How have things changed for you since lockdown started in July (and church went back to online)?

Life has been a rollercoaster, I had to postpone my wedding … again. I had to adapt to changing working circumstances and moved into 2 different homes. Got to experience living by myself which was really cool, except for having to pay for everything myself :’) I started exercising much more regularly and trying to live a healthy lifestyle, which was also a big lifestyle change 😮

How are you feeling about all the uncertainty? What are you most worried about?

At the beginning of lockdown it was really tough, my mind was all over the place because we had no idea how we were going to move forward with the wedding. I think it’s been really difficult dealing with uncertainty, and trying to figure out what to with 2nd time postponed wedding in the midst of a pandemic.

How has God been encouraging you?

Before lockdown, I was really starting to think about my role as a woman at church. It really challenged me to think about my role as a youth leader, leading the next set of female youth. Not only have I been encouraged to grow deeper in my knowledge of the Bible, but I also want to be able to empower younger girls to grow in their knowledge of And love for God. I’ve been encouraged to meet up and form deeper relationships with younger girls to guide them in their walk with God.

How could our church be caring for you? Eg. Prayer, someone to chat with, financial help, groceries, a zoom dinner date, someone to play games with…

I would appreciate it if you all kept me in your prayers; in regards to uncertainty of Covid and my wedding, but also calling/messages to just chat and catch up would be really nice too 🙂

Any other comments?

Can’t wait to see and meet with you all again!

How have things changed for you since lockdown started in July (and church went back to online)?

The thing I miss the most about in-person church is having fellowship with people afterwards and during dinner.

How are you feeling about all the uncertainty? What are you most worried about?

I know that God is still in control despite the numbers constantly growing.

Even so, I’m still worried about how contagious the virus is because I constantly go for my physiotherapy and hydrotherapy sessions.

What are you looking forward to once restrictions ease?

I’m looking forward to seeing people again, Korean barbecue and hotpot.

How has God been encouraging you?

I’ve been encouraged by my growth group. Especially in seeing their constant devotion in coming each week to learn and be challenged.

How could our church be caring for you? Eg. Prayer, someone to chat with, financial help, groceries, a zoom dinner date, someone to play games with…

Please pray that I don’t get covid as I travel to and from my therapy sessions. Also, pray that I continue to get stronger as I recover.

Any other comments?

For everyone that had and have been praying for me before my operation and my recovery, I thank God for you all!

How have things changed for you since lockdown started in July (and church went back to online)?

In some ways, not much as I was already mainly working from home and looking after Skylar is much the same routine. In other ways, not being able to see family, friends, church members and colleagues has definitely taken a toll after the initial lockdown positivity wore off. That being said, it’s been wonderful having more quality time with Ben and Skylar and finding the little joys in our mundane day to day.

How are you feeling about all the uncertainty? What are you most worried about?

Cautiously optimistic. It’s good to have an end date to look forward to. I’m concerned about children who can’t get vaccinated yet but wouldn’t say I’m worried. Being in lockdown is a great reminder that as Christians we need to persevere and run the race to gain the victor’s crown…and eternal life in heaven won’t have any uncertainties!

How has God been encouraging you?

I’ve been encouraged by what we are learning in Discipleship Training – being assured of my salvation by faith, not works. God has also encouraged me to seek beauty in His creation and to be “busy doing nothing” aka slow down and rest in His goodness.

How could our church be caring for you? Eg. Prayer, someone to chat with, financial help, groceries, a zoom dinner date, someone to play games with…

Prayer is always appreciated 🙂 Prefer to see people face to face…not long to go!

What are you looking forward to once restrictions ease?

Seeing people face to face and eating out!

How have things changed for you since lockdown started in July (and church went back to online)?

I work at Liverpool Hospital, so we’ve had to take covid tests, apply for a travel permit, and wear full PPE to visit covid-positive patients.

How are you feeling about all the uncertainty? What are you most worried about?

I worry a lot about whether I’m bringing covid home to my family. I’m more stressed than usual, and work in mental health, so I’m worried about keeping my own mental health good and not burning out.

How has God been encouraging you?

Been reading Knowing God by J.I. Packer and it’s so awesome how he teaches about different aspects of God. I’ve been able to pray more, and I really enjoy preparing for our Ladies Growth Group.

What are you looking forward to once restrictions ease?

Having Christmas with extended family, showing our new dog Cassie to all the relatives and taking her to new places to exercise, seeing Eliza more

How could our church be caring for you? Eg. Prayer, someone to chat with, financial help, groceries, a zoom dinner date, someone to play games with…

Prayer for my mental health, and also for wisdom about life decisions. We’re thinking and praying about whether to move houses/and churches to somewhere closer to the water.

Any other comments?

It’s easy to stay in your own bubble, but try and stay connected… It’s awkward and I feel out of practice talking, but just zoom with someone!

How have things changed for you since lockdown started in July (and church went back to online)?

