Daylesford Church is continuing to undertake community engagement in this time of Coronavirus despite having to shut down their Pop-Up Café which was frequented primarily by locals.

Last year the Daylesford community church innovated with an idea that although there were numerous cafés in the main street, there were primarily frequented by the influx of tourists who flood the town weekends and weekdays. The church Pop-Up has been a bonus for locals who have enjoyed the heritage listed ambience of a local initiative.

With the adherence to social isolation, Daylesford have adapted to this situation by running a Pop-Up Kitchen each week serving free hot takeaway soup. The congregation are very excited to be offering this community support in times when people are experiencing financial hardship and tourism is diminished. Elaine Anderson, an initiator of this community engagement has said that the community response has already been “fabulous.”

Locals just need to order via a link on the church’s website.

“I think we will see our God do extraordinary things in these extraordinary times,” she says.

They are also moving forward with their children’s art/ learning centre and cafe downstairs (underneath their existing building) and this is with planning and building right now.

This is one example of a regional church moving forward in times of contraction, and still able to imagine and engage with their local community.