Our Story (where we came from)

Berwick Vineyard Church, originally known as Southeast Melbourne Vineyard, was planted out of the Yarra Valley Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Lilydale - the first Vineyard church planted in Victoria in 1996. In 1998 Wayne and Sharon North were called to be the founding Pastors of the new Southeast Melbourne Vineyard. The first meeting as a church was held on Easter Sunday, 4th April 1999 at Berwick Lodge Primary School, with about 40 people in attendance. In January 2001 the church services moved to the Ross Miller Stadium at Berwick Secondary College, eventually leading to the name change to Berwick Vineyard Church. In May 2005 Wayne North announced that he would be stepping down as Senior Pastor at the end of the year and the search for a replacement began.

Little did the then leadership know, but at that same time God was calling Geoff and Jo Baker, who were then leading Meadows Community Church in Leicester, UK, to be the next Senior Pastors at Berwick Vineyard Church. The connection was through Steve & Nicola Wheatley Price, who had been to Berwick Vineyard Church whilst visiting Melbourne during April - July 2004. They were members of Geoff and Jo’s church in England. When they heard about Wayne’s decision, through e-mail contact with Wayne and Sharon, they immediately felt God was saying “this is the job for Geoff”! Having shared this with Geoff and Jo Baker, God supernaturally confirmed the call to lead Berwick Vineyard Church ten days later. At the same time God also called Steve & Nicola to move to Berwick to work alongside Geoff and Jo. After some e-mail dialogue with the leadership at Berwick Vineyard Church, Geoff and Jo were invited to visit the church in October 2005 and then invited to become the Senior Pastors. The Bakers eventually arrived in Australia in June 2006 and took up their roles on 1st July 2006. Under their leadership the church has gone through a period of regeneration and spiritual growth.

For more details on the Vineyard Movement internationally or its origins in Australia, go to our Partnerships menu and view the Vineyard Churches Australia link.