‘Part of who we are’: How Sunday night local church service debrief led to much more

By day, there was no sign of struggling but when they returned for an event after dark these Fraser Coast churchgoers got a reality check and rather than turn their backs, they did something about it.

A “happy accident” had a heartwarming result after church members holding an event in a vacant area got a first-hand look at the region’s housing crisis after dark.

Maryborough-based Life Church recently celebrated the six month milestone of its expansion to Hervey Bay.

While on the hunt for a temporary spot to hold services, members of the church decided to gather at Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre, every Sunday evening from 5pm.

The plan was to then share a meal out the front of the centre from 6pm, using a coffee van which had been donated.

LifeChurch Maryborough and Hervey Bay Lead Pastor Rob Simpson told the Chronicle a reality check was waiting “only metres” away.

LifeChurch Maryborough and Hervey Bay Lead Pastor Rob Simpson.

“We went and had a look during the day and found a suitable place to have a church service, so we booked it and then we turned up Sunday night in January (after the first service) and saw tents under the eaves of the building and homeless people sleeping on the picnic table out the front and in any nook and cranny around the building,” Mr Simpson said.

“We had no idea because in the middle of the day, when we went to look at (the neighbourhood centre), there was no one around.

“It just so happened we had heaps of food and so we pulled our van up outside on the footpath and offered it to (those sleeping outside) and they were very grateful and happy to join us.”

The coffee van was donated to the church by a regular Maryborough member.

Up to 30 people at any given time have started to join for a meal and Mr Simpson said relationships between church members and homeless locals were strengthening.

“We‘re getting to know some of their names, which is nice and some of them are becoming a little regular and we’re able to cater our help to their needs,” he said.

At this coffee van on Sunday night’s, homeless locals and church members unite for a meal and conversation.

Ps Simpson said the set up wasn’t in line with the sometimes hypocritical system of“feeding the homeless”.

“(It’s not) I’m wealthy, and I have good food and I feel sorry for poor people who don’t have that, so I’m going to cook a meal – the meal I probably wouldn’t eat – but I’ll put it in some plastic trays and I’ll deliver it to you so you can eat it on the footpath and I’ll walk away and leave you eating that because I don’t want to eat with you,” he said.

“How it looks like for us is, we’re having a meal and we’re inviting them to come and join … anyone who’s around is welcome to come and join us and in fact, if we see anyone, we just say: ‘hi, if you want some food, here’.