Meet Our Team
Shebu John - Lead Pastor
I’m married to Bek, and together we have three children. I came to Melbourne at age 10 and have called it home ever since. Although I grew up in a Jesus-centred family, I often found myself focused on following rules rather than resting in God’s grace. After a season of walking away from faith, God graciously pursued me through some of my darkest moments, drawing me back to Himself through people and the Gospels. Encountering Jesus afresh set me on a journey that eventually led into full-time ministry.
As Lead Pastor at CGCC, I oversee various ministries including the staff team, Small Groups, preaching, Kingdom Gardeners, and Playgroup. I also serve as part of the Eldership and Committee of Management, with a desire to see every leader grounded in their identity in Christ and living out the gospel in every area of life.
I’m passionate about seeing people across Melbourne know and live for Jesus, and I serve on several committees that encourage gospel collaboration in our city. CGCC truly is my church family, and my prayer echoes Colossians 1:9–14 “that we would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, and bear fruit in every good work.”
John Ramsden - Associate Pastor
I grew up attending a local church in Heathmont and came to faith in Christ at the age of 15 after a Sunday night service in 1972. A few years later, I began my teaching career at Yarra Valley Anglican School, and not long before that, met a wonderful young woman named Flerina Lake at the Belgrave Heights Easter Convention. We married in 1981, and I had the joy of being her husband until her passing in 2020.
After attending Canterbury Gardens for several years, I was invited to serve as an Associate Pastor - a role I have now held for over a decade.
It’s a great blessing that my three adult children, their spouses, and my grandchildren all call CGCC home as well. I’m grateful for the opportunity to journey alongside others as we grow together in faith and in love for Jesus.
Cameron Purse - Associate Pastor
I grew up in a Christian family and understood the gospel from an early age, but at 18, after the passing of my grandfather, I was challenged to consider whether I was truly living for Christ or for myself. That moment sparked a season of seeking God’s direction wherever He might lead.
In 2015, I spent a year serving alongside a church plant in Poland after a short-term mission trip there. That experience deeply shaped me and grew my passion for the local church. During that time, I met my wife Signe, who is from Latvia, and today we’re blessed with two wonderful children.
I now serve as an Associate Pastor at CGCC, where I lead the Young Adults ministry and oversee our Learning Spaces teaching program, creating opportunities for people to deepen their understanding of Scripture, theology, and spiritual formation.
Having recently completed a Master of Theological Studies at Melbourne School of Theology, I’m passionate about seeing people grow in love for God’s Word and in living out their faith in everyday life.
My prayer is that we would continue to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and bring glory to God as we make Jesus known in our community.
Josh Daniel - Youth Pastor
I grew up in a Christian home with parents who genuinely loved and followed Jesus. I always believed in God, but it wasn’t until I grasped that He saw all my sin and brokenness yet still loved me and sent Jesus to rescue me that everything changed. That realisation turned head knowledge into a personal relationship and set me on a path toward vocational ministry.
At CGCC, I lead our youth group, CIA Youth, with a passion to see young people encounter Jesus personally, wrestle honestly with their questions, and discover for themselves that He is worth following.
With the encouragement of my amazing wife Priana, I studied at Ridley College and completed an Advanced Diploma in Ministry. While I hadn’t initially planned to work in youth ministry, God used CGCC to show me that what young people need most isn’t someone trendy—it’s a Saviour. My role is simply to love them and point them to Him.
Our family has been deeply blessed by the warmth and community of CGCC - it truly feels like home. The multigenerational love, the heart for Jesus, and the way people embrace one another as family are things we treasure deeply.
Gillian Brown
EA to the Pastors
Signe Purse
Administration Assistant
Elders
Jesus declared that He is the One who will build His Church. As such, He is the head of the Church, and of all who confesses Him as Lord. At CGCC, the Eldership serves under Christ’s authority, which is why we are an eldership led church. Our Eldership is made up of biblically qualified men who serve as lay leaders alongside our pastoral staff. Their focus is on shepherding, teaching, and providing vision for CGCC.
Mark
John
Shebu
Anthony
Alan
Mike - Chairman
Committee of Management (CoM)
Bri Fitzgerald
Mike Jones
Scott Conway
Trevor Bell
Susan Simon
Vicky Koo
The Committee of Management (CoM) is a behind-the-scenes ministry that plays a vital role in supporting the overall operations, governance, and safety of our church. CoM oversees practical areas like compliance, property, finance and HR ensuring the church runs smoothly and responsibly.
Beyond operations, CoM also helps assess and support strategic outreach opportunities, so that more people in our community can come to know Jesus. While not directly involved in frontline ministry, CoM plays a key role in prayerfully backing initiatives that align with CGCC’s mission and require financial or leadership approval.
By creating a well-run, welcoming environment, CoM helps pave the way for both believers and seekers to grow in faith. By being practical, prayerful, and strategic, this ministry offers a unique perspective on how God is working through every area of church life.
Serving on CoM means being part of a faithful team working behind the scenes to support the church's mission, making it a meaningful and life giving way to contribute.