The Inside Story - February Edition

An inside look at the stories of those behind Aglow Australia.   

The Inside Story takes an inside look at the lives we love, perhaps only heard about, or may not even know at all. Mentors, leaders, valued Kingdom partners, and most of all you, of whom, together, are forming the wider, magnificent story of Aglow Australia today.  

This month’s interview is with Macarthur Branch Leader, Sue Peacock. 

Sue was recently named Wollondilly Citizen of the Year at the official Australia Day celebrations held at Picton Botanic Garden on January 26, and we couldn’t be prouder! 

Q1: Sue, what an acknowledgement of you and your tireless work for community! First, I understand you have been living in Menangle for quite some time. What brought you there and why have you stayed so long?

A: My late husband Brian and I came to Menangle when I was five months pregnant with our first baby in 1977. We were both teaching in the Liverpool area, so the location worked well for us. We had attended the wedding of one of my Teachers’ College friends in Menangle and were drawn to the scenery and the charm of the little village.

At the time, neither of us was walking with the Lord, yet we both sensed that this little cottage was the right place for us — and it was within our budget! What began as a practical decision became a lifelong home and calling.

Q2: Your extensive record of community volunteering has been highlighted for both its diversity and its focus on improving life in Menangle. Tell us about some of the things you have been involved in and your motivation to serve your community in this way.

A: A Menangle playgroup was started by a friend a couple of years after we settled there, when I had two young children. At a zone meeting, the question was asked: “What else could you be doing to build community where you live?”

By this time, I had rededicated my life to the Lord and saw the potential of a monthly newsletter to both strengthen community connections and share the gospel. The little Anglican church did not have women preachers in those days, so my editorial became my sermon, and my community became my parish. And so The Menangle News was born.

As the seasons changed, different community projects came into focus, and I was usually involved in some way — organising a Christmas carols night, helping initiate a movement to preserve and memorialise our local Light Horse history, and more recently working with the Menangle Community Association to rebuild our School of Arts Hall (almost finished!). We also hold an annual Australia Day Breakfast at our local RFS. These have become treasured annual events.

The Menangle News remains the connecting link. I now have several contributors, and we receive wonderful support from the housing developers Mirvac, who print over 500 colour copies that are hand-delivered to letterboxes. This year I’ve enlisted additional help with distribution — I even started a Heart Foundation Walking Group, and we deliver the newsletter once a month as part of our walk (one other lady has joined so far!).

I also have the joy of advocating with our local Council for community resources to benefit Menangle. By God’s grace, I have experienced great favour in this area. Council successfully applied for a grant last year to establish a Community Garden, and although I’m not really a gardener, I was able to support the initiative because of the relationships already in place.

Q3: Aglow’s vision is ‘Bringing the Power of His living presence into our communities, nation and world.’ In the many and varied places you have found yourself within your community, how do you best do this? Do you have any stories to share?

A: I believe every conversation has the potential to build up or tear down. Welcoming new people to Menangle — often through The Menangle News or while delivering it — creates natural opportunities to connect.

We are currently in a season of significant growth. Our community has expanded from about 130 dwellings to more than 500, including a retirement village of 160 residences, with two additional housing stages underway. Growth brings opportunity.

Often, through simple conversations, people reveal needs or challenges, and I am able to pray with them — wherever they may be on their faith journey.

My real passion is to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Speaking life, courage, and faith into other believers makes my heart soar.

Q4: We would love to see God continue to work in your region. What are some specific things our readers can pray for?

A:

a) That Macarthur Aglow would be firmly established in God’s Word and led by His Spirit, and that the right two women would join the Leadership Team.

b) St James, the little Anglican church in Menangle (to which I have returned after a couple of years at Hillsong), is celebrating 150 years this year. During prayer, God gave me a vision to hold a re-enactment of village life in the 1870s — in full costume. I can see the whole community involved, celebrating our unique geography, history, and present-day life — perhaps even establishing it as an annual event.

The idea has captured the imagination of many women in the congregation. However, a new Minister begins in mid-March and will ultimately have the deciding voice in how this moves forward.

Q5: Perhaps we should now call you Lady Sue?!

A: I used to joke with my husband and suggest he call me “Saint Sue” — would that do?