JourneyOnline
By Andrew McKaysmith, Synod Writer and Content Creator
Australia is home to a wonderfully diverse society, and finding a community that embraces this diversity is always refreshing. That’s what you’ll discover at the Logan Central Multicultural Uniting Church. Church elder and worship leader Judy Hunter offered insights into what makes this church unique and why they are committed to serving their community.
The church Pastor, Levon Kardashian, had some lovely things to say about Judy. He described her as someone who is dedicated to service, which is something that the church is all about. “Judy and her husband James do almost everything in the church,” said Pastor Kardashian. “Whatever is happening in the church, they are there. If they’re not leading something there, they are cleaning and helping afterwards.”
When Pastor Kardashian’s comments were shared with Judy, she chuckled warmly and said that the church comprises a mix of people of all ages, from families with young kids to older retirees. This mix of people gives the church a unique character, where everyone is committed to supporting each other like one big family; there’s room for many more. “We have a diverse group of varying ages, including families and retirees, but we have fewer members in the 30-60 age bracket,” she said.
The church is spreading the gospel’s message and fulfilling its mission, and Judfy outlined the work they’re doing to meet the community’s immediate needs. “Every week, we organise a food distribution program called ‘Five Two on Bardon,’ named after the Biblical tale of the five loaves and two fish,” said Judy. To make this work, the church partners with an organisation called “Hands and Feet”, which donates a literal truckload of food, giving people in the community who are struggling access to fresh food and providing them with an opportunity to have uplifting conversations over a meal. This program has helped bring the community together and even attracted families from local schools and people passing by intrigued by the welcoming signs they put up.
As well as all the work they’re currently doing in the community, the church has plans to open a coffee shop that would help them connect with more people regularly. “We’d love to set up a cafe to strengthen our community connections,” she said. “We’ve applied for a grant to give us a helping hand.” They’ve also discussed the possibility of opening a special kind of childcare centre specifically tailored to the needs of the multicultural community. “These projects would require a lot of money, but we are committed to creating a welcoming space for people from all walks of life.”
The church hopes to offer various programs and even bring experts in professional fields to help people through tough times. “We have been considering the development of a community hub that would provide specialist counselling services and other similar programs,” said Judy. “There would also be opportunities for groups to utilise the space to run their programs. However, at this stage, these are just plans and aspirations for the future.” Judy believes the most important thing is to try to bring the church and the wider community closer together. “I’ve been reflecting on this quite a bit, and I’m still unsure about the best approach,” she said. “However, I believe we need to reach out to the community more and connect with people where they are, to give them hope for the future.”
Read the companion article featuring Levon Kardashian, Pastor at Logan Central Multicultural Church, here.
