House of Representatives
Tuesday 3 August 2021

Over the weekend, Vietnam Grace Church, in my electorate, had planned to celebrate their 35th anniversary with a church service and a gathering of their wonderful congregation. Of course, in light of recent outbreaks in the south-east corner of Queensland and the very necessary measures that have been implemented to contain them, the service wasn't able to go ahead. But no outbreak can diminish the importance of this church to our local community or the pride that I share with the congregation over their continued dedication to service, to community and to God. In particular, I'd like to congratulate Pastor Hoa on her leadership of this church and her amazing dedication to serving our great community.

The past 18 months have been challenging for all our local churches, who have had to adapt their services and programs to comply with restrictions and to keep their churchgoers safe. Many have also turned to them to provide emotional and spiritual support as our communities face the uncertainty and sometimes fear that have come with this pandemic. Vietnam Grace has risen to the challenge and done more for our community than many others, streaming their services live on Facebook and projecting strength and resilience throughout this challenge. I'd like to offer my sincere congratulations to the church and its members for their longstanding dedication to our area. I wish them all the very best for their future and look forward to working with the church and sharing fellowship with them for many years to come.