After 14 years at Moorebank, including seven years as assistant minister, Manoj Chacko will take up his first senior post when he is inducted as curate-in-charge of Holy Trinity, South Liverpool on January 3.
However, even in his new role, Manoj plans to continue his focus on ministering to Indians " a community he says acts like one giant family.
As a migrant who arrived from India in 1991, Manoj fully appreciates the need to support newcomers to Australia.
In 1997 Manoj helped form Transitions, a group of Christian volunteers committed to helping new migrants from the Asian subcontinent adjust to a new cultural landscape.
"This network of Christ-inspired, mission-driven and gospel-bearing volunteers were drawn from all over Sydney," he says. "We ran workshops on integrating into a new culture, skills needed to find employment, counselling on raising children and adjusting to gender role shifts."
Through these contacts, people came to worship at St Anne's, Hammondville.
"Last year we came to realise that many new migrants from the Asian subcontinent live in Liverpool. With five Indian families from the congregation we started an informal fellowship on Friday nights in the hall of St Luke's, Liverpool," Manoj says.
The time of fellowship, called Regional South Asian Ministry (RESAM), includes singing, prayer, a Bible talk and a meal prepared by volunteer families.
"We start at 7:30pm and literally have to turn the lights off at 11:00pm!" Manoj exclaims. "By the grace of God this ministry is growing both in numbers and effective Christian discipleship formation."
Manoj is able to connect new people to RESAM by maintaining strong contacts with the wider Indian community.
"News gets around among the Indian community as most of the one billion act like they are related," Manoj jokes.
"As soon as we hear of the arrival of a new migrant family we make contact, establish their needs and try to link them up with a family in their vicinity who have migrated earlier."
By accepting the invitation to lead Holy Trinity, South Liverpool Manoj is able to continue working in a fast-growing multicultural area.
"The congregation that meets in the morning comprises of people from diverse ethnic backgrounds and it means RESAM will be an ongoing part of my missional involvement."
