Ashgrove Community Care, (ACC) was formed as an initiative of Ashgrove Baptist Church in 2014.
Today, ACC delivers various services, programs and support services that nurture holistic well-being.
We’re here to walk alongside individuals and families, equipping them with tools to thrive.
The vision for the Centre began after Pastor (now Rev) Lorrie Pfeffer attended a Careforce (now Lifekeys) Seminar in Melbourne in 2011. She was also greatly inspired by the successful counselling program of Gateway Baptist Church in Mackenzie in outer Brisbane.
Lorrie Pfeffer
ACC Counselling Centre was founded with a heart for community care and support.
Ashgrove Baptist Church (ABC) owned a residential house on church property in Waterworks Road in The Gap which was suitable for development as a counselling centre and the hub of ACC.
With the support of the ABC Elders and the Senior Pastor at that time (Rev Tim Sweetman), the building was renovated to create a welcoming and functional space for counselling and other services.
Pastor Lorrie Pfeffer served as the founding Director of ACC and was soon joined by two additional counsellors. Professional counselling and supervision services were then offered to clients from across Brisbane and throughout Australia via telephone and on-line.
ACC has also regularly run a range of Lifekeys (formerly Careforce) courses, including:
Woman to Woman
Man to Man
Divorce Recovery
These courses have supported individuals, couples and families through key life experiences, transitions and challenges.
Generous financial support from ABC members and attendees, has been instrumental in supporting the mission and vision of ACC. Donations raised through the tax-deductible annual appeal held in June each year have enabled concessional and discounted services to be offered to support clients with financial needs.
The leadership of ACC has transitioned to the ACC Council and Co-ordinator to ensure the long-term development and sustainability of ACC, as Rev. Lorrie Pfeffer approaches retirement. The leadership transition will create opportunities for new initiatives and expansion of community care services.
ACC Council
The ACC Council (ACCC) was established in 2023 to oversee the ongoing operations, activities, finances and facilities of ACC.
The Council functions according to its Charter and reports directly to the Elders of Ashgrove Baptist Church.
Peter Bickerton
Chair
Retired Architect
Sheba Daniel
Co-ordinator ACC
Nicole Thorlton
Secondary Teacher
ABC Elder
John Savery
Retired Engineer
Rev. David Blunden
Previous Senior Pastor (ABC)
Consultants to ACCC
Ashgrove Community Care Council values the expertise of its consultants who bring specialised knowledge and experience across a range of fields. Each consultant has been carefully selected to support and strengthen the mission and operations of ACC.
Paul Beckmann
Financial Consultant
Simon Benjamin
Independant Consultant, Blue Skies Consulting
Paul Beckmann
Financial Consultant
Paul has a background working in the finance industry and assisting various charitable organisations in matters of financial governance and funding. He is keen to help Ashgrove Community Care to operate efficiently and to be well-resourced to provide affordable professional services to its diverse clients.
Simon Benjamin
Independant Consultant, Blue Skies Consulting
"It has been a privilege to work with Ashgrove Community Care and assist in navigating the next part of its development to meet the needs of the local community. I enjoy working with organisations whose heart and soul are set on benefiting the community in all that they do, which is why I enjoy working with them."
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ACC Co-ordinator
Sheba Daniel
MBA. B.Com, Dip Comm Services, Post Grad Cert in Trauma Informed Counselling
Sheba was welcomed as the Co-ordinator of Ashgrove Community Care in June 2024. Sheba believes the way we understand ourselves—and the narratives we form about our lives, are rooted in our underlying beliefs. She sees professional counselling not just as support, but as a transformative tool to gently unpack those beliefs in a safe and supportive environment.
As Co-ordinator, Sheba is excited to be at the helm of delivering a strategy for ACC that looks beyond the current service offerings and to introduce additional professional and quality services that will benefit the community. Over the coming years, ACC will strive to create a sustainable model for service delivery in the local community.
She has qualifications and experience in business, commerce, community services (case management) and counselling.
Sheba is particularly interested in understanding and human responses to trauma and supporting those who have experienced trauma.
She is also a mum to two primary-aged children and in her spare time enjoys exploring Christian apologetics, travelling and finding good tunes to unwind to.
Finances
ACC activities are funded by fees paid for services, grants, endowments, tax-deductible donations from ABC members and attendees.
The expanded services initiated in 2023 have been assisted in development by a three year seed funding grant provided by Carinity (a Community Care Division of Queensland Baptists) and a very generous matching donation from an ABC member.