Rooted in the Everyday: Building Trust, One Conversation At A Time!
- Kayli Liebenberg
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
A year into his role at Discovery Bay Anglican Church, Reverend Drew Courtright is less interested in milestones than in building trust – one conversation, one coffee, one ferry ride at a time
A year into his role at Discovery Bay Anglican Church, Reverend Drew Courtright is less interested in milestones than in building trust – one conversation, one coffee, one ferry ride at a time
On a weekday morning in Discovery Bay, Reverend Drew Courtright might be walking his three daughters to school, grabbing a coffee in DB North Plaza, or heading to the ferry for a day at St John’s Cathedral in Central. Like many residents, his life unfolds between playgrounds and timetables, school pick-ups and commutes. The difference is that, for Drew, those everyday interactions are also the foundation of his work.
Drew arrived in DB in early 2025 to take up the role of Priest-in-Charge at Discovery Bay Anglican Church. His first service was Epiphany Sunday, January 5 – a fitting date, perhaps, for someone stepping into a new chapter. Now, a year on, he reflects on what it means to lead a small but growing congregation in a place defined as much by community life as it is by geography.
“DB stood out as a perfect fit,” Drew opens. “When I saw the job posting in March 2024, it wasn’t just the role that caught my attention, I thought, this looks like a great place to live – especially with kids.”
He and his wife arrived with their three daughters, now aged nine, seven and four, who quickly settled into Discovery Montessori Academy in the North Plaza. “All three are at the same school, just different age groupings. Same drop-off, same pick-up,” he says, clearly appreciating the logistical win. “It’s a small school, a good fit for them, and they’re happy. And my wife’s happy,” he adds with a laugh. “Happy wife, happy life.”
For Drew, family life isn’t something that runs parallel to his role – it’s part of how he understands community. “Hong Kong feels very safe, very clean. There’s a lot of support in DB and we’re grateful to be raising our kids here at this stage of our lives,” he says.
Originally from the US, Drew was born in Greensboro, North Carolina and spent much of his ministry career on the East Coast. Before moving to Hong Kong, he served as the Associate Rector at St Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Bedford, New York, where he worked through the challenges of Covid, helped grow youth and children’s programmes, and also served as a prison chaplain. Earlier still, he trained as a Curate in New Hampshire, attended seminary in Sewanee, Tennessee and did his undergraduate at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, an experience that broadened his sense of what life – and work – could look like beyond familiar borders.
“My wife travelled a lot growing up, and I spent four years in the UK for university,” he says. “So we were open to living abroad if the right opportunity came along. We didn’t want to force it – but when Hong Kong came up, it just felt right.”
The role itself is split between DB and Central. While Drew’s primary responsibility is the DB congregation, he is also part of the clergy team at St John’s Cathedral, one of Hong Kong’s most historic religious institutions. The cathedral runs multiple services across several languages each weekend and hosts a range of outreach programmes, including counselling services and long-standing support for migrant workers.
“That balance really appealed to me,” Drew explains. “In DB, it’s very parish-based – I’m out in the community, meeting people, becoming par t of ever yday life. At the cathedral, there’s histor y, resources, colleagues and a lot of social outreach.”
Discovery Bay Anglican Church itself was founded in 1983 and became a daughter church of the cathedral a decade later. “It’s young but not brand new,” Drew says. “It’s seen different seasons of Hong Kong life and a few different pastors. Right now, it feels like a healthy, happy season.”
When Drew arrived, average Sunday attendance hovered around 60. Over the past year, that number has grown steadily, with recent averages just under 100, and 240 attending the church's 2025 Christmas Eve Nativity Pageant and Christingle service. But numbers aren’t what he leads with when talking about success.
“The most important thing in the first year was building trust,” he says. “Getting to know everybody, learning about the church and the wider community, and making small changes that seemed easy and necessary and worthwhile.”
Some of those changes are personal: the bible studies class Drew runs on Wednesdays at his home, the stickers and badges he’s had made with the church’s logo for children’s backpacks. Others are more practical: a refreshed website, a modest Instagram presence, an advertisement in Around DB, and a brand-new banner outside S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School, where the church meets every Sunday at 10am.
“People need to know we’re here,” Drew says, “but they also need to know we’re not trying to sell them something. The truth is people don’t often look for spiritual help until they know they need it. My role is to be friendly and connected… but not overly pushy, because if you push church, people push it back.”
Sunday services, Drew explains, are intentionally straightforward. The gathering lasts an hour. Children begin the service with their families before heading off to age-grouped ‘Discoverer’s classes’ run by parent volunteers. “I think less is more,” he says. “People are busy. I like to offer something grounding and meaningful, and then let them get on with their day.”
Beyond Sundays, Drew spends much of his time meeting people one-on-one for coffees, lunches, walks, and conversations that may or may not circle back to faith. He stresses that his role isn’t limited to church members. “Living in a community like this, you get to meet people from everywhere: different backgrounds, different beliefs, different stories. It’s not about them coming to church or not; it's about providing some care and a listening ear. So readers can reach out to me. We have a website; I've got an email address – dcourtright@stjohnscathedral.org.hk – I’d love to meet up and listen and talk.”
That approach seems to resonate with the community. The DB congregation includes families, single professionals, retirees, domestic workers, and residents whose first languages range far beyond English. Roughly 15 percent of attendees are Chinese, with both Mandarin and Cantonese speakers represented, alongside expats from more than a dozen linguistic backgrounds.
“What brings people together here isn’t hobbies or social circles,” Drew reflects. “It’s something deeper. And that can be quite powerful in a transient city. Church can hold a community together and provide a home-away-from home.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Drew isn’t planning dramatic reinvention. “More of the same, but deeper,” he says. “Helping people get to know each other and experience community together, supporting children and youth programmes, expanding the choir, and focusing on my school chaplain role at S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School.
“We like to have fun, we like to laugh,” Drew finishes. “This year, we had a Blessing of the Backpacks service when back-to-school time came around, and a Blessing of the Costumes just before Halloween. I’d like to say that I take God seriously, but I don’t take myself or church too seriously. You know, we want reverence and appropriateness, but I’m not fussy, and if kids are making a little noise in the congregation, it’s great. It’s a sign of life.”
