SUNDAY religious services at The Salvation Army Wonthaggi Corps end weekend, March 5, with departing corps officer Captain Amy Jones leading the local congregation for the final time.
Divisional leader Colonel Kelvin Merrett officially announced the change in a letter “To the soldiers and friends of The Salvation Army, Wonthaggi Corps”, dated February 23.
Captain Jones has been assigned a new appointment elsewhere and will not be replaced at Wonthaggi.
Captain Amanda Hart, the current corps officer at the Leongatha Corps, will continue to be based in Leongatha, also overseeing the Wonthaggi Corps.
“The Sunday congregation is being closed and this Sunday will be the last one,” Captain Hart confirmed.
She outlined what Colonel Merrett was alluding to in his letter when he said, “New expressions of worship will be explored.”
Captain Hart said new forms of worship being considered would occur throughout the week rather than on Sundays.
“We’d be looking at different ways of worship, whether that be small groups, bible study type arrangements around the table, but places where community can connect,” she said.
“I guess it’s a less threatening environment than walking into a church service for some people.”
She said that smaller groups would potentially be a good way for people to find out about faith.
The Doorways Emergency Relief program will continue to run at Wonthaggi.
That program includes emergency food relief support, with people able to visit on Mondays and Thursdays between 9.30am and 12pm.
“We often have fruit and veg, bread and pantry items and we also have a case worker who can support people with more complex needs than emergency food relief,” Captain Jones said.
“I know Amanda and her team will be exploring further ways that we can help the community.”
The Wonthaggi Salvation Army store and the local Salvation Army Employment Plus will both continue to operate.
Sunday religious services in Leongatha and Warragul will remain.
Asked about Wonthaggi congregation members who are unable to travel to those locations but want to attend religious services there, Captain Hart said it is early days but the possibility of providing transport will be explored.
Captain Jones is adamant that while Sunday Services are ceasing at the Wonthaggi Corps of The Salvation Army there will definitely be some form of worship there in the future.
“We want to remain relevant and see new people come to faith,” she said of the change.
Warren Elliott, The Salvation Army’s public relations secretary for Victoria said the decision to end Sunday services was made at the organisation’s state level.
“It comes down to viability of that group,” Mr Elliott said.
“It was less than a dozen people meeting there on a Sunday morning and we, like every other church, are struggling to make ends meet for those services and to have enough ministers to fill all the gaps at the churches we have around the state and across the nation.”
He conceded a period of adjustment will be required, but The Salvation Army is committed to continuing to service the Wonthaggi community.
“It pains us as a movement to have to scale back, particularly in regional areas, because we realise churches are part of the fabric of local communities,” Mr Elliott said.