God has left the building

Community groups have campaigned strongly for Darlinghurst’s X-rated industry to relocate, but it’s their clean-cut neighbours who will be leaving the building in search of wider pastures.

God in the City church – part of the Pentecostal Christian City Church International movement – is looking for a new home, now that the building it leases on the corner of Palmer and Stanley Streets is up for sale.

Pastor Tim Lowe said the intention to move was good-natured. The owner’s decision to sell came at the right time for the church, which needed a bigger premises to cope with an increased demand for its spiritual and social services, he said.

“There’s definitely been a surge forward recently,” said Lowe, asserting that not all industries are negatively affected by an economic slowdown.

God in the City isn’t the only church under pressure in the area. St John’s Anglican on Darlinghurst road is also experiencing a surge in people looking for support, particularly in their financial-counselling services.

“We’ve certainly seen an increase in the amount of people coming, and the types of people. We’re seeing more workers, and people from non-marginalised parts of the community with a high level of anxiety,” said St Johns Rector, Dr Hugh Cox.

Like other Anglican churches, St John’s operates a volunteer-run financial counselling service to help clients deal with debt, mortgage stress and legal issues. But they’re struggling under the demand and trying to recruit more volunteers to ease the pressure.

Other organisations say they are seeing an increase in people offering, rather than requesting, support. “With the tough economic conditions, we’re finding that there is greater community awareness about the need to help others,” said Patrick Flynn of Mission Australia.

Mr Flynn said that volunteering could open more doors in the future. “As there are fewer jobs for entry level employees within some industries, more and more people are deciding to volunteer so they can obtain work.”

Tony Devlin, head of the Salvation Army’s Moneycare, started working as a volunteer financial counsellor and like many before him, eventually moved up the ladder of paid positions.

Mr Devlin urged people to get involved in key services like Moneycare to meet community demand, particularly in the current climate.

“For our organisation, like similar organisations, it’s tight, financially, at the moment, and I expect government funding will be tight as well. So, volunteering is something we might have to explore to deliver our services at the level we would like.”