Communicator Issue 40 Spring 2015

experience the spirit of sharing

Issue 40 - Spring 2015

Ministering in Ghana A Different Kind of Christian Venue Our New Tasmanian Chaplains The Six Ps of Camping Keeping Children Safe Hillview – an Amazing Profile

An ANZAC Story

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An Exciting Journey …

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It wasn’t until the age of 42, when I found myself in a pit I couldn’t dig my way out of, that I surrendered my life to Jesus. I did that at what is now, Lutanda Yarramundi, in the Hawkesbury district of Sydney. So I know firsthand what temporary community is all about and the value of getting away from one’s normal surroundings.

Fast forward to December 2010 (now at the age of 56) – I’d resigned from my job and lived in Uganda for 9 months and was reminding God that I needed a job when I got back home. However, He had everything in hand and I started with CVA in February, 2011. I was not only grateful for the job but also for the fact that, for the first time in my life, there was a kingdom purpose to my livelihood – what a loving God we serve.

So is it any wonder that I’m excited to work at CVA’s National Office? And it’s not only because of how I came to be here – it’s also what CVA does that keeps me excited – and this should keep you excited too!

I know that you all have your own ministries at the site where God has placed you, and that’s really awesome. But sometimes we need to be inspired by a vision for the bigger picture … these are some of the things that does it for me – • We’re trying to get church leaders to recognise and act on the fact that taking congregations away on camps/retreats is a very effective way to minister to their believers and give opportunities for people to make decisions to follow Jesus. If you haven’t read the report we produced in conjunction with McCrindle Research, get a copy and have a read. Go to cv.asn.au/impact

• We’ve just finished Forum15 for the leaders in our camping community and have already started on preparations for Connect16. Feedback always emphasises the benefit, both vocationally and spiritually, of us getting together and sharing both our knowledge and life’s journey with each other.

• Because of God’s financial provision through our CSC Buying Group, we are doing more in Asia than we have for years and will be working in Bangladesh and India before the year is out.

• The Board’s commitment to CVA’s Strategic Intent No. 1 (Developing Transformational Leaders) means that we are funding two young people to the CCI Worldwide Summit in Johannesburg in April 2016. This will provide a big picture vision of camping throughout the world.

So be inspired and get involved in any way you can – mentor a smaller site or ask to be mentored by a larger one, support the MDD’s run in your region, use CSC Buying Group to save money where possible – and be developing the young leaders you’ve identified in your organisation. It’s all exciting stuff, isn’t it!

Greg Tebbutt / CVA Office Manager

Christian Venues Association

EXPERIENCE THE SPIRIT OF SHARING Christian Camping International Australia trading as Christian Venues Association ABN 74 050 611 295 PO Box 5552, South Windsor NSW 2756 Ph: 1800 009 890 or (02) 4587 7155 Fax: (02) 4587 7933 Email: info@christianvenues.org.au Web: www.christianvenues.org.au Please note: The views and opinions expressed by the authors of the articles contained in this publication belong to those authors and are not necessarily the views and opinions of Christian Venues Association

We are proud to announce that the keynote speaker at Connect16 will be Karl Faase Many of you would know Karl from his short “Daily Nudge” spots that are played on many Christian radio stations around Australia.

He is a well-known Australian Christian communicator, media presenter, leader and social commentator. He is the CEO of Olive Tree Media, which produced the award winning “Towards Belief” series used across Australia and internationally.

Karl is in demand as a speaker, with a special interest in encouragement & motivation, leadership, ministry development and communicating to those exploring faith. He is passionate about reclaiming the Christian Gospel as word as well as deed.

He was a pastor for over 20 years.

He is married to Jane & they have 3 married children and, at last count, 3 grandchildren.

