About Vine Church

Vine Church is all about Jesus. Our dream is to see more people worshiping Jesus in church on Sunday than at the Beresford Hotel next door on a Saturday night. Vine Church is an Anglican church in Surry Hills with a mission to connect people to the life, love and freedom Jesus offers.

Our
Story

The story of our church is ultimately the story of people who have experienced the life, love and freedom found in Jesus.

What We
Believe

As a church we seek to uphold the central truths of the Christian faith. For more information about what we believe see our doctrinal statement.

Explore Christianity

If you would like to find out more about Jesus in a relaxed atmosphere, we invite you to explore answers to life’s big questions. Sceptics are welcome.

Our Staff Team

We have an amazing team of godly leaders who are passionate about helping people connect to the life, love and freedom Jesus offers. They have a massive heart for God and people which resonates in everything they do.

Toby Neal

Lead Pastor
Vision & Oversight

Grant van der Merwe

Assistant Minister
Maturity & Mission

Kate Stace

Assistant Minister
Membership

Esmond (Es) Wong

Assistant Minister
Magnification

Gabby Kwon

Children's Ministry Director

Hayley Gibbins

Communications Director

Lloyd Steadson

Bread of Life Director

Kay Sunito

Facilities Director

Meg Stevens

Assistant Minister
Children's Ministry
(Maternity Leave)

Liv Chapman Leggett

Assistant Minister
Magnification
(Maternity Leave)

Lloyd Steadson

Bread of Life Director

Lloyd Steadson

Bread of Life Director

Affiliation and governance

Vine Church started in 2011 as a new Anglican church in the city helping people who wouldn’t normally go to church understand the relevance of Jesus to their lives. In August 2015 our Lead Pastor, Toby Neal, was invited to become the Lead Pastor of St Michael’s Anglican Church, the oldest church in Surry Hills. Toby accepted this position because he could see the enormous opportunities of bringing together all the people and resources of both churches under one mission to reach the city.

The financial management of Vine Church is overseen by Wardens and a Parish Council. These groups are chaired by the Lead Pastor (Toby Neal), and made up of two wardens and three parish councillors. These groups ensure the property and finances of the church are well managed and that any governance matters are dealt with in an ethical way. Members of the church are invited and should get in contact with one of the wardens if they would like to discuss any matters pertaining to the governance of the church.

The spiritual leadership of Vine Church is conducted by three groups: staff, ministry team leaders and community group leaders. Both these groups meet regularly during the year to plan how we will achieve our mission and care for those in our church. These groups are a mix of men and women who love Jesus and committed to the vision of Vine Church.

Work with us!

We are seeking a passionate and godly leaders to build and lead teams of people so that we might see more people in church on a Sunday worshipping Jesus, than at the Beresford Hotel on a Saturday night.

If you love Jesus and want to join us in connecting more people to the life, love and freedom Jesus offers, please check out our current opportunities. 

Ordinary people, 
with an extra-ordinary God.

Meet some of the people at Vine Church and hear their stories. 

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Toby Neal

Toby’s journey to becoming Lead Pastor at Vine Church started more than 15 years ago when he took off to surf the reef breaks off Samoa with his brother. Worried for his safety, his dad asked to him, “Why are you risking your life surfing when you could be risking it telling people about Jesus?”

The lure of the waves proved too strong and Toby still went to Samoa, but he came back with a desire to travel throughout the Middle East sharing the hope and freedom that only Jesus brings.

He may not be risking his life talking about Jesus in Surry Hills, but Toby does think most people in our city are too distracted to give time to think through the claims of Jesus, and believes someone needs to help ‘undistractify’ them in order to save theirs.

Toby originally studied accounting and finance (B Com (Acc), B App Fin) and worked in the industry for a couple of years before moving into church work. He has worked for St Philip’s York Street, St Andrew’s Cathedral and Christ Church Gladesville. In 2011 he graduated with a B Divinity (Honours 2A) at Moore Theological College and is ordained as a Presbyter in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

Toby lives in Surry Hills with his wife Liz and his three kids Maisy, Evie and Archer. He enjoys staying fit, and has competed in the Port Macquarie Ironman and Six Foot Track Marathon. These days he mostly just surfs at Bronte and Maroubra Beach.

Grant van der Merwe

Grant’s love for Jesus and journey into ministry began almost 20 years ago in his local youth ministry. After being gripped by the life changing message of the gospel, he had a passion to see others reached with the very same message and he still desires to see revival in the city of Sydney. Grant is an ordained as a Deacon in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

Before completing his Bachelor of Divinity at Moore, Grant studied Psychology and Biblical Studies at Sydney Uni. He is married to Lauren and has two wonderful daughters. In his free time you’ll find Grant drinking coffee, eating fried chicken or making pizza.

Grant loves seeing people connect to the life, love and freedom of Jesus and seeing people play their part in God’s big story.

