One of the highlights of the ecclesial life of Melbourne today is the Parish of Ashburton which comprises the Melbourne CSI Church and the St. Matthews Anglican Church not very far from the city centre of Melbourne, one of the world's most liveable city.
The Melbourne CSI Church was initiated in 2011 as an answer to several decades of prayerful waiting of members of the Church of South India who came to Australia and settled. While they worshipped in the nearby congregations they kept desiring for a Malayalam service. The first Vicar was appointed on 2012. The church was registered as a Charity and sought and received approval of the CSI Synod as a recognised church overseas in 2015.
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne and the St. Matthews Congregation of Ashburton reached a ministry and space sharing agreement with the Melbourne CSI Church wherein the CSI worships in the St. Matthews facility, the vicar uses their vicarage and also is Priest in Charge of St. Matthews congregation. The congregation which initially met at Mitcham Anglican Church thus relocated to Ashburton and continues to worship there now.
The Congregation is consistently growing as an inviting and welcoming space marked by the gift of hospitality. The Melbourne CSI congregation seeks to be the most needed bridge between the heart worship tradition of a people and the local worship reality that they are placed in. Within the embracing arms of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne this is evolving to be a sought after model.