July 25-29, 2016 Alexandra Park Conference Centre, Alexandra Headland, QLD

Not your typical Christian Venue

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Backpackers are a strange bunch. They travel the globe seeking to “find themselves”…though I have never seen such a concentrated group so lost in their search. Often their trip to Australia is part of a one-year adventure without mum and dad telling them what to do, and they grasp this newfound freedom with both hands, but no seat belt. This means they are great at having a go at anything and everything - but many times regret, shame and a longing for home is realised sometime during their travels.

They have found themselves, just not in the happy state of mind that they expected from their “freedom”.

However, a young traveller’s willingness to try everything means they are also usually happy to listen to everything they have plenty of time on their hands when they don’t have much money to spend, so are happy chatting away for hours. And it is this reality that has provided a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with those who have time to contemplate life (a rare thing these days).

Matthew 28:19 is where Jesus gives his

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great commission and says “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”. At our youth hostel in Collaroy, we have all the nations coming to stay with us, and not just for one or two nights but for up to 6 months. What a privileged situation we found ourselves in! Plenty of time to carefully discuss the gospel over multiple conversations, invite guests to church and be able to follow up with them once they have returned home. We hopefully find a faithful church for them in their home country too.

After managing Sydney Beachouse since 2005, and taking 2010 off to study a Diploma of Bible and Missions at Moore College, the lease for the hostel I knew so well became available. Though financially it seemed out of reach, God provided the funds for us to operate the 200-bed tourist and group facility from January 2011.

We are not your typical Christian Venue.

In fact, we certainly don’t want to be labelled as such, as we want many nonChristians to come along and hear the gospel.

We don’t have fancy conference facilities, though we do host plenty of

Church (Narrabeen), Pittwater Uniting Church and Northern Beaches Church (Curl Curl), we have had local Christians come in and provide meals, Bibles and conversation to our backpackers. In fact, Northern Beaches Church has recently run a 5-week LIFE course, which is a comfortable evening with a free meal and a look at the Christian World View and claims of the Bible, particularly looking at the historical accuracy of the texts. This has been a really exciting time for our staff and the guests who have come along each week.

We love to host many guests from all over the globe, and encourage Christian groups to stay, particularly if they are intent on evangelism. By making a very affordable getaway for small to medium sized churches and Bible Study Groups, and offering free meeting rooms and discounted accommodation for those less fortunate, we will continue to make the gospel go out to all nations within our hostel, with the help of groups and staff, united in the sure hope of Christ.

If you are interested in our hostel ministry, we’d love to talk to you about it and if you’re a local, to show you around our property.

James Dakin www.sydneybeachouse.com.au james@sydneybeachouse.com.au

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small church conferences each year.

We don’t provide the whole venue to one group, but wish to invite Christian groups to stay with us for their planning meetings, Bible Study weekends away or church house-parties, and mingle with the other guests during meal times, or even invite them to a suitable session of their program.

By exposing people to Christians, the most common response we hear is, “Wow, they just seemed like normal people”, or “they weren’t like those crazy Christians we see in movies”. Even this small interaction with Christians provides a great platform for evangelism. Who listens to crazy people anyway! But genuine and sincere people gain respect and earn the ear of even the staunchest sceptics.

St Matthew’s Anglican Church in West Pymble has just held their Youth Leader’s Weekend with us. They had plenty of sessions for their own members, but as part of their schedule, they included opportunities for evangelism, inviting backpackers to participate in activities they were doing and even put on a free BBQ lunch to share with the guests. This created a great atmosphere in the hostel, and it was fantastic to see the different conversations being shared over a meal.

It is not only groups staying with us that help minister to the guests. Through local churches such at St Faith’s Anglican

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stays. This may make the long-term relational aspect of mission harder, but it’s still possible to live the six Ps and create a community in camping which fulfils a vital role in the body of Christ, there being may aspects to being the head, heart and feet of Christ in a given context. In this article and in the April issue of The qb, I will breakdown the six Ps as they apply to camping.

