Simon Manchester: How Grandparenthood Changed Me

You know Simon Manchester because you have listened to him for decades.

Key Takeaways:

The former minister at St Thomas’ North Sydney, Simon Manchester’s sermons have played every Sunday morning for years on Hope 1032.

But there are still things about Simon which you might not know from ‘Christian Growth with Simon Manchester‘.

On a recent episode of ‘GrandParenthood‘, Simon shared about life as a grandparent, as well as one of the most significant lessons he learned in ministry.

Speaking with Ben McEachen (Hope Mornings) and National Grandparent Movement’s Ian Barnett, Simon also championed the role of older people.

Developing a grasp of divine grace can reshape life perspectives and relationships within family dynamics.

The endless learning curve of grandparenting

For Simon, stepping into the world of grandparenting has been a journey that’s not necessarily intuitive and has had to be individually tailored to each grandchild.

“Grandparenting for me has been completely new,” Simon told ‘GrandParenthood’.

“It’s really sort of learning how to do it.”

Ian agreed with Simon that, even with years of ministry and parenting experience, grandparenting is another kettle of fish.

“You just keep learning as you progress, and you make mistakes,” Ian said.

Humbly, Simon and Ian shared that their wisdom has grown not from having all the answers but from being willing to adapt and learn alongside younger generations.

This resonates in today’s rapidly changing world, where technology and social paradigms continually reshape familial interactions.

Ian encouraged grandparents to engage meaningfully with grandchildren, embracing any and all interactions as building blocks towards deeper, more resonant connections.

Church grandparents hold powerful influence on both faith development and community building.

The transformative power of grace in faith and family

You might be amazed to hear on this ‘GrandParenthood’ episode that, over the years, Simon Manchester changed his mind on grace.

Well, Simon changed the way he encouraged people with it.

“I was reasonably good at explaining grace to non-Christians, but not so good at explaining grace to Christians,” Simon said.

Simon admitted that initially he proclaimed grace to his church as a “challenge message”.

He gave the example of preaching on the Prodigal Son with a message of ‘have you mucked your life up? Have you run away with God’s resources?'”

This depiction of grace flowed into how Simon approached grace with his own family.

But over time, Simon shifted to spreading God’s grace as a call of “do you realise there is a heavenly Father who loves you? Do you realise he waits for you to come home?”

Such a powerful change became “a central message for [my] church family and my own family”, including grandchildren.

Listen to this episode GrandParenthood in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.

The evolving role of church grandparents in faith communities

Simon and Ian also celebrated the influence older generations can have within faith communities.

“The older man and the older woman have an absolutely amazingly important role to play,” Simon stated, bringing attention to mentorship opportunities within church communities.

Drawing on his experiences, Simon portrays grandparents as vital figures whose steadfast faith and wisdom provide a repository of learning for younger members.

Ian added that grandparents can often go unnoticed in church circles, despite being profoundly impactful through patience, prayer, and consistent presence.

Listen to this episode GrandParenthood in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.

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