By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CATCH The Fire Ministries put history behind itself last month with the opening of its new Hallam facility on Australia Day weekend.
Over 300 people attended the opening of the evangelical church’s new premises at Star Crescent on Saturday 25 January, which was followed by Catch The Fire’s Australia Day prayer gathering on Sunday 26.
Prayers at the Australia Day service were led by several Christian denominational ministers, including Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Salvation Army, Messianic Jew, Indigenous, Pentecostal and others.
Pastor Daniel Nalliah said the Star Crescent facility, an existing church bought by Catch The Fire in mid-December, provided extra space for the group compared to their previous Hallam premises.
He said this would be used to run a weekly soup kitchen from the church starting in March.
The Hallam opening comes after Catch the Fire withdrew its legal challenge in October against a proposed neighbouring mosque in what was slated to be its new base in Green Street, Doveton.
Catch the Fires Ministries lodged an application with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) against the City of Casey’s decision to grant a planning permit for the Afghan Islamic Centre and Omar Farooq Mosque on Green Street.
Casey council originally granted the permit on 12 March for the mosque, despite receiving four objecting petitions, which included more than 2000 signatures.
But the church eventually dropped plans to build a $2.3 million church at Green Street and relocated to the existing church in Hallam.
Ps Nalliah said there were no hard feelings towards anyone from the mosque.
“When our Hallam church opened, I contacted the president of the mosque and we sat down for a coffee and I told them I had nothing against them, I had reservations about their teachings,” he said.
“We have found new facilities and wished them all the best.”