Quite a few things have changed since the lockdown began. To list a few would be Growth Groups moving to an online zoom format, Mobile Community Pantry only offering pre-packaged bags and minimal interaction, and working from home throughout the weeks.

How are you feeling about all the uncertainty? What are you most worried about?

The uncertainty is unsettling but I am comforted that this is all in God’s plan and that things will all work out in the end as He intends. I am most worried about what happens when we exit lockdown and COVID spreading rampantly throughout the community and at church. I am also dreading going back to work in person and travelling 4 hours a day again.

What are you looking forward to once restrictions ease?

I am most looking forward to being able to meeting up with friends again, as well as enjoying a meal after church service at Cabra.

How has God been encouraging you?

God has continued to encourage me in this pandemic by being a constant reminder that no matter how bad things are in the world, He is always in control. I have also been reading through Joshua and I am encouraged how patient God is, His consistency and how He always keeps his promises.

How could our church be caring for you? Eg. Prayer, someone to chat with, financial help, groceries, a zoom dinner date, someone to play games with…

Prayer for the MCP team and I that we can remember that all the people that come for food, are a God given opportunities that we can share the Gospel with. Prayer that we can continue to share lives with them despite the minimal interaction we currently have and for courage as well as strength in sharing the word with them.

How have things changed for you since lockdown started in July (and church went back to online)?

More time to focus on uni, health, family, reading the bible more by myself. But also sleeping in more (a lot), I attend church online with my family, we watch the Jesus Family Centre live stream (sometimes I miss the stream because I slept in).

How are you feeling about all the uncertainty? What are you most worried about?

That lockdown is going to go for longer.

What are you looking forward to once restrictions ease?

Meeting up with friends and the whole social aspect, and going to the beach.

How has God been encouraging you?

By having other Christians checking up on me it’s really encouraging just seeing how God is looking out for me.

How could our church be caring for you? Eg. Prayer, someone to chat with, financial help, groceries, a zoom dinner date, someone to play games with…

Prayer for my family in Vietnam, they’ve been heavily impacted by covid as well as other family stuff, just a really tough time in general. Thank you!

Any other comments?

I hope you guys are doing well too 🙂

Tell us a little about yourself, for people who may not know you.

I am a first-year uni student studying primary education at Western Sydney University. During the week, I am usually studying, reading, meeting up with friends from church, and trying to keep myself busy in various ways. I have a few hobbies – basketball, video games and reading.

How did you find out about CAC?

I started coming to CAC around mid-2017 for ACCESS youth group and decided to start attending church around late 2017. This decision was influenced by my friend David Ada, who invited me to youth group and kept working on me and trying to get me to know more about God. This eventually led me to start attending church as I found interest in Christianity.

How did you become a Christian?

Becoming a Christian was a slow process as I was always sceptical about religion. At the same time, I was curious about it because I believed there was a higher being. However, my friend David convinced me to come to church and learn more about Christianity and God.

As I continued to attend church I found myself learning more and becoming interested in the stories of the Bible, Christianity and God. As I learned more I found myself in awe about God and the things he has done for us. This led me to eventually put my trust in God, which is where I am now!

What do you see as the biggest change in yourself since becoming a Christian?

My biggest changes after becoming a Christian are maturity and awareness. Maturity in the fact that as I began to learn more and more about the Bible it’s not just trusting in God but the fact that we have to genuinely repent and try to better ourselves. After becoming Christian and learning more, I’ve started becoming more self-aware of the flaws and sinful tendencies I have.

What’s one piece of encouragement you would like to share with fellow Christians?

One encouragement I would like to share with my fellow brothers and sister is the importance of prayer. Prayer is one of those things that people tend to shake off or neglect. However, prayers is one of the ways we can communicate and build on our relationship with God. It allows us to grow spiritually and it has had a huge impact on my life as a Christian. It gives the opportunity for reflect and admire God and the grace he has given us. Overall prayer has a huge impact and allows us to grow, making it something that is important to keep persevering in.

First off, what have been up to since social distancing started?

Since I’m still a student, I don’t actually feel I got that much ‘extra time’ since quarantine started. Most of my time has been used to do homework, study, or get ahead of classwork. In my spare moments of free time, I like to watch TV shows, garden, and embroider!

Why did you join Growth Groups? How are you finding it?

I joined Growth Groups because I really wanted to be part of the church community. Actively taking part in fellowship and community has been something that I’ve struggled with for years, so I wanted to make an active attempt to talk to people I wouldn’t normally talk to.

I am absolutely in love with Growth Groups. Every week I learn something new about God’s Word, and the questions and discussions within the group are stimulating and exciting. Through our conversations and sharing our lives in prayer, I’ve been able to feel like I am a part of the church community for the first time in years. 

Last term, Growth Groups went through the Gospel of Mark. What’s one thing that struck you from the studies?

