Sri Lankan Born Kerrigan La-Brooy Wins Victorian Leadership Award & Attracts Thousands to Gethsemane’s 2019 Clyde Carols by Candlelight
…Pastor Kerrigan La-Brooy has done it again. He was Nominated for the 2019 Victorian Premier’s Champion Award for Leadership and on December 1st he was announced as the Winner. Kerrigan was invited to Government House in Melbourne Victoria and met with the Governor, the Honourable Linda Dessau and other local MPs. Kerrigan felt honoured and humbled to be in the midst of his fellow Awardees and said it felt like ‘iron sharpening iron’. This latest Award adds to the string of existing Accolades he already has – as a Singer Songwriter, Actor, Writer, Producer, Event Planner, Senior Pastor and Charity Founder. Kerrigan’s Accomplishments include, “Best Male Vocal” “Best New Talent” and Topping the Worldwide Mainstream Charts for a record-breaking 14 weeks.
In addition to his numerous awards and accolades for his Music, Kerrigan has led the congregation and community of Gethsemane Church and Charity through to many other awards and nominations in just two years since planting the church and founding the charity. These include:
Volunteer of the Year 2018 and 2019…In fact, Kerrigan and his beautiful wife Michelle were the Reigning Winners for 2019.
Group of the Year 2018 and 2019.
Casey Citizen of the Year 2018 & 2019.
Lindsay King Arts Award Nomination 2018 & 2019.
Holt Australia Day Awards 2018 & 2019.
And Kerrigan was also named Person of the Year 2019 in the Local Star News Press.
Kerrigan is not fazed on winning awards. He appreciates just being Nominated because he doesn’t do what he does for recognition. However, the Victorian Premier’s Leadership Award was of special significance to him because in his role as Senior Pastor the need for Leadership and Shepherding is vital, so naturally he’s stoked.
In his leadership and volunteering role, Kerrigan offers sacrificial dedication and commitment. He works round the clock 24/7 with barely any sleep and little time to eat. He survives on 2 to 3 hours sleep and one meal a day, but he does it joyfully and you’ll never him complain. Those volunteering alongside him respect and admire him.
Kerrigan is an exemplary Leader. He leads by Example. He doesn’t expect anyone to do anything he hasn’t already done or isn’t prepared to do himself. His motto is ‘do as I do’ not ‘do as I say’.
Out of a list of Hundreds of Nominees Kerrigan made the Top Ten and went on to receive his Award on December 1st 2019. Kerrigan was Nominated by his Local Council, the City of Casey. The Victorian Premier’s Volunteer Champions Awards were created to recognize the incredible impact volunteers have across Victoria in building communities, services, and connections. The Leadership Awards entail the Following:
Leaders are the people that bring others together, that set the path, that can identify a way through to solve an issue, improve a service, or connect the dots. They’re the ones that not only create change but bring others on the journey with them. Leaders establish, improve and grow a service, engage others and build teams and connections. Perhaps they’re the person who always says “yes” whenever there’s a call for help, or who has helped with everything from the canteen to the committee.
Or perhaps they’re someone everyone relies on to keep things moving. Or someone who just always shows up and does their best to help. They are people who see a problem or an issue and figure out a way to solve it, not just for themselves, but for everyone in the community. They may have fixed a problem, facilitated a solution, or simply figured out how to deliver change, whether small or large for their organization, sector, or community.
Pastor Kerrigan is a visionary and he has a Vision for Gethsemane that he has not divulged in its entirety because he believes in protecting it against negativity in its fledging stages, until it finds its feet, and he doesn’t want to overwhelm anyone. Only a very few close to his heart have been privy to his Vision in its entirety. Rubbing Shoulders with Governors, Mayors, Councillors, Parliamentarians and people in high places is all well and good…but more importantly, Kerrigan believes in being true to himself and displaying integrity in everything he does and to everyone around him.
How does Kerrigan manage to accomplish all this, with 6 small children of his own to tend for? Well for starters he shelved his career to raise his children. Apart from that he survives on barely 2 hours sleep and 1 meal a day (around midnight). Although those close to him will argue that ‘survives’ isn’t quite the right word – it’s more like ‘thrives’. Kerrigan is thankful for a faithful team around him who believe in his vision and are faithful to their calling.
2019 Clyde Carols by Candlelight
The 2019 Clyde Carols by Candlelight was another enormous success. In only its 3rd year the Event attracted around 5 thousand people. Senior Pastor and Planter of Gethsemane Church as well as Founder and Creator of Gethsemane Charity, Kerrigan La-Brooy, along with Team Gethsemane worked round the clock to ensure everyone had a good time and more importantly to spread the love of Jesus, which is whom Christmas is all about.
