A family of eight has moved from Sydney to start a new church in Caroline Springs.
Pastors Craig and Melissa Maher are keen to foster their Christian faith in the area by starting Sunday morning services at WestWaters Hotel and Entertainment Complex.
The couple and their six daughters, aged seven to 17, packed their bags and left their Penrith home last month to set up InChurch Melbourne and will host their first service later this month.
The family hopes to build its own church and accompanying school in coming years. The Mahers also plan to start a youth group and children’s program.
“I’m not interested in building a church that’s just used on Sundays; anything we build we want to build for the community that’s going to be used seven days a week,” Mr Maher said.
“I’ve coined the phrase that ‘the church that isn’t relevant to its community, that isn’t looking for ways to practically help and support, ceases to have relevance’. I think church should be about making a difference.”
The Mahers met through their mission work with the church and married 19 years ago.
Mr Maher has travelled the world providing disaster relief and in 2009 led a team of chaplains to help survivors of the Black Saturday bushfires.
Mrs Maher, a nurse, worked in palliative care for many years and now has a strong desire to help strengthen marriages and families, especially first-time parents.
“The great thing about a local church is you’ve got a mixture of celebration – at the birth of children, and marriage – and are able to be with people during the tough times,” Mr Maher said.
The Mahers will host their first church service on Sunday, October 26, at 9.30am and will run Sunday morning mass each week.