Practice of the presence – living with courage: In Untamed, Alan and Debra Hirsch gently critique the creation of modern Christian ghettos where ‘too many Christians “hang out” only with other Christians and in environments frequented by Christians,’ as fulfillment of the seditious Steve Taylor song for the 1980s, Guilty by Association, where Christians only ‘drink milk from a Christian cow’. They suggest the ‘missional movement’ of the last decade has made great strides in breaking down church-created barriers to involvement in society, encouraging people to make intentional choices to move out of religious zones and be where people are.

No doubt this edition of The qb will be full of examples of just this.

This article appeared as a two-part series in the February & April editions of The qb magazine and have been gratefully reproduced with the permission of the author.

Christian leadership in the great outdoors The Forge Missional Training Network uses six incarnational discipleship practices called ‘the six Ps’ to help imbed mission into the lives of their interns.

Forge’s approach is tuned towards people living in a community and becoming like Jesus. At QCCC, the majority of our time and ministry focus is given over to catering to 50,000 guests for short term

Creating a Christian enclave is not an option for a modern camping ministry.

Thousands of people visit our sites annually and the majority of these people don’t attend Sunday church. A modern campsite operates across all three mandates of Christian witness, and at all points of the Engel Scale of spiritual maturity. In coming years, QCCC’s presence with guests will be lengthened through the provision of sequential camping programs, prompting school students to visit QCCC several times, and for longer periods.

We have to take our key constituencies seriously, understand their history, stories, heroes, books and music, in order to understand their take on things and help them understand the gospel in

relevant terms (Acts 17:22-33). We cannot take ourselves out of the equation of mission, and such a calling requires us to live compelling lives–with integrity. Michael Frost suggests ‘it requires godly verve, flexibility and energy to be missional’.

Practice of proximity – be a team: If our lives are to be a living example of the hope of the gospel, it requires proximity. If we are to be the incarnation of the Christ-life, we must take seriously the call to live up close and personal with the people God sends to us, understanding his desire is to redeem all things to himself.

We know successful outdoor education is experiential, and it shouldn’t be any different with our incarnation. People need to see Christ in our values, beliefs, and practices, expressed in cultural forms that make sense and convey impact. Leonard Sweet suggests one of the unintended and unfortunate outcomes of the Protestant Reformation is that “Lent beat Carnival to a pulp.

Feasting as a ritual celebration was deemed gluttonous”. The Lord’s Supper

became a metaphor and wakes and wedding more reveries that revelry.

Camping’s strengths are perfectly suited to providing a living example of ‘the Carnival’ through the breathtaking generosity and celebration of Christ’s disciples. We do this through excellence in hospitality and service.

Practice of powerlessness– humility in the midst: Three of the gospels record an incident where parents bring their children to Jesus, only to have the disciples scold the parents for their presumption (Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10: 13-16, Luke 18:1517). Jesus becomes angry with his disciples and urges them to ‘let the children come to me’. Two thousand years later, camping still brings the children to him, especially children from the family contexts most hostile to the things of God, far removed from the influence of institutionalised church.

This is a responsibility which bears daily reminding–the honour to welcome the ‘least of these’ and those furthest away from the Father into a sphere of Christian influence.

Jesus turned this episode into one of his

exercises of experiential education. He took the children into his arms and blessed them after suggesting ‘the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like children’. It was a powerful and provocative example, because children did not enjoy high standing in first century Jewish society, and clearly the disciples who witnessed it didn’t forget. Children pour into our sites with wide-eyed wonder, a constant reminder of the beguiling innocence and a call to the humble lifestyle required to be ‘great’ in the kingdom of God. Many come from backgrounds of extreme brokenness and find their time in our camping communities a restorative and refreshing break. Hirsch suggests ‘the great challenge for us is to recognize that to be weak, needy and even powerless is part of the human condition, not something to be abhorred’. Jesus advocated a way of life in the humblest of terms, as a servant, while Philippians 2:1-15 provides a template for the lifestyle of humility required for a welcoming community, such as ours, to have a positive influence on its guests. We can subvert evil and brokenness through Christlike service.

