Howard Newby (pictured far left) had made a commitment to God, but was too shy to go to church.
He had just seen The Passion of the Christ, and his fiancé, Michelle, attended a Bible study and was challenging her husband-to-be to become a Christian.
Then one evening last year the Australian Federal Police Protective Service Officer arrived home to find a drink coaster advertising the grand opening of the new Bexley North Anglican church.
"I know my Muslim flatmate didn't put it there, but I hadn't either."
Howard, 32, may never know how that coaster got there, but he's glad it did.
"I was shy about going to a church, but I figured being a new church " everyone's new. So I went."
Howard is a member of the new 10.30am congregation in the former Holy Trinity, Bexley North church building.
It was created after the amalgamation of the parishes of Carlton, Bexley and Bexley North and the merger of their four early morning congregations into one traditional service.
Minister David Mears says not many new people came in the first few months.
"I was concerned it would be discouraging for our core group," he says.
However, the church has seen recent growth.
As have Howard and Michelle " the couple are expecting their first baby in January.
Drawn from Southern Cross July - read more stories…
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