A Trip to Dubbo

This weekend, Nicky and I are going to Dubbo. Sadly we won’t have time to visit the Zoo because we are packing in a collection of speaking opportunities on Saturday and Sunday to encourage our mission partners at Dubbo Anglican Church. 

You might remember that Andrew Thornhill, the Senior Minister of Dubbo Anglican, visited us earlier in the year. When he was here, we heard of the challenges of ministry in country NSW, including the constant and significant departure of young people for study and work. Generations are missing from the church and the aging population on the land is mirrored in the church. The average age of church members in the Bathurst Diocese is 70 years old and until recently there was almost no youth ministry anywhere. 

But God is on the move. 

Two weekends ago, 32 youth from 6 churches (Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes and Mudgee) gathered together for a youth day. In all seriousness, this would have been impossible 5 years ago, but together with 10 leaders, they heard from the Bible, had discussion groups, played games and ate food. Oh, and they also drank copious amounts of hot chocolate, which if you send your kids on our youth camps, you will know that is par for the course! 

This is just one story but the bigger story is this: churches around the diocese are bursting with life and renewed energy as new clergy and lay people come to serve throughout the Bathurst region. Wonderfully, their vision to be Sharing Jesus for Life is coming to fruition. I often say this at Late Mornings, but if you’re ready to retire, why not consider doing a couple of years of theological study and then going to serve in country ministry? Retire into gospel service rather than golfing futility. 

So what does our partnership look like? Well, we have provided funding so the church could employ a second paid staff member who is focussed on building the next generation. Justin Baker is studying part-time and working part-time focussed on young families, kids church, playgroup and SRE. How exciting is that? 

Our visit this weekend is also an important part of the partnership just as Andrew’s was earlier in the year. We have been able to provide some resources for them to use (including our very cool Colossians cards) and we hope to encourage people from Dubbo to visit us and I want to encourage you to visit the church in Dubbo when you are on holidays. 

But most importantly, let us be people of prayer. In the weekly email, there is always a link at the bottom for the Mission Partner Prayer Points, which includes prayer points for Dubbo. Please pray that God would be at work through the preaching of the gospel. Please pray for hearts that would follow after Jesus. Please pray for more people to come to know Jesus. 

And in the midst of it all, please pray that we may be people with Bathurst-type zeal who Share Life and see people come to know and love Jesus here in Sydney too.