The one thing I remember vividly in our studies was The Parable of the Sower. I always read it in the same way, and focused largely on the seeds in the story and how that is reflected in my own life. Then Alex (my GG Leader) said something really interesting which, for some reason, I had never picked up on – the sower. Every time I read this parable I was focusing on the seeds and had no thought toward the sower, yet the sower is the most important part of the parable! It doesn’t matter what soil we think we are in or even what soil we want to be in, because at the end of the day God is sovereign over our lives. 

What are you most excited to learn about this term in the book of Hosea?

In a book where we see Israel’s continued failure, and God’s continued justice and forgiveness, I am excited most to learn more about God’s character and His relationship with His people. We’ve only read 3 chapters so far yet I am learning so much about God’s justice and authority over the world, and also the deep love and mercy He shows the world.

I’ve always thought I understood God’s relationship with His people, and that it’s like a husband and wife, yet Hosea has really broken that ‘understanding’. I am beginning to realise how little I actually know about God’s relationship with His people, and I am excited to realise more about the nature of this relationship as we progress through Hosea.

What have you been reading and reflecting on in your quiet time?

I have been reading through Hebrews at the moment, and anyone who has asked will know how in love I am with this book. I am around halfway through it and God has taught me more than I could have ever asked for. I wasn’t sure how well I’d understand Hebrews, considering it was such a theologically dense book, so I am very thankful to God that He opened my mind to understand what I was reading. This is actually one of the first times I’ve properly read a book in the New Testament, since, being the history buff I am, I always focused on the Old Testament. 

I first heard about Cabramatta Anglican Church through my younger brother, who frequently played badminton there on a weekly basis with a good friend, who happened to be a devout churchgoer at the same church. My thoughtful younger brother introduced me to his friend, in the hopes that I could gain some more understanding and Christian support with locating a church where I could feel strongly connected to God. His friend kindly invited me to the Christmas service and even offered to drive me there, as I was unfamiliar with the Cabramatta area. 

When I first entered the church, I was struck by how simple and casual the environment was. People happily welcomed me, patiently chatted and informed me about the church and the day’s events, and the best part of this lovely day, was how I was not expected to know what to do, and that I did not have to immediately commit to joining the church. There have been some churches in the past where I always felt condemned and judged for not being part of their original community, as if “outsiders” were unwanted.

Contrary to those past experiences, I was excited; buzzing with what was possibly a sense of religious exhilaration. I was invited to attend the following week and quite eagerly accepted, thoroughly enjoying the lovely music and the biblical knowledge and understanding I had gained from just a single service. One of the other churchgoers gave me their number, so that I could have someone to answer any queries I had with attending the church. 

Each service allowed some degree of comfort and growth to occur, whilst also increasing my awareness about some of my more selfish lifestyle choices and other obstacles that encountered, and still encounter on my journey to improving myself. Yet, I felt that as a Christian that had been raised in a Buddhist household, there were many crucial Christian milestones I had missed, which had left me feeling inadequate in my pursuit to understanding the Bible, and how to worship God. And to answer this insecurity of mine, the pastors of the church announced a starters group for biblical study, Christianity Explained (CE). 

I could not help but be thoroughly relieved and amused, thinking, “Well, that was a quick reply from God. Ask and you shall receive, right?” 

Joining CE was a great educational experience. The organiser and pastor running this program did not shy away from any questions, even when we asked the most controversial of questions, such as; “If God can do everything and is so powerful, why did He elect to only save some of us? Doesn’t this mean He is just willfully condemning others?” And the group I was a part of, I thank them for having such inquisitive minds, for asking those difficult questions which are often answered so vaguely with “It was God’s will, accept it.”

The content we covered in CE was simple to understand, but could be arguably stated to be as equally difficult to accept. Freely having faith in something so intangible and without visual proof often makes believing the hardest thing to do, especially when you are honestly explained that to be Christian is to have many rewards, but to also suffer as well. I do not believe that I am alone in thinking that a stress-free life is desirable, nobody likes to suffer after all, and sometimes, it is so much easier to avoid confronting issues, to not even consider the trickier choices with obstacles, to just pick that nicer, wider, and smoother path. 

And this is where the self- reflection and self- awareness that you develop with each session, can forcibly pull you out of your ignorant mindset. It’s also through analysing the Bible, God’s actions, His intentions, that I found some measure of comfort and reassurance. I still have plenty of doubts. I am still ignorant to many things, but I also acknowledge that I am a work- in- progress, and I feel that even though I will trip and fall a lot, I am still moving forward, towards God, with each session and church service I attend.

I feel welcome, and well- connected with God at Cabramatta Anglican Church. I am always learning something new, or viewing previously studied passages with a different perspective. The community here is so lovely, relatable, and willing to reach out to those that want to belong to a Christian family. And unless these conditions change at any point during my stay, I would like to remain securely in acceptance at my new home church, Cabramatta Anglican Church.