Hidden down a long driveway, you may have driven past this beautiful church many times without realising it. So, we wanted to introduce you to our neighbours, just 200 metres from Riverlife!

 

When you walk into C3 Church Centenary, one of the first things you’re struck by is the fact it’s surrounded by the business district. Literally. On all sides.

 

As you sit on the back deck, you can smell the coffee and raisin toast from the café next door, or the saw dust from the factory bedside it. Or the hops from the small brewery just a few doors down.

 

The church building itself used to be a badge-making factory before it was converted into a church in 2016.

 

What a constantly reminder that the Church is placed to impact the world, not hide away from it!

 

Ruth and Jason have been the senior pastors at C3 Centenary since 2021. They were both doing PHDs in different areas – Ruth in prostate cancer research and Jason in organisational psychology – before feeling called into ministry.

 

“I think you’d say we are a friendly, fun, cheeky church. We love God and try not to take ourselves too seriously,” Ruth shares with a cheeky grin. “We have lots of families and kids here – after our services, we have kids running like crazy on the back deck. One of our lovely older ladies has just started bringing fruit and she feeds the kids all their favourite fruits every Sunday,” she says.

 

“We love the fact we’re surrounded by businesses and the local community. Every one of these businesses represents people with stories,” Ruth says.

 

Riverlife and C3 are part of a network of churches in the area who meet monthly. “We sometimes look to do things together, but each church has its own flavour, which is great. And we celebrate each other’s differences. We try to connect and not all fill the same need, but to see where each church can support one another,” Ruth says.

 

During Christmas last year, Ruth shares a story of how God brought together the whole community to help families in need.

 

“Like lots of church, we find out about community needs through the school chaplains. We didn’t have many resources as a church to help with those needs, so we decided to spread the word and get community involvement, so we shared it on the Facebook community group, with the MP’s office, and to local businesses.

 

“It was amazing. We got crate loads of food. We must have done three or four collections from the MP’s office from random people in the community. We don’t even know who made donations! A local gym in Jindalee jumped on board for regular support.

 

“When that happened, it makes you feel part of the community because there are people who want to give, even if they aren’t part of a church,” Ruth says.

 

For the first time, C3 Centenary was also able to make donations to a DV shelter. “Someone in our church is in contact with the shelters. Three days after the gifts were delivered, he was in the shelter and saw some kids playing with the toys we had gifted them. He said it was like a different place,” Ruth shares.

 

“It feels like a drop in the ocean, and I know people help in these places all the time, but it felt like the Lord was with us doing it.”

 

It’s a privilege to be in the same community as C3 Centenary, loving the people and businesses around us. Let’s pray with them and for them as a church!