Community & Business
19 November, 2024
Hope Gathering brings unity in the community
FROM tag-team preaching, to cooking a hangi and live music, the Hope Gathering at Arnold Park is known for its energy and fun, and this Saturday’s celebration will be no exception.
Six churches, united as Churches Together, will be celebrating all things community at the Arnold Park event, which begins at 5.30pm.
Royals Church pastor Jeff Xhafler said the November 25 gathering will feature a free sausage sizzle and tea and coffee, live music from Walkman Country Music Club and church bands, and guest speakers.
“We started out with three churches, then four and now six, but we may get to seven, hopefully,” he said. “The amazing part about it is we all get on,” he added with a laugh.
The churches include Royals, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Abundant Life, Community, and Community of Faith (formerly Uniting). The gatherings, which are held four times a year, attract people from all over Mareeba, and draw about 250 to 480 people.
“We’re letting everyone know that churches in Mareeba are walking together,” Pastor Jeff said.
The event was also “very multicultural” and included Indigenous, Italian, Albanian, Torres Strait Islander, and other “Aussies”, enjoying the evening.
“It’s a good mix,” he said.
“We even held a hangi [a Maori traditional earth oven] one year for all the seasonal workers.”
Guest speakers at past events have included the Mayor, the Police, and yes there has been tag-team preaching.
“Four of us were given 3-5 minutes each and the message just flowed from one to another,” Pastor Jeff said.
“We are not just about our own four walls,” Pastor Jeff said. “We are active in the community, we provide food parcels, provide service in the hospital and prison, help with marriage, suicide ... we are out there to help.”
