Hospitality to Asylum Seekers
Back in 2002, CSBC renovated space in Central House and formed an association with Hotham Mission to provide short- and medium-term accommodation for asylum seekers.
Since then we've been providing a home and pastoral support to families and singles from places as far away as Turkey, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Northern India.
Verandah Ministry
In 2008, we established the Verandah Café and its associated
ministries. Through the construction of glass paneling surrounding the
front portico, we've created a welcoming space of transition between the
church and our neighbourhood, and a vibrant expression of the church's
front-door hospitality. The Verandah Café is staffed by a combination of
paid service staff, volunteers and baristas-in-training from Impact
English College. This past year our team has included 12 different
nationalities, played a key role in opening the church to the street
below, welcomed a regular clientele from the area, provided employment
and/or training opportunities for more than 100 young people and hosted
an array of festivals and events.
Conversational English Classes
In 2004, in response to the needs of an Indonesian couple attending Sunday services, volunteers from our congregation began informal English classes at the church.
The no-cost program grew quickly and continues today. Students have come to us from Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Hungary, France, Iran, Mongolia, Brazil and Venezuela.
Sunday Night Dinners
For the past decade, CSBC has been hosting Sunday night dinners in Credo Café, a basement space in Central House accessed via Baptist Place at the rear of the church. Staffed and prepared by volunteer teams, these dinners are especially for those who would otherwise go hungry on a Sunday night. We regularly serve around 60 meals each week.
Conscience on Collins
In partnership with Urban Seed, CSBC regularly hosts events that put the spotlight on social issues impacting the life of our city. Our most recent event, Q & A on Collins-a panel discussion on what makes for a fairer Victoria
-was hosted by the ABC's Jon Faine and with a panel including members of State Parliament, church leaders, and comedians Jon Safran and Catherine Deveny.
