By Garry Sanossian
On December 14, over 7,000 people from the community of Engadine gathered at Cooper Street Park for the highly anticipated Engadine Christmas carols. Organised by Connect Church (Engadine Church of Christ) and supported by local sponsors, the event was a festive celebration of Christmas, filled with music, dance, and food stalls.
The evening featured performances by a trio of Singing Angels, a 20-piece concert band from Sutherland PCYC, a local school choir, a young vocalist and three local dance schools. Between performances, the community joined in carol singing, with lyrics displayed on a large screen. Alongside the music, dance, and festive stalls, attendees raised donations for Christmas hampers to support those in need.
“This has been such an encouragement for our church to keep serving the broader community around us, as we continue to ‘champion our village with the love of Jesus,’” said Mike McGarrity, Connect Church Team Leader.
When the long-standing Engadine Rotary Club, which organised the Engadine Christmas carols for 30 years, closed its doors earlier this year, the future of this much-loved tradition seemed uncertain. Recognising the importance of this cherished event, Mr Gary Richards, a former Rotary Club President, approached Connect Church with a request to step in and carry the baton forward.
With a history of successfully hosting the well-attended Spring Fair, Connect Church recognised the value of uniting the community and its role in following Christ’s example of love and service. Even with little time to prepare-around three weeks-the team at Connect Church embraced the challenge of organising the Community carols, committing to prayer and trusting in God’s guidance, confident that He would ensure everything went well and allow the tradition to continue.
“Connect had previously run a Spring Fair event for the community for a few years, which had attracted thousands of locals and been a great success. Despite it being late in the year to start to organise such a large event, the team at Connect agreed to give it a go,” he said.
Connect Church’s decision to step in aligns with their heart for serving the community. With the combined efforts of over 30 Connect Church volunteers and support from the wider community, the evening became a testament to the power of working together to bring the Christmas message to the community. With Jesus at the heart of the celebration, the evening also included a brief but meaningful message from Mike McGarrity, reminding everyone to keep their focus on Him throughout the Christmas season.
“It meant a commitment for the church to an extra focus on prayer for the event and, in the end, everything came together beautifully,” Mike said.
This incredible event was made possible by the generous support of local sponsors, including the Town Square Shopping Centre, Engadine Bowlo and RSL, One Agency, and Connect Church. Together, volunteers and sponsors kept this cherished community tradition alive. Connect Church’s role in the Engadine carols event is testament to the power of a church being faithfully involved with its local community and championing the love of Jesus over the long haul, remaining ready for anything. Big opportunities to share the love of Jesus often appear when you least expect it and emerge from making the most of many small opportunities over many years!
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