Pastor Phil Cutcliffe is seeing an interesting juxtaposition in Springfield.
This master-planned community goes ahead in leaps and bounds, with new homes, offices and shops popping up every week.
The population increases just as quickly as people flock to the new subdivisions and take advantage of the excellent education and health facilities on offer.
But in this obviously affluent area there is another side: many families struggling to make ends meet. And Pastor Phil has never been busier.
The four campuses of his Springfield Christian Family Church and its Mercy Mission Westside Community Care are seeing and supporting plenty.
The Westside group, which supplies free bread, vegetables and fruit every morning from a community centre in nearby Camira, has a booming clientele.
“A growing number of people are coming in each morning at 9am, at least a couple of hundred. They are very shy at first, but as they relax they tell their stories … a lot of them are in need, which is very sad,” Phil said.
He and his wife and four children moved to Springfield in 1995. Since then Phil has worked for Springfield Christian Family, initially as the Pioneer Pastor and more recently part of a great growing team of pastors.
“When Springfield first started it was a very cheap place to live. People moved here perhaps when their life situation was better,” he said.
Like many communities, this one has also not been immune to the financial hardships associated with job losses, marriage breakups, domestic violence and the scourge of drug and alcohol addiction.
“It happens to families everywhere. We see it all. Some people do not have very much of a buffer. They are disconnected or do not have the support network of extended families,” he said.
“That is where we come in … we are there to help people in their moment of need.
“It is very rewarding to be able to help people. I do enjoy it. It is always great to see people who have been able to resolve some of their issues. They are developing support networks.”
He said not all the people came from Springfield alone, with the centre servicing those from across the Ipswich region.
Phil and his church colleagues are very much into the “pay it forward” mantra. Westside started a community care network on its Facebook page, where initially about 300 people interacted by asking for something and someone delivered.
That has grown to about 3000 people, either in need of performing the deed.
“It is amazing to see people helping each other via social media. It has just grown and grown and is such a useful and self-fulfilling service.”
The caring pastor never stops giving to his community – be it from behind the pulpit, the food-serving counter, volunteering at his local Augustine Heights parkrun, or just handing over his car keys.
The latter act of kindness almost backfired on him earlier this year. He lent his car to a person so they could visit family, but the car was not returned. However, Phil’s numerous friends and a vociferous social media campaign helped reunite him with the vehicle.
“Keep praying for me. I feel that God can work the situation out for good somehow,” was his initial reaction. Of course, it all worked out fine.
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Phil Cutcliffe is not known as the ‘Faster Pastor’ for nothing.
He runs exceptionally quickly for a 50-something athlete and also runs a very well-organised fun run at Springfield, which celebrates its 20th rendition on Saturday, September 9.
The Greater Springfield Run for Life, sponsored by the local McDonald’s, is staged in and around Robelle Domain Parklands.
Last year, a torrential storm smashed down just before the start and forced its cancellation.
But Pastor Phil is praying the weather gods are on his side this time.
It is one of the biggest annual fund raisers for his Westside Community Centre. Race entry fees across the four events pay for 150 Christmas vouchers and 150 food parcels for struggling families.
“There are no government grants, no handouts. We try to raise as much money as possible to help people in need,” he said.
“We’ve already got 250 registered … we’ve never had 1000 people do the actual event, so we’re hoping to crack that number this year.”
The 2017 Run for Life event will feature four different categories, open to all ages and abilities, starting with the Springfield Runners Group 1km family walk/run; The Links Pet & Canine Aquatic Centre 2km dog walk; the McGrath 10km run; and finishing with the Telstra Springfield 5km glow run.
You can register at www.runforlife.org
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