St John’s Anglican Cathedral Parramatta | Trainer: Carmen Lau

Amidst the first wave of COVID-19 lockdown, I was privileged to be given the opportunity to form and lead a team of church volunteers called “St John’s Help team” to better serve the vulnerable church members. We helped our elderly church members from online Zoom connection to sourcing extra face masks when none can be found in the shops.

During this time, I was able to draw upon my skills and expertise as an agile coach to lead, coach, and facilitate our St John’s Help team and I shared this experience with my colleagues at Telstra. Through this experience, God allowed me to discover other Christians in the workplace where we started meeting weekly to pray for our non-believing colleagues and encouraging one and another of God’s sovereignty when we are faced with difficult work situations and tight deadlines. This is when I remembered a conversation to think about full-time ministry with a Pastor in 2019 at our church weekend away.

Over the past year, I have prayed about where God wants me to go and I have taken the step of speaking to mature Christian friends and different church ministers. Fast forward to 2021, I am thankful to be undertaking a full-time Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) internship with St John’s Anglican Cathedral Church and City Bible Forum.

My responsibility in 2021 involves the building and fostering of a sustainable Parramatta Workplace Ministry (partnering with City Bible Forum) and leading in Kids Church and Growth Group ministry.

• My vision is to see workers in Parramatta hear the good news of Jesus, to see them not being hopeful for the next promotion or for the next pay rise but rather have hope in the Risen Christ.
• My vision is to see our kids, our church members grow in their knowledge of God’s saving Grace and live by grace every day of our lives as one body, one community in unity with Christ.

Prayer Points

• Praise God for the ministry trainee opportunity this year where I will be able to serve Him and his Church in a full-time capacity
• Pray that I may not be anxious about the changing circumstances, that I would continue to be generous to God and his people as well as having the joy and zeal to serve Him faithfully in the ministries that I will be involved in
• Pray that I would continue to grow in my knowledge of God’s saving grace and grow in my character, conviction, and competency to be more Christ-centered and Christ-like