Coolum church kicking goals with support from Carinity
A Sunshine Coast church is on a “crusade” – to help children enhance their education and fitness in the same place.
Coolum Beach Baptist Church is helping time-strapped families with support from Carinity.
The church received a Carinity Innovation Grant of $3,000 to renovate an outdoor undercover area and transform it into a homework space.
The new study area will enable children and teenagers to do school homework before they train with the church’s soccer club, the Coolum Crusaders, on fields adjoining the church grounds.
“Many of our families are finding it easier to come straight from school to soccer practice in order to save time and petrol,” Coolum Beach Baptist Church pastor John Gallagher says.
“In doing so, their children are looking to do their homework in the time between school finishing and practice starting. They initially were doing this in the back of their cars in the carpark but once we saw the need we have been inviting them into the hall.”
But with player numbers increasing from 45 to 115 a year after the soccer club was established, the church hall is “often busy and not always conducive to homework”.
John says the Carinity Innovation Grant would allow the church to create a “relaxing retreat area for families”.
“It will provide an attractive and functional place for families to relax and find a practical solution to the stresses of travel, time, money and education,” John says.
“Not only is it a quiet area, it also allows for parents to watch and help their children with homework while also supervising the younger siblings as they play in the adjoining secure playground.”
John says the renovated outdoor area would also be used by Coolum Beach Baptist Church’s expanding playgroup.
Applications for the 2019 Carinity Innovation Grants, which are open to all Queensland Baptist churches, close May 31.
Grants of up to $7,000 are available to approved sustainable initiatives to enable churches to start a new community outreach, expand an existing ministry, or collaborate to introduce a Carinity service into the community.
To find out more visit carinity.org.au/innovation-grants or call 07 3550 3737.
