Newsletter 31/10/25

This newsletter is for our Christian supporters and our friends in the community.

Newsletter Highlights:

• Christmas donation collection for young families.

• Tax-deductible giving

• Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre

• Thornleigh Youth Camp

It's All About Connection

When I was sixteen, someone bought me a meat pie. That sounds small, but the outcome was eternal.

I had travelled down from a country town in Queensland to do work experience with a charity on the Central Coast. Some of the Christian staff decided to take me to Sydney for the day. We saw the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, and of course... Harry’s Pies.

One of the guys just handed me a pie. No fuss. “Here you go, bro.” And as I stood there eating this hot meat pie on the street, something happened in me that I still can’t fully explain. I felt connected. I felt connected to my dad, who used to go to Harry’s when he was in the Navy and would tell stories about it. I felt connected to those guys, who treated me like I belonged with them, not like I was just some kid tagging along. I even felt connected to God, not just in a vague “God is real” way, but in a way that felt like I had a calling and a place, I think that might have been the moment I knew I would end up in NSW after high school.

A meat pie did that. Not a sermon. Not a conference. Not a rostered ministry event. Just presence, generosity, and being included.

That is the heartbeat of A New Way. The heart is connection. Scripture says, “God is a father to the fatherless and a protector of widows; God puts the lonely in families” (Psalm 68). God takes people who feel invisible or anxious or on their own and gives them belonging. He gives them family. This is not theory for us. We see it. On Monday nights when the homeless are remembered by name and handed a drink, it is not really about the can of drink, it is about someone realising they matter and that they are part of the community. In Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre, when we are giving high fives, that is not about running a chapel service and ticking boxes on a spreadsheet, it is about telling a young bloke, “You are not rubbish. You are loved. You are part of something.” Even in our little warehouse with mismatched couches and rugs, it is not about hosting an event, it is about creating a family.

Those men in Sydney put in $6.50 for a pie, their faith, and their honesty. The output was one meat pie. The outcome was a moment of connection that changed the direction of my life.

At A New Way, our “inputs” are simple: a bit of faith, a few cash donations, a couple of camping chairs and a hot urn of coffee. Our “outputs”, (the things you can measure on a spreadsheet), look like 80 cold drinks handed out on a Monday night, 10 young people sitting in a one hour chapel at Frank Baxter, 50 people gathered on a Wednesday night. But the real "outcome" we pray for goes deeper than numbers. The outcome is that someone who has been ignored all week hears their own name spoken with kindness and feels connected to a community. The real outcome is that an isolated young fella in incarceration feels connected to purpose. The real outcome is that a person who has felt judged and shut out of church culture for years walks into this warehouse, sits in a camping chair, and for the first time in a long time thinks, “I actually belong here, and God wants to connect with me.”

This is why we exist. A New Way Services INC is not trying to look polished. We are not trying to run the slickest Sunday service in town. We are here to do what God does in Psalm 68: put the lonely in families. That is our whole thing. Family for the lonely. If you are reading this and you feel like you do not have a family, please hear me clearly, you can join ours.

Wherever you are at, you are welcome. And our prayer is that in that welcome, you would find real connection with people, real connection with God, and ultimately place in His family.

Thankyou God for meat pies, and the men who bought me one.

Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre

We’ve begun our work at the largest Youth Justice Centre in New South Wales, right here on the Central Coast. We’re privileged to work alongside the current multi-faith chaplain, as an organisation that can come in and authentically and freely share the good news of Jesus.

We’re exploring core life values like integrity, loyalty, honesty, respect, and care, and we’re considering what the Bible has to say about each of these values (that the boys have chosen). We’re also working with them to write a song about faith!

We’re grateful for this opportunity and are learning more each week about the best way to engage with the participants. We’ve already received great feedback from the staff, so we’re looking forward to the rest of Term 4. We hope to continue this work in 2026, but we’ll need to raise a minimum of $2000 per term to continue this specific program. Please pray for us!

Finding Community

We are proud to create safe spaces! Do you know someone who needs community? Let them know about us! We recently received this kind review:

"I'm pretty new to this faith thing, and at the Church I was going to on Sundays, I felt so anxious walking in. There was no way I could go without my partner. I was literally just hiding behind him. There was no way I could walk in by myself. Whereas here, when I arrive, I don't feel anxious at all. I'm just chilling. I'm comfortable. Whereas at that other Church I wouldn't go because I'd get so nervous.

I remember on my first day here, there was a sermon about "the covenant," and I had never heard that word in my life. I thought it was like a temple or something, so the whole story Lewis was saying made no sense. I was like, what is this guy talking about? And Lewis actually took the time to come over to me and ask, “Hey, how did you find that?” And I was honest, I was like, “I don't understand, I don't get it. How do we give him a temple? I don't really get what you're saying.”

