Welcome to 344 Darling Street, Balmain: Is this your new ministry opportunity?

344 Darling Street Balmain is a beautiful old building in the absolute heart of the Balmain shopping and café strip. It is owned by the Uniting Church and was restored and re-modelled in 1994 to create the lovely spaces we now enjoy.

About Balmain Uniting Church

Balmain Uniting Church Congregation have been meeting at this address for approximately 40 years.  The congregation is small, lively and focused on community – local, regional and global. The congregation has been welcoming and working with refugees for many years, and provides ‘safe sanctuary’ for LGBTQ families. Community connection is important, and partnership with the likeminded tenants has been paramount to the success of each of us. The combination of church, café and tenant activities provides a friendly community meeting place for the locals, visitors and users of the building.

A sustainable life

The aim of those at 344 is to grow and encourage sustainable and environmentally friendly business practices – by the congregants and tenants.  Using ‘green’ cleaning agents, and compostable ‘takeaway’ and catering products, using copy recycled paper, sorting recycling into correct bins etc.  This is a commitment made by all tenants who cooperate in good faith to make it work in practice.

Our philosophy is captured in these words: ‘we are stewards of God’s Earth, we are to look after it and each other.’ If you feel that your work and life philosophy fits in with the above, please read on to find out more details about the space and its users.

Front of building

• Leafy decked courtyard enjoying dappled sunlight and a raised position above Darling Street. This is a wonderful meeting place and is a big attraction to the address
• Veranda with more seating and window access to café kitchen

Ground floor

• Peaceful chapel for worship
• Vestry and storage for church materials
• Bathroom with 3 unisex toilets and shared basins (one of them an accessible toilet)
• Rear entrance from lane behind with 3 parking spaces – with room for a commercial bin, and disabled access from the laneway into the building
• Functional commercial kitchen and serving counter
• Café area and tables

First floor

• Church office for the Minister
• A church meeting room and storage space
• Office leased by Global Conduct – the little shop of fair trade

Mezzanine

• A ‘temporary art space’ currently used by an artist in residence. 
• Space for extra seating for church and or/events.
• Storeroom

Writers’ Loft –an attic space leased by 2 freelance writers

What’s On at 344 Darling Street

Weekly activities:

• Church meets in the chapel on Sunday at 9.30am and has morning tea afterwards in the café space or out in the courtyard.
• The minister generally is at the space each week to be a support and contact for those in need of friendship and counsel.  He or she uses the café space for community connection and would be a regular customer and uses the space for wider church connections – hosting meetings, events etc.

Monthly activities:

• Church plans to meet of a Sunday evening at 5.30pm once a month.
• The Jazz Salon held in the chapel and café space on the third Thursday of the month.  It is a busy and vibrant evening and, in the past, has had catering provided by the café.
• Meditation group – Monday evening each week
• Global Conduct – holds a 2 day fair trade market once a month.  The café space lends itself to good access and exposure to this regular market.   A good relationship has been important between tenants and the market activity has worked well for the café also. The market held on the 4^th Friday and Saturday of every month.
• Agency co-housing and community hold a monthly dinner in the café space on the 3^rd Friday of each month. They bring all their own food, plates and utensils.

Other uses

At times there are enquiries about using or hiring the space.  Any enquiries do need to be considered by the church council and any use is to be for the benefit of community – local and globally.  

Could this be your next ministry opportunity?

We would love to hear from you if you think your business could thrive in our community. 344 is much more than a building and the café is a vital part of our eco-system. The personalities of its staff, the food they prepare and the welcome they provide are integral to the health of the business and community.

Send Expressions of Interest to Gai Berry at Balmain Uniting Church via email.