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Practice of Prevenience – A search for God through all things natural: This year we installed an outdoor movie screen at our Mapleton campus, a popular addition used year-round in sub-tropical Queensland. One of our staff recently described a highly successful approach from the school holiday Mapleton Adventure Camp, run in partnership with Scripture Union, where no limits on ‘proselytising’ exist.

One of the most powerful moments occurred before movies started and the children were encouraged to survey the heavens and see the goodness and majesty of God’s handiwork. If this form of general revelation can have such power amidst a camp where all of our options of proclamation are available, imagine its importance when we’re partnering with secular groups and it’s the only option.

Alan Hirsch comments God doesn’t limit his presence to baptized Christians – he is an unrelenting evangelist. He is always at work in his world. Prevenience is the process of discerning the activity

The six Ps of camping continued

of God in people’s lives and to cooperate with what god is doing to bring about the missio Dei (mission o f God), God’s grand redemptive activity in his world.

We, being commissioned agents of the King, can join with God in the redemption of the world, anywhere, anytime.

In our context General Revelation and environmental advocacy are prime tools to commence evangelical conversation. I recently concluded a meeting with representatives from a large environmental organization which had included the importance of a commitment to conservation in anyone they joint venture with. I pointed to our teaching took, our R1202 Hand, and asked if they’d noticed the green thumb.

As recognition dawned, it was a though scales feel off their ryes, few more words were required. God’s agenda is not just about the provision of personal salvation – it’s about helping this whole world understand his pursuit is the redemption of everything. Wendell Berry summarises Jesus’ commands to his disciples into a command for the world, ‘Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream to unto you’.

Practice of Passion – Taking up our cross The cross stands as the greatest example of generosity in global history. This vivid act of outdoor education reverberates through the ages, altering the course of human history. It’s also a clear object lesson that if we are to follow the example of Christ and take seriously the lost and broken in our world, we too will suffer. Even before his death, Christ urges his followers to take up their cross daily, suggesting those who tried to keep their life would lose it, and those who gave it up for his sake would keep it (Luke 9:23-25).

Hirsch suggests that as disciples we need to ensure we have incorporated a theology of redemptive suffering into our understanding of God. In camping ministry we have daily opportunity to cheerfully bury our own needs and agendas for the sake of others, from the operational – fetching a linen package outside of normal work hours – to big picture stances of ethos – establishing

ourselves in roles of advocacy for environmental and social responsibility, even where those sentiments might be blatantly counter-cultural or unpopular.

Sacrificial living is best exercised within the context and safety of a community where all people are committed to doing likewise. A collection of people who place a priority on your own well-being and “have your back” is probably a taste of what heaven should be anyway.

Practice of Proclamation – Gentleness and Respect: The final P of incarnational living is often the only P present in the approach of a fundamentalist. We can’t take proclamation out of the equation of mission and remain faithful to our calling in the world, but Christendom is littered with examples where those who purport to follow Christ have been highly coercive, unkind, and repeatedly judgmental. Proclamation must be yoked together with the personal witness woven together by the other five Ps. Our lives can’t discredit the very message we seek to deliver.

Peter exhorts Christ’s followers to be ready with an answer for anyone who asks about the hope within and to do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16). It’s the seeker who needs to do the asking, however. Too often

evangelicals enter the public space to shout out answers to questions no one has asked. It’s the first 5 Ps which create the platform for asking and proclamation.

Peter succinctly summarises the 5 Ps earlier in his letter (1 Peter 2:11-17): keep up the good conduct amongst the pagans, praise those who do good (presence), let them observe your good deeds, behave well so you silence foolish and ignorant people, honour all people; love the family (practice), be subject to every human institution, honour the Emperor (powerlessness), live as free people but as slaves of God (passion), reverence God (provenience). This is the life of one called to ministry in camping.