So Lewis sat down with me and drew this little mind map, like, “This is who Abraham is. This is the story.” In that big church, you just go in, it might be a good sermon but the pastor would never take that time. There are hundreds of people in the room, there's no way he would even recognise my face and walk up to me and say, “Hey, did you understand? Is there anything I can help explain to you?”

So I think in that sense the connection is huge, because people take the time to get to know us all and make us feel cared for. We feel comfortable to speak to eachother and to ask questions. You can come here even if it's a hard day. You don't have to put on your Sunday best and act confident if you've had a rough day. You can just roll up in your trackies and still feel connected to God in this place."

Christmas Collection

We’ve been tasked with collecting board games and puzzles for families living in Social and Community Housing across the Central Coast. These Christmas gifts will go to families with children under 10, so we’re seeking 200-300 gifts. Why are we looking for puzzles and board games? Our experts say these forms of gift help families connect and bond over a shared experience during the holidays, and we pray that’s what happens!

We’re looking for new, unwrapped gifts that can be dropped off at our warehouse any Wednesday afternoon in November from 5:30pm. Alternatively, you can donate to our Operations Account, with the reference "Christmas Games' and we can purchase them on your behalf.

ANW Operations

BSB: 082356

Account number: 915512493

Thornleigh Youth Camp

Over four days, I had the privilege of presenting six talks at Thornleigh Youth Camp. It was an exhausting... but an incredibly rewarding experience.

I’ve missed youth ministry and youth camps, so this trip was a personal blessing to me. Witnessing young people engage with the Gospel and worship God in vulnerable authenticity was truly beautiful.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the youth leaders at Thornleigh. They have a very similar culture to the church where I used to work. The camp was wild and free, and that’s exactly how youth ministry should be. I was also impressed with the leaders who ran workshops throughout the camp, and I loved hearing student testimonies around the campfire.

During my talk, I emphasised the importance of removing our masks and tearing down the barriers of pride that prevent us from fully surrendering ourselves to what God has for us. I also shared about the characters Elijah and Elisha, and how we can see Jesus in their stories.

The week was filled with prayer and revelation. Sadly, when I returned home, I was sick for two weeks... But it was all worth it!

Celebrities In The Wild

We’ve seen some cool faces on Monday Nights in Kibble Park, from Masterchef Winner Julie Goodwin, to Nedd Brockman who ran across Australia, from Perth to Sydney! I don't think they'd like being called 'celebrities' but it's good to see the community coming together to serve those in need.

Need A Celebrant??

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve finally been appointed a Celebrant by the Attorney General! We believe that offering this service will not only strengthen our community but also help us generate income to continue doing good work. If you know someone getting married, please let them know about us!

Tax Deductible Donations

Before I moved to the Central Coast, I was enrolled in Law at the University of Southern Queensland. I even finished my first unit, LAW1201: Legal Process and Research, before deferring for what I called a 'gap year'. That gap year turned into a gap life.

I honestly did not expect to use anything from that subject again. But over the past six months those skills have been in constant use. I have been working with Law Interpretation Analysts and legal advisors to build a case to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) that A New Way Services INC should receive Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. DGR status means people can give tax deductible donations to support our work.

This has not been easy! Charities that are registered under the subtype "Advancing Religion" almost never get DGR. It is extremely difficult. But the ACNC has looked closely at what we actually do in the community: supporting people who are homeless, visiting people in juvenile detention, visiting people in hospital, working with people in social housing, creating safe spaces for people with disability or high mental distress, and showing up for the most isolated and vulnerable.

Because of that work, the ACNC has agreed that we can be recognised as a Public Benevolent Institution while still remaining a Christian organisation that advances religion.

Our faith is not a side note. It is the reason we do everything! Everything we do is for the glory of God. We believe Jesus meant it when he said that whatever we do for "the least of these", we do for him. We are serious about living that out in public, not only talking about it.

Right now the Australian Taxation Office is finalising its part of the process. Once the admin work is complete, people will be able to claim any donations to A New Way Services INC, made after the 9th of August, on their tax return.

This is a big win for us as a charity. It means we can apply for far more grants, local businesses will be able to support us more easily, and donors themselves will benefit. It is also a beautiful moment for our board and our volunteers. We are grateful that God has given us favour with the ACNC and the ATO, and we are excited for what this unlocks for the people we serve.

Donations & Bequests

As always, we continue to thank everyone who enables this ministry to continue! I pray for sustainability, and that means we need your help. Your input helps achieve the outcomes.

Acc: ANW Donations

BSB: 082-356

Acc No: 915282595

Reference: A New Way

Charity Details

Name: A New Way Services INC

ABN: 94309537864

Director: Lewis Ramsay Jonker

Director Contact: 0458384807

Email: lewis@anewway.org.au

Prayer Requests

• We pray for Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre.

• We need a shipping container so that the business who generously shares our venue, can store more items outside the warehouse. This means that we could have more space in the warehouse to do more good.

• We are praying for a quick turn around with the ATO

• We are praying more and more, that everyone on the Central Coast would experience true connection.

Numbers 6:24

A New Way