BRIMBANK’S pentecostal community has a new home in Keilor Park.
The Assemblies of God congregation recently moved into a newly-built church in Harrick Rd.
Now called the Keilor City Church, it is the congregation’s first purpose built church in its 50-year history.
Pastor Rocky Giovinazzo said many members of the growing congregation lived in the Brimbank area, so it made sense to establish a permanent church in the city.
“We’ve been going for almost 50 years,” Mr Giovinazzo said.
“We started off with mostly Italian migrants, and we’ve still got a strong ethnic mix that reflects Brimbank.”
Building the Keilor Park church – which was funded by the congregation of about 300 – finished only weeks ago.
It is one of about 100 Assemblies of God congregations in Melbourne, and another 1000 across Australia. Steve Fielding, Victorian Family First Senator, is probably Australia’s most famous member of the church.
Mr Giovinazzo said the Keilor City church officers were keen to forge new links with the community.
“We have got a great mix of migrants, and are multi-generational – elderly people, young families, youths and kids, all attend,” he said.
Church services are spoken in Italian and English, with youth services every Friday night.
The pastor said a dedication service was planned for later in the year.
“We’re hoping to inaugurate the church in October,” Mr Giovinazzo said.
“This is first time that we have been able to put our roots down in a purpose-built building, and now we are looking to build bridges and let people know about the services we offer,” Mr Giovinazzo said.
The church, at 80 Harrick Rd in Keilor Park, offers social events for the elderly and the young in its congregation.
It also runs outreach programs, counselling and gives food parcels to families in need.
