In the 50 years since the Werribee Church of Christ was established, the world has changed substantially.
“You only need to look back 20 years ago, what worked then doesn’t necessarily work now, it’s the same in the church,” Pastor Garry Cowley said.
“The message always stays the same, but how you go about it [is different].”
The church was founded by a family who initially lived in Werribee, and began hosting meetings once a month in their lounge room.
But the space eventually grew too small for the number of people attending, and since then, the place of worship has continued to grow.
“The church has been fairly actively involved in the community over the years, helping out where they can,” Mr Cowley said.
“I think it’s an integral part of the community, especially now that’s a growing area, we’ve got a lot of multicultural people in our church.
“We have Foodbank going through the church and that’s been able to help out people in need, we also have ‘Let’s Talk’ which helps out migrants with their English, we’re meeting a spiritual need, but also in a practical way, just helping people out who are battling.”
Mr Cowley believes the church gives people “foundation on which to build their lives” and provides hope, meaning, and purpose.
“I think people are searching for answers at the moment, especially with what’s going on over the last couple of years,” Mr Cowley said.
To celebrate 50 years, the church will host a service on Sunday, July 24 at 10am followed by a light lunch, and are encouraging members of the community to join them on their special occasion.
The church is located at 200 Tarneit Road, Werribee.
Details: 97416051
Fatima Halloum
