Life punching above its weight

Life Church is punching well above its weight in supporting Tasmanian students and families.

The church’s two campuses at Ulverstone and Port Sorell supply 7 school chaplains, who serve schools across the Devonport, Sheffield & Ulverstone area.

The church is also provides many student and learner-driver mentors, also raising $10,000 last year to ensure Devonport Chaplaincy could fund a third learner driver vehicle based in Ulverstone.

Student mentors meet with struggling students for an hour each week, offering encouragement and support, while learner-driver mentors support young drivers who cannot afford paid lessons and don’t have access to a family vehicle in which to learn.

The church regularly contributes financially to the ongoing work of chaplaincy as its major community focus.

Chaplains who attend a Life Church campus are Andrew Blake (Leighland Christian School), Michael and Rhona Hamon (East Ulverstone Primary School), Julie Toombs (East Devonport Primary School), Rebecca Chapell (Ulverstone Primary School), Belinda Saunders (Hillcrest and Nixon Street Primary Schools), Dale Saunders (Latrobe High School and Latrobe Primary School).

Senior Pastor Peter Shurley said supporting Devonport Chaplaincy was a practical and profound way of serving the community.

“We absolutely love what has been a long and fruitful partnership with Devonport Chaplaincy.” Peter said.

“It is a well run organisation that recognises the importance of developing individual relationships as the means of bringing generational change.

“There are many programs our church can fund and administer, but to maximise our impact, locally and globally, we partner with like-minded organisations who have specific expertise.”

Life Church also has a strong global outreach, partnering with organisations in developing countries to sponsor hundreds of impoverished and orphaned children and those with disabilities.

By Paul O'Rourke