A teenage encounter with Christ at a Christian retreat set Philip Ryall on a path that would eventually lead to one of Sydney’s biggest ecumenical events in recent years.
Thousands of Christians from across denominations are expected to gather at the Sydney Opera House on 14 June for OneSydney: Together in Christ, a major worship event bringing together Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and non-denominational Christians.
But for Ryall, its event director, the vision for it began long before the Opera House stage.
As a teenager, he said he became unsettled by the divisions between Christians despite their shared belief in Christ.
“I recognised there might be a bit of a scandal going on here with division,” Ryall said.
“And what can we do about it? How can we begin to become bridge builders between the body of Christ, so that unity wasn’t just a duty, but it became a beauty – something to behold, something that we all want.”
That idea of unity as something attractive and life-giving now sits at the centre of OneSydney.
Presented by the Dear Unity Movement and the Christian Alliance Council, the concert will feature Christian artists and speakers including Matt Maher, Dami Im, Bella Taylor Smith and Fr Rob Galea, alongside choirs and representatives from dozens of churches, ministries and Christian organisations.
“The whole of Sydney’s talking about this event, everyone wants to be a part of it,” he said.
“It’s about Christians coming together publicly and saying we belong to Jesus,” he said.
“We might come from different traditions, but we share Christ.”
Ryall says younger believers in particular are tired of division and are looking instead for visible expressions of unity and collaboration.
“They want to see Christians genuinely loving one another rather than competing with each other.”
The event comes amid growing ecumenical collaboration across Sydney through prayer gatherings, worship nights and evangelisation initiatives.
While Ryall acknowledged theological differences remain between denominations, he said unity doesn’t mean pretending those differences do not exist.
“No one’s pretending we all believe exactly the same thing,” he said.
“But we can still recognise one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.”
For Ryall, becoming “bridge builders” is ultimately rooted in the Gospel.
“Jesus prayed that we would be one,” he said.
“And when Christians actually love one another publicly and visibly, people notice.”
The concert will take place almost exactly six months after the Bondi Junction massacre which shook Sydney in December 2025.
Ryall said the timing adds another layer of meaning to the gathering, with organisers hoping the event becomes a visible sign of hope, prayer and solidarity for the city.
The significance of the venue is also not lost on organisers, with one of Australia’s most recognisable landmarks becoming the setting for public worship, prayer and Christian witness at a time when churches are facing increasing secularism and declining religious affiliation.
Ryall believes visible Christian unity can itself become a form of evangelisation.
“In a world that’s fragmented and isolated, people are looking for hope and belonging,” he said.
“There’s something powerful about Christians standing together.”
While there are still “pockets that struggle with unity, generally speaking, people are recognising there’s something beautiful about Christians coming together.”
Ryall said organisers are planning to film the concert and produce a documentary in partnership with Shalom Media, with the hope of inspiring similar unity initiatives in cities around the world.
Discussions are underway for a possible ‘OneDallas event in the United States, part of an “eight-city, eight-year journey” that will hopefully lead towards a gathering in Jerusalem.
It’s a big vision, but Ryall believes Christians shouldn’t be afraid to speak up about what God may be calling them towards.
“You’ve got to speak things out in faith, and say this is what I believe God is doing.”
Tickets at www.onesydney.org or www.sydneyoperahouse.com
