THE Wimmera’s religious community is steady and passionate.
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Horsham is home to a number of different places of worship, while smaller towns across the Wimmera have churches that are still regularly attended.
With Christmas just around the corner, the Wimmera Mail-Times spoke to three Wimmera church leaders about the importance of faith in regional communities.
Simon Risson, Horsham Church of Christ
Horsham Church of Christ ministry team leader Simon Risson said the church experienced significant changes when it moved into its new building earlier this year.
“When we first moved, it gave people a chance to invite their friends who might have been a bit disconnected form church or who were looking for something different from their church as well,” he said.
“Last year, it was the first time that we saw more than 200 people at each Sunday service in the six weeks leading up to Christmas. Before that we were averaging about 180.
“Since moving into our new home we have been averaging 60 each week. It changes each week because people are travelling to other things. People are a lot more busy now.”
Mr Risson said people traveled from across the Wimmera to attend services.
“We have a couple of families who travel and some who have recently moved into the town from outlying areas,” he said.
“Then we have people who have never been to a church before and who are perhaps searching for something in their life. We then have people in our church family who are active in the wider community all the time, and we always try to celebrate that. It’s not just about rocking up to a service one day a week.”
Mr Risson said the church was attended by a wide cross-section of community members.
“That’s one of the things that really excites people at our church. There are those who have been around church and faith for a long time,” he said.
“We have families at our church who have been coming for four generations. Then we have families who are new to faith. Some are new to Horsham, while others have lived here their whole lives and have seen the church grow and change.”
For many, church can be a second family. Mr Risson said that was only more apparent in regional parts of the country.
“For some people there is that sense of family and community, and they don’t feel isolated. Then others will say that hasn’t been their experience, which I find very sad because I always hope that we could be that for people,” he said.
“Coming to church every Sunday morning doesn’t change your circumstances. But if you change your perspective and your mindset, then you get a new way to look at things. As a church, we really need to build relationships with people at a very personal level. People want to know that we can be trusted before we can tell the story of Jesus.”
Mr Risson said building congregation numbers was never the focus of churches.
“We can celebrate, and look at our new building and say that’s a measure of success because we’re looking after out community,” he said.
“When we’re caring for people and standing up for them – that’s the real measure of success. We know we have challenges and things we need to work on, but it’s a long and slow process of demonstrating love and care.”
The church will host a service on Sunday, December 23.
Rev. Linley Liersch, Horsham Uniting Church
Horsham Uniting Church Reverend Linley Liersch said the church hosted services in a number of Wimmera towns each Sunday.
“We have two ministers, a pastor and lay preachers that head out to Natimuk, Goroke, Minimay, Pimpinio, Dimboola, Rupanyup and Murtoa. Numbers vary from week to week at each place,” she said.
“Transport is definitely an issue for those smaller communities; it’s not that easy just to travel to Horsham for worship.
“Their sense of identity is quite strong in being a local. Being like a family is a good way to describe it – they certainly get a lot of support from their church communities.
“There is also something about special about driving out into the Australian countryside on Christmas Day. It is inevitably hot and the north wind is blowing, but it’s a chance to gather in farming towns across the Wimmera and celebrate the birth of Christ.”
Rev Liersch said the Uniting Church was committed to being out in the community on Christmas Day, with a number of services planned for smaller communities.
The church will also host its annual Christmas Day lunch for community members.
“We’ve held it for about 16 years and average 100 people with volunteers from both the church and the wider community,” Rev Liersch said.
“There is a wide range of people who come: from single people who don’t have anywhere else to be at Christmas and might be spending Christmas on their own, right through to young families who would struggle to put food on the table.”
Rev. Luke Isham, Horsham Presbyterian Church
Horsham Presbyterian Church Reverend Luke Isham said the church would have a traditional Christmas Day service.
“We will have lessons and carols, which is the traditional way of saying Bible reading and carols repeated half a dozen times – and that’s all there is, there's no sermon. It’s short and simple, but a traditional Christian celebration that goes back hundreds of years,” he said.
Rev Isham said the church was the only Presbyterian place of worship of its size in the region.
“There is a smaller church in Kaniva and Nhill, and then the next biggest would be Ararat. We have a big catchment area,” he said.
“We also try to make sure that everyone has a plan and is looked after in some way. It’s important that they have someone to eat with or to celebrate with. We send some people off to the Uniting Church for their lunch, and we will also have people at our house.
“It’s important that people have a sense of community this time of year because it should be a celebration.”
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