Op shops are an important church ministry

In some suburbs and towns, you might notice that there are as many op shops as there are churches. Small or large, op shops are a way that churches offer assistance to their local community.

For years through the National Church Life Survey (NCLS), we've been tracking how churches are serving and connecting with their local communities, from food and material assistance, accommodation, and chaplaincy, through to arts activities, sports, education, and community development.

In the 2026 NCLS, we'll specifically be asking whether churches have op shops, to look into this important church ministry.

Op shops are important as a connection with and service to the local community. They provide much-needed clothes and other household goods, and they help households to reduce their environmental impact through reuse.

They're also social enterprises, which provide financial support to help churches to keep their ministries growing.

This year, in the 2026 National Church Life Survey, we're interested to see how many churches run an op shop and to map how many communities are supported by them.