Garry Cowley is a pastor at the Werribee Church of Christ. He speaks with Jaidyn Kennedy.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
I have been a Church of Christ pastor for over 25 years and l have been at the Werribee Church of Christ since 2015. Before l became a pastor, l was a chef by trade. I have an amazing wife Cynthia of whom l met in the Philippines, and this year we celebrated 31 years of marriage. Being a pastor is not a 9am-5pm job per se, but it is a calling. I really enjoy doing what l do and am passionate about being a local pastor.
What’s your connection to Wyndham?
We are originally from Western Australia before we were approached to come to Werribee. As a church we are community-focused. We run a foodbank, conduct let’s talk English conversational classes for migrants on Saturday mornings for people to practice their English. We do a men’s breakfast every few months. We have two Bible study groups during the week in addition to our Sunday morning worship service. We are looking at how we can be effective in ministering to our community.
What do you like about where you live?
Wyndham is a great multicultural place to live. People are friendly and the council is very community-oriented. We often thought about coming to Melbourne over the years to pastor a church and l always said l would like to be in a church that’s halfway between Melbourne and Geelong. We have the best of both worlds- a bit of country and city. Coming to Werribee is a dream come true for my wife and I. This is a wonderful place to live and be part of.
Where is your favourite place to spend time?
When l’m not in the office or on the road, I love my coffee and enjoy going to local coffee shops and catching up with people. I’m an avid reader and enjoy going to bookshops. My wife and l like to go out to different restaurants in the area and have a meal and spend time together.
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you?
I may have the title as a pastor but l am your average Aussie bloke at heart. I am a Hawthorn supporter. When the AFL season is on, l enjoy going to the MCG and cheering for my Hawks. l enjoy English history and this has been one of my great loves and passions for years. I keep myself fit. l walk for about 90 minutes in the morning and go for a bike ride for about 20 minutes in the evening.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
My wife and l enjoy living here. It’s a great place to be. However, my heart goes out to the social issues that face us as a community and how they can be solved and make this community a better place to live.
