Local church ministers and pastors, councillors and Casey staff came together on Wednesday 12 November, for the first Casey Ministers Network gathering since the end of administration.
Representing the Casey Ministers Network, Rob Ward spoke at the night and reflected on the origins of churches in the area and how they had contributed to building the city, with the first school in Cranbourne and many other examples of contributions to the community in Casey.
He said the event carried a strong sense of renewal after five years without an elected council.
“There was a real sense of, okay, we’re back, and let’s see what we can do together for the common good,” he said.
Rob said there were discussions on issues around domestic violence, food insecurity, and the cost-of-living crisis.
“We’ve reflected on past collaborations between the council and the Ministers Network, notably the award-winning ‘Promoting Peace in Families’ domestic violence program,” he said.
“There was talk about revisiting that. There’s also some discussion after the meeting about whether we would hold, as we’ve done in the past, a prayer breakfast for Casey.
“There are a few ideas floating around. It’s really about it’s about rebuilding relationships. During administration, it was hard to get to talk to anybody.
“And the council’s back, and they’re really keen to work together. The church is engaged with a huge number of people across Casey every week. And what the council wants to do is to work together.”
City of Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen said Casey Ministers Network is a great example of community leaders working collaboratively to strengthen our community and support those who are most vulnerable.
“This meeting provided an opportunity for councillors to build relationships, share ideas, and explore ways to better support our community together,” he said.
“It also builds on our recent multifaith afternoon tea, where we connected with faith groups from across Casey to discuss how we can work more effectively to make decisions that truly reflect and serve all Casey residents.”
