Sunday Gatherings Have Started!
We have some good news - after moving our family of 7 to Australia in early 2023, navigating passports, visas and citizenship, finding a a place to live, doing countless marketplace pickups for furniture, starting the kids at school, and making new friends in the community - we have started Sunday gatherings at our new church Sozo Gold Coast!
It has been amazing to see so much favor and grace as we get started on this adventure.
We knew that we were on the right path, but it is always good to have miracles stories confirming that along that way:
We knew that we were on the right path, but it is always good to have miracles stories confirming that along that way:
Car / It may sound like a minor thing, but for our family of 7, having a car to fit everyone is super important!
While we didn't have a car, we were able to borrow a family van and we imported a new car from Japan sight unseen.
It arrived with no issues and after navigating auctions, shipping, and taxes was finally registered in Australia.
If you need any help importing cars - I know exactly how to do it now!
Housing / After crashing at our relatives houses for the 1st 6 weeks, we were able to secure a lease on a house right in the middle of the Gold Coast and literally a 5min walk from where we wanted to start our Church gatherings.
In this post covid era, it is almost impossible to find housing on the Gold Coast so we see this as a miracle for sure.
In the next few months we are looking to buy a house in the area, we appreciate your prayers for the right house at the right price!
While we didn't have a car, we were able to borrow a family van and we imported a new car from Japan sight unseen.
It arrived with no issues and after navigating auctions, shipping, and taxes was finally registered in Australia.
If you need any help importing cars - I know exactly how to do it now!
Housing / After crashing at our relatives houses for the 1st 6 weeks, we were able to secure a lease on a house right in the middle of the Gold Coast and literally a 5min walk from where we wanted to start our Church gatherings.
In this post covid era, it is almost impossible to find housing on the Gold Coast so we see this as a miracle for sure.
In the next few months we are looking to buy a house in the area, we appreciate your prayers for the right house at the right price!
School / Without a fixed address you cannot enrol you kids in school (which would be a problem!).
We are so grateful that on the day before school started for the year, our kids were accepted in to one of the best christian schools here the Gold Coast that is connected to another great church also in our movement 'Australian Christian Churches'.
The kids have have had a great transition into new grades and English and have made many friends already.
We are so grateful that on the day before school started for the year, our kids were accepted in to one of the best christian schools here the Gold Coast that is connected to another great church also in our movement 'Australian Christian Churches'.
The kids have have had a great transition into new grades and English and have made many friends already.
Local Community & Friends / we 'parachuted' into the Gold Coast not knowing any other families or friends.
In the first few months we were able to start the kids at their sporting clubs, making new friends there.
While we hadn't started Sunday gatherings we were able to visit different local churches on Sundays making new pastor friends there as well.
We feel so welcomed by the local community and in a world that is sometimes difficult to make deep relationships, count this as a blessing to be surrounded by many good people.
In the first few months we were able to start the kids at their sporting clubs, making new friends there.
While we hadn't started Sunday gatherings we were able to visit different local churches on Sundays making new pastor friends there as well.
We feel so welcomed by the local community and in a world that is sometimes difficult to make deep relationships, count this as a blessing to be surrounded by many good people.
After taking 3 months to get settled we started to gather with families on Sundays at our house to make friends and also share the vision of our new church community.
We soon realised that there is a big need for "authentic" and "local" church and that if we started public Sunday gatherings, there would be a lot of buy in from the start.
While we have secured a larger venue for our official launch, we needed a smaller venue to start in with a kids space and relaxed atmosphere as we got started.
As I was walking home I saw a new hotel and felt to contact them about their rental spaces.
To our surprize, the event manager already knew about us, was a Christian and negotiated a great rate for a gathering space of 60, kids space of 30 and outdoor terrace with BBQ and a pool!
We soon realised that there is a big need for "authentic" and "local" church and that if we started public Sunday gatherings, there would be a lot of buy in from the start.
While we have secured a larger venue for our official launch, we needed a smaller venue to start in with a kids space and relaxed atmosphere as we got started.
As I was walking home I saw a new hotel and felt to contact them about their rental spaces.
To our surprize, the event manager already knew about us, was a Christian and negotiated a great rate for a gathering space of 60, kids space of 30 and outdoor terrace with BBQ and a pool!
We started Sunday gatherings in June and 40-50 people have been coming each week to meet us, hear our story and vision and join the team as we head towards our launch.
It has been our joy to meet the many new families, hear their story and see how God has connected them at exactly the right time.
It has been our joy to meet the many new families, hear their story and see how God has connected them at exactly the right time.
Over the next 3 months we will build with the people God is bringing to our community and form teams ready for an official launch in our larger venue.
We are based in a aspirational suburb called Robina right in the new heart of the Gold Coast and is the most popular area to live, work and study.
Within 5 minutes drive there is one of the largest shopping and business districts, a major university, the most used train station connecting all the way to Brisbane, a training college for internationals and 1000's of families who have never been to church.
Our vision is to build a strong local church here as a base to launch locations in other areas of need on the Gold Coast as well as internationally.
Being close to the train station, schools & universities and shopping center is also important for the demographic that we are reaching.
Being close to the train station, schools & universities and shopping center is also important for the demographic that we are reaching.
Moving forward, one of our biggest areas of need is finance - now that we are gathering weekly and heading towards our launch we have 3 months to raise finance for the launch and first year.
Our goal is to launch in a facility with seating up to 200 people and space for up to 50 kids.
While the finances needed to do this well are not insignificant we are believing for full provision for the following areas:
Venue / $100,000
Worship & Production Equipment / $75,000
Outreach & Marketing / $15,000
Welcome, Coffee & Signage / $25,000
Kids / $15,000
Operations, Salaries, Accounting & Legal / $100,000
Our goal is to launch in a facility with seating up to 200 people and space for up to 50 kids.
While the finances needed to do this well are not insignificant we are believing for full provision for the following areas:
Venue / $100,000
Worship & Production Equipment / $75,000
Outreach & Marketing / $15,000
Welcome, Coffee & Signage / $25,000
Kids / $15,000
Operations, Salaries, Accounting & Legal / $100,000
If you would like to be a "pioneer" and join us right at the start of this journey, we now have online giving options available in AUD / USD / JPY as well as debit/credit card options available below or at oursozo.com/give
We are are now a registered organisation SOZO CHURCH LTD with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) which means public transparency and safety.
We are grateful for the people and churches who have already supported us on this journey and our growing team who have also started to give.
We are grateful for the people and churches who have already supported us on this journey and our growing team who have also started to give.
Of course you are able to give or not, we appreciate you joining with us on this journey so far and your continuing prayer for us and our team.
We would love to hear from you as well so please hit reply to say hi if you can!
We would love to hear from you as well so please hit reply to say hi if you can!
Lots of love!
Josh & Yuki, Zion, Rhema, Rapha, Jireh & Kfir.