New ministry couple for Pakenham

Pastor Richard and Lesley Schoenmaker are new members of the leadership team at Pakenham Christian Community Church. 166118_01

By Helena Adeloju

Pastor Richard and Lesley Schoenmaker have recently joined a small group of enthusiastic families who have been serving Pakenham for the past five years at the Pakenham Christian Community Church (PC3).
Before moving to Pakenham, Richard and Lesley served at Christian Reformed Churches in NSW and Victoria for more than 20 years.
“Pakenham is such a fast-growing region with people moving in every week,” Richard said.
“If you don’t have history here it can be very hard to find a community to belong to.”
Richard said that everyone was welcome to PC3’s weekly events.
Sunday church services are held at 10am in the Seniors Citizens Hall in Pakenham and each Monday night a Community Cook Up from 6pm is held for people doing it tough or those who are lonely and need a listening ear.
“People from all walks of life come for conversation, friendship, food, and care,” Richard said.
He believes everyone needs to feel they belong, and to enjoy healthy relationships to be content with their life.
“There are so many people who feel isolated and trapped in the daily grind of working and paying off their homes, which contributes to the issues of family breakdown and family violence,” he said.
Richard and Lesley believe that PC3 can offer help to men and women by offering a community to belong to, a helping hand and the option to introduce people to Jesus – “the One who answers every concern and need,” Richard said.