Andrew Grant Director of Queensland Conference and Camping Centres Member of CVA National Board andrew.grant@qccc.com.au www.qccc.com.au

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Ghana, A Land of Vib CSC Buying Group’s Howard Sands spent a week ministering in Ghana in April 2015 From the moment the plane touches down in Accra, Ghana, West Africa, it is clear that although this is a small country (27 million peopel) just marginally smaller in land area than the United Kingdom and is quite obviously still a developing nation, it has something very special - a people of vibrancy, colour and a happy demeanour.

It’s hot and sticky and there are definitely problems, but there are people who welcome you with open arms, they can’t seem to do enough for you & they are glad to have you visit with them.

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I was there to speak at the Apostolic Leadership Summit convened by our ministry, Beautiful Feet Task Force, in conjunction with Global Coalition of Ministers Network. About 123 ministers were gathering from around the country and a few from other African countries, for our first West African conference. My heart was palpating with excitement as I tried frantically to get some internet time in the international terminal to contact our leader in the provincial city of Kumasi, to confirm

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he would be meeting me when I landed on the short 40 minute flight from the capital later that day.

A security person came to help me, took me through two security check points (without being checked), put me on a computer and paid the man a few Cedi’s (local currency approx 2.5 Cedi’s to an Aussie dollar) and I could communicate. He then walked me back through the security checkpoint (again without being checked) and took me to the air conditioned tent where I could await my flight to Kumasi.

The air was filled with expectation as I arrived at Higher Heights Christian Embassy (the host church) and met our ministry leader for Ghana, Bishop Dr Ben Christopher Don. A briefing on the planning and preparations and then off to rest after the three flights from London.

A day out to get a few essentials the next day was both hot, exhausting, exciting and fulfilling as Millicent, my guide and I ventured through the city’s bustling commerce district and markets - they are abuzz with a squillion goods on the street.

The Sunday service was an introduction to a colourfest. The ladies wear an array of dresses of vibrant colour which challenge the eyes of a westerner with their combinations, but these colours really show how they are feeling on the inside, full of joy and life.

A Day Out

Sunday Service

rant Colour & People

SPEAKERS INCLUDED: Bishop Dr Ben Christopher Don (host, leader of Global Coalition of Ministers Network, Ghana national leader for Africa Network BFTF, senior minister Higher Heights Christian Embassy) speaking on Apostolic Authority and Release, bringing a message of servant leadership.

Rev Dr Howard Sands from Australia (international director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, business development manager CSCBG) with messages on building His Kingdom through unity and leading His church in the 21st century.

Dr Anthony Walto from United Arab Emirates brought a prophetic edge to the conference on releasing the gift within us.

Dr Eugene Potokys from Nigeria encouraged us to develop the apostolic ministry of raising leaders within our spheres of influence.

Opening Ceremony

123 Ministers attended the conference, worship was wonderful, teaching was both informative and inspirational, ministers ministered to each other, fellowship was sweet and the message of building HIS kingdom, not our own, was clearly laid out.

Dr Ben had this to say about the conference, “We thank you and the other ministers for the grace and outpouring of simplicity in the word delivery. Your subject and passion for kingdom unity is yielding fruit.” Others said, “This conference was one of the best we have had,” another said it was organized just for him.

You can view a short video here https://www.youtube.com/VideoBFTF BFTF is keen to hold more teaching and inspirational conferences for leaders in different regions of Africa. We are presently working on leadership conferences and outreach crusades for Southern Africa and opening it up for team members to come who want to explore missions, share their passion or come for a ministry experience.

Registration for future mission opportunities can be done via the mailing list at http://eepurl.com/3OcLf On Youtube, Facebook or Google+, search Beautiful Feet Task Force.

Howard Sands with Bishop Don

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We commenced on Monday at 9am with the opening ceremony which included worship to our Lord and Saviour, led by various song leaders in the participating delegates’ native African languages. It included the entry and parading of the flags of represented countries plus drama, choir and worship presentations.

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ANZAC Cove – An Experience to Remember …

On April 20 this year, I set out on an adventure.

