A beacon of hope in Toowoomba
A beacon of hope in Toowoomba
24 August 2022
Toowoomba Corps Officers Majors Dale and Darlene Murray in front of the corps’ refurbished cafe. (Photo from Toowoomba Salvos Facebook page. Photo: Kevin Farmer)
To survive, a chameleon changes the colour of its skin, but whatever its skin colour, the chameleon is still a chameleon.
The above metaphor has informed the rationale for major changes to how Toowoomba Corps goes about its mission. A comprehensive consultation and planning process with corps members and Salvation Army leadership recently resulted in the redevelopment of the corps property to create a complex called Lighthouse of Hope.
The corps strategy was designed to maximise God’s resources, create space where change can happen and strengthen connection and engagement with the community.
Toowoomba Corps Officer Major Darlene Murray explains the Lighthouse of Hope strategy displayed in the corps foyer.
“As a ‘lighthouse of hope’, we believe it is God’s will for our church to be a place where people who are heading towards, or are already in, a dangerous and/or challenging situation of life to be guided towards the hope that can be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” explains Major Dale Murray, Toowoomba Corps Officer.
The project involved consolidating the Family Store, Emergency Relief service, Moneycare, the Supported Accommodation Service and Salvos Housing onto the West Street property, which since 1994 had operated solely as a corps building. Research showed that the building was underutilised but presented major opportunities for collaboration between the various Salvo services in Toowoomba to maximise financial resources and expand engagement with the local community.
“Hundreds of people visit the Family Store daily, so now we are easily accessible to respond to other needs they may bring up during their visit,” says Major Darlene Murray, Toowoomba Corps Officer. “We can just pop across for a chat or refer them down the hall to one of the other services they require.”
The Family Store is now operating from the main hall. Moneycare has an office with its own entrance. The second hall is now a worship and activity space. Negotiations are in place to incorporate Salvos Housing and the Supported Accommodation Service. Construction also included a shower with disability access.
A new training room provides computer and internet access. It enables people, particularly the disadvantaged and marginalised, to be trained in computer and other life skills. The room will also have video-conferencing capabilities to connect with and support people living in remote and rural areas of South-West Queensland.
Refurbishment of the corps kitchen to full commercial cafe standard provides good quality coffee at an affordable price, as well as cakes and slices. As a commercial cafe, it can be used as a training venue for people to obtain kitchen and hospitality skills.
As part of the relocation of the Family Store to the corps complex, a new storage shed was built as a ‘sorting and storage’ area for the store’s operations. It also houses the new Emergency Services trailer and supplies.
In a major change, embraced by the corps, the Sunday service has moved from 9am to 4pm. “Most church services are on Sunday mornings, so we wanted to create a new time for those who can’t attend morning services,” Darlene said. “We have already seen this new time bear fruit with new people attending.”
The corps makes space available for other Salvation Army mission expressions, not based in Toowoomba, to provide their service to the community during the week. This also includes access to other like-minded organisations in Toowoomba.
“We are committed to working with and developing a united missional focus here in Toowoomba,” Dale said. “We believe The Salvation Army Toowoomba will not only survive but will thrive and be both the church and organisation God wants it to be, now and into the future,” Dale said.
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