I love being part of C3 Wahroonga – it is a wonderful church with friendly and generous members. Recently, we’ve had the privilege of working together to show the love of Christ to some local groups. Here are just a few of these stories.
The Hornsby Women’s Shelter is run by committed staff and volunteers who support families through a time of crisis. We wanted to show our support, so we reached out to the Manager. She highlighted something we could do – they needed a dining table and chairs for the families to enjoy. With one request made to the C3 Wahroonga congregation, we were able to purchase a wonderful dining setting. Reports from the staff have been the table has been a great help to the staff and families – it’s a small thing we could do with a big impact, allowing families to enjoy meals together.
St Lucy’s is a brilliant school in Wahroonga for children with disabilities, just around the corner from Church. The dedicated teachers work closely with parents to meet the individual needs of each young person in their care. The whole school community was heartbroken late 2016, when a much loved child passed away. We wanted to show the love of Christ and somehow bring some comfort.
We thought maybe we could buy Christmas gifts for the kids, a small gesture but hopefully one that would show the love of Christ. So, we got in contact with the school and received a list of all the children with different gift suggestions for each child. So 135 different gifts!
I was blown away to see C3 Wahroonga members come together to donate funds, hit the shops, then sort, wrap and deliver all the items.
It ended up that we were probably more blessed than the kids – the way God anointed our efforts was so encouraging. As we worked through the list, we found all the gifts we needed.
We wanted every child to love their gift, but it was difficult knowing exactly what would suit each little one and their different needs. One little boy with special needs had requested a ‘Solar System puzzle’. We weren’t sure which one to buy. We looked around the local shops and asked a shop assistant if they had any ‘Solar System puzzles’.
She looked surprised and asked “Is that for ‘Joey’? I’m his babysitter!”
God had led us to Joey’s babysitter, who would know exactly which puzzle to buy for him.
The best news was to hear the St Lucy’s parents couldn’t believe how PERFECT each gift was for their child!
Since then, we’ve built a special relationship with St Lucy’s and wanted to do something special again last Christmas. Supporting the students is the goal of everyone at St Lucy’s. But it’s not just the students who need support – staff are also mindful of the parents, and the unique pressures they face in raising children with special needs.
Parents from St Lucy’s are now able to attend Men’s and Women’s support groups, where guest speakers discuss issues relevant to their particular situation. Parents not only come away with new information, but the friendships that develop give them renewed strength and encouragement. C3 Wahroonga has donated funds to cover the cost of these parent sessions, to ensure they are available throughout the year.
There are many more stories like this at C3 Wahroonga – times where people have reached out to each other and the community to show the love of Christ. It is uplifting and encouraging to worship God here and be part of something very special.
Catherine Cambridge
