church, who somehow express belonging with our church and desire to be closer,” Jono said.
That sense of care also extends to the educators working at the centre. Jono regularly checks in with staff, while the church has at times provided practical assistance and helped staff access affordable counselling.
“We care for these people and we want to show that,” he said.
As relationships have grown, so have the opportunities. A baby sensory group now uses the site four days a week, bringing more young families into contact with the church community.
Since opening the centre, NewDay has also employed a children’s pastor, while connections between families, the centre and the church continue to emerge throughout the week.
“If we didn’t have the childcare centre, I’m not 100 per cent sure that some of these other things would have occurred,” Jono said.
“It’s been such a catalyst. It’s nearly like it’s the first domino, but it caused another 10 dominoes to fall.”
This story is part of a short series featuring churches in our network who have established early education centres as pathways for community engagement. We will be running a webinar in September 2026 inviting preschool leaders, like Jono, to share their journey and insight with other communities interested in exploring this pathway for their community.
To join us, RSVP here: ccnswact.org.au/events/childcare-ministry-webinar-2026
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