Kate Stace

Kate came to faith as a teenager in Wahroonga when her sister and a friend took her along to the local youth group. She loves history and she became a Christian when she realised that Jesus was a real person that even historians believed in.

Kate originally studied Business at UTS but it was through the AFES group on campus that she decided to change life direction and serve God in a full time ministry role. She studied at Moore College for four years (B. Div) and served at St John’s Cathedral Parramatta, St Augustine’s Neutral Bay and then Grace City Church in Waterloo.

Kate is an all-around superstar who has worn many different hats since joining the team in 2019. Currently, she oversees Membership at Vine Church, ensuring that our community is connected and that we care for one another through effective ministry.

Kate is married to Jackson, a devoted mother and currently serves 2.5 days a week.

Esmond Wong

Esmond grew up in a family that loved Jesus and was deeply involved in church life, becoming a Christian in high school. Years spent in Sunday School and youth group underlined the simple but profound truth of the good news of Jesus and its power to transform lives.

Esmond studied Computer Engineering and worked in the industry for almost a decade before completing a Bachelor of Theology degree at Sydney Missionary & Bible College. He has served at Central Baptist Church, Wesley International Congregation (Ryde) and Chapel Hill Rozelle. 

His desire is for people’s heads and hearts to be shaped and moved by the love of God in the Gospel, and believes one of the best expressions of that is God’s people gathered together in song.

Esmond is married to Christine and has two daughters, Eliana and Carissa. You’ll find him enjoying a cup of coffee or possibly on a lap of the Bay Run. 

Gabrielle Kwon

Gabby has been serving in Silicon Valley, California over the past 7 years in the United States as a children’s intern pastor, primary teacher, youth teacher, college ministry director, and young adult director! She has led children’s programs across the world from the USA, Mexico, and Brazil. She is currently studying an MDiv remotely at Gateway Seminary.

Gabby is excited to partner with the parents at Vine Church to raise kids who follow Jesus, and help our young people get to know God better while having a heap of fun!

Hayley Gibbins

Convinced Christians were killjoys and to live God’s way was burdensome, Hayley remembers praying to God to ‘un-reveal himself’ throughout her teen years. Prompted to reinvestigate the claims of Christianity in her early 20s, she came to put her trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus, to bring her life, and life to the full.

Hayley is married to Steve, an Anglican Chaplain in the Royal Australian Airforce, and together live in Newcastle with their four young children. Prior to living in Newcastle, Steve and Hayley were part of Vine Church for over 4 years. She has a Bachelor Creative Arts from Macquarie University and a Bachelor Theology from Moore Theological College.

As Communications Director Hayley helps keep our members and the community around us (both physical and digital) aware of and excited about what God is doing in and through Vine Church.

Hayley serves remotely on staff 3 days per week. 

Lloyd Steadson

Lloyd is heading up Bread of Life. This ministry offers food and the gospel to men and women doing it tough every Sunday morning – rain, hail or shine. 

Lloyd is married to Shella and father to Reggie.  He has experience as an outdoor educator, environmental scientist, photographer, disability and community support worker and pastoral ministry.

Lloyd works 1 day per week.

Kay Sunito

Kay is our facilities manager. Please contact her for more information about Venue Hire or Weddings at Vine Church. 

Megan Stevens

Meg is the eldest of 4 and a Pastor’s kid who grew up in various spots around Sydney and Wollongong, and can’t remember a day where she hasn’t known Christ as her King. She’s been serving in kids ministry and helping little ones to see the joy of knowing Jesus now for close to 20 years!

Meg studied Primary Education and then worked as both a classroom teacher, and teaching specialist music for a number of years before deciding to pursue an MTS apprenticeship in 2018, and then take on full time ministry. She has studied at both Moore Theological College and Sydney Missionary Bible College in working towards her Bachelor of Theology. 

Her passion is to see kids on fire for Jesus and joyfully telling their friends the good news of the gospel. She loves partnering with parents so that they can be well equipped as the primary disciple makers of their children.

Meg is married to Josh, and they have just welcomed their first little girl, Dylan Rae, into the world this year. In her free time, you’ll find her in coffee shops with friends, going hard at the gym, or making fun things with essential oils!

Meg is currently on Maternity Leave. 

Olivia Chapman Leggett

Liv had the privilege and joy of growing up in a Christian family where she came to follow Jesus for herself as a teenager. She calls Sydney home but lived in Oxford for six years where she was part of the Emu Music team, training and resourcing church musicians and leaders. 

Alongside her role at Emu Music, she worked for St Ebbe’s Church and completed the Diploma of Biblical Theology through Moore Theological College. She met and married Jonty in England and together they moved back to Sydney in 2021 for Liv to continue her work with Emu Music and for Jonty to study at Moore Theological College

Liv has a fondness for tea, reading, cryptic crossword and ripe avocados, and you’ll find her enjoying one of these things in her free time! 

Liv is currently on Maternity Leave. 

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