There were 14 FREE Raffle Prizes drawn as Giveaways and the 1st Prize in the main Raffle was around $3,000 with the 2nd one coming in at over $1,000. All the children enjoyed Unlimited Free Rides for the duration of the event which ran from 5.30-9.30 pm. The arrival of Santa on a Fire Truck was definitely a highlight along with Ps Kerrigan’s brief Message about the true meaning of Christmas before he sang “When A Child Is Born” backed by the Gethsemane Singers.
The Carols may be over, but the Charitable works of Gethsemane Church & Charity continue. In two weeks, they’ll be presenting their Christmas Miracle where they’re expecting to give over 1 thousand children a brand-new Christmas Gift. To many of these children it will be the only gift they receive for Christmas. This is a personal contribution to the community from Ps Kerrigan and his family – to repay in some small way all the Blessings the Lord has bestowed on him, his wife Michelle and their 6 priceless treasure children, Kerrigan Jr, Heathcliff, Tempest, Xondra, Tennessee and Jerusalem, aged 6,7,8,9,10 & 11.
This is on top of Gethsemane’s 30 thousand budget for the carols. They’re nowhere near meeting their expenses but it doesn’t stop them blessing the community. They’re hopeful that some good Samaritan (or more than one) will find it in their hearts to support their cause. Staunch Christians they were not surprised, nevertheless stoked, to witness ominous clouds in the background during the Carols Event but the Hand of God moved them right past and though it rained beyond them, not a drop fell on the oval.
Hundreds of positive comments keep rolling in. Some read:
Thank you Pastor and wife Michelle and to all of the Gethsemane crew for such a fun day yesterday my kids had so much fun and excited that we won #5 the Lego game God bless you all we cannot wait to join the fun next year.
Clyde North Carols by Gethsemane Church!! Always such an awesome fun night!!
Wonderful night at the Clyde north carols! Thank you Kerrigan La-Brooy for putting on a beautiful event!
The Gethsemane Church- 2019 Clyde Carols by Candlelight – fantastic!
What a gift to the community.
Thank you so much for having me perform in your amazing carols tonight I had so much fun. Congratulations on a wonderful night.
Ps Kerrigan would like to thank the following folk who partnered with them for the 2019 Clyde Carols by Candlelight, making it the 3rd and most successful night in 3 years. In his own words: First and foremost, my precious family; my darling wife and my 6 priceless treasure children. Gethsemane Church and Charity for their commitment and dedication and those who went beyond the call of duty. Our premium sponsor Barry Bourke Berwick and all our other sponsors and donors including Grill’d and Zagames and the Clyde Fire Brigade (more details on the Event Program). The City of Casey. Special Guest the Hon Mr Anthony Byrne. MCs for the night, Cr Damien Rosario and Cr Wayne Smith. Mayor Susan Surey and Cr Rex Flannerly. Cr Amanda Jane Stapledon. All the talented performers, Derrick Junkeer, Elizabeth Skaliaris, Naomi Horsley, Ebony Portelli, Olivia Giannikopoulos, Shannon Arfaras, Melissa Junkeer and the Gethsemane Church Worship Singers, Steph Panza, Gene De Hoon, Suzannah De Hoon, Carin Premkumar & Priya Premkumar. The Press, Radio, Television and Social Media, in particular Ivan Alvis from the Island. Thanks to all our Vendors and to all of YOU, our Community members who came along to celebrate with us and all our faithful and loyal Volunteers who gave of yourselves so sacrificially. And last but certainly most importantly, thank you Jesus Christ our Lord & Saviour who is the Reason for the Season and whom Christmas is all about – thank you for your favour and blessings. Lots of love to all of you from me and mine to you and yours; may you have a Merry Christmas and a Safe, Happy and Healthy New Year. Looking forward to seeing you at the 2020 Clyde Carols by Candlelight and even sooner at the Christmas Miracle in 2 weeks where all your children who registered at the carols will receive a brand-new Christmas Gift because spreading God’s love is what it’s all about.
Senior Pastor, Planter: Gethsemane Church
Founder, Creator: Gethsemane Charity
Person of the Year 2019
City of Casey Volunteer Pair Award Winner 2018
City of Casey Citizen of the Year Nominee 2018 & 2019
Holt Australia Day Award Winners 2018 & 2019
Victorian Premier’s Volunteer Championship Award 2019 in the Leadership Category.
Gethsemane Charity Group Award Nominees 2018 & 2019
Lindsay King Arts Award Nominee 2018 & 2019
Radio Presenter, 97.7 3SER, Casey Radio
Event Organiser, Clyde Carols by Candlelight
kerriganlabrooy@bigpond.com – 0404 875 647