After 37 hours from take off to landing and just two hours sleep, I arrived in Izmir, Turkey.

First stop was the ruins of Efes or Ephesus as we know it. The Coliseum at Ephesus was amazing!

Walking the main street was incredible, but this was not the main purpose of my trip to Turkey. I was blessed to be selected out of a ballot to attend the 100th Anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli, so we headed to ANZAC Cove, arriving just after midnight. The ocean was lit up with underwater lights and as I turned to see the cliffs, they were pitch black. It was just like it was 100 years before. Throughout the night an array of documentaries were played, showing the different parts of the campaign - this set the scene for what lay ahead of us.

At around 3am, the cliffs were lit up. WOW, they were on top of us and they were imposing. Then in the blink of an eye they went black again. This got me thinking of the landing and what the soldiers experienced once they hit the shore - the shock of the cliffs they faced. My emotions started to kick in.

The reflective service started and helped focus the crowd for the Dawn Service. Standing there knowing what took place 100 years before, the sacrifice, courage and bravery deeply moved me.

The dawn service started with the sound of the lapping waves on the shore of ANZAC Cove, this was haunting. With this happening throughout the service, you naturally looked out to sea, to where the soldiers had come from. We could just start to see the faint outline of the cliffs, they are so close, as if to stand over the crowd. With anthems played, Prime Ministers spoken and stories shared, the service finished with a procession of Navy ships.

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After the service, we visited the Kabatepe Ari Burnu Beach Memorial. There stands a stone monolith at the south of Ari Burnu Cemetery beside the Aegean Sea. Inscribed in English are the famous words Mustafa Kemal Ataturk delivered in 1934 to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields:

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Those heroes that shed their blood And lost their lives...

You are now lying in the soil of a friendly Country.

Therefore rest in peace.

There is no difference between the Johnnies And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side Here in this country of ours...

You, the mothers, Who sent their sons from far away countries Wipe away your tears, Your sons are now lying in our bosom And are in peace After having lost their lives on this land They have become our sons as well trenches were still there, dusty and lined with barbed wire. Standing in a place where so much courage, bravery and sacrifice had taken place, I could only imagine the sights and smells of this small battleground that had taken so many lives.

We experienced a hand of friendship throughout our time in Turkey. As soon as they knew we were Australians, we were hugged and called Brothers.

We made our way up Artillery Road, a winding 3km walk, steep in some parts. Every 25m, there was a Turkish soldier standing in the bush. Most people just walked past them trying to just get up the hill. I wanted to say hi and to thank them for being there protecting us - how 100 years can change the way nations think. Using the little Turkish we had learnt, we said hi and thanks to each soldier we encountered.

Turkey is a great place to visit and I look forward to going back. A rich place of culture, fine food and treats and a people that I found to be much like Australians, hard working, honest and fun loving.

Although, if you are wanting a true adventure in Turkey, something to get the blood pumping, you need to get a taxi from the airport - with no handles in the car to hold onto, I found it hard to stay upright when going around corners at 140 km/h in a 30km zone - the 28 minute trip only took 14.

Shannon Moir The Tops Conference Centre, Sydney

The next day we returned to Gallipoli and ANZAC Cove for a battlefields tour. Seeing how steep the incline was from the beach at the first landing zone sent a chill up my spine. Our tour guide would tell of the account of some of the battles fought. Hearing both sides of the stories was amazing. Men on both sides would say, “Why are we here, they are just like me, what have they done to be our enemy”.

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We made our way to Lone Pine. Seeing how small the area is, I was amazed at what was achieved here. We had time to sit and reflect on the Gallipoli campaign. I understood where some of our nation’s characteristics come from - mateship being one of them.

When we reached Chunuk Bair, I could see the Dardanelles. This was the mission for the campaign, to control this waterway by having the high point. The only ANZACs to see the Dardanelles were the New Zealanders. I looked out to see a glimpse of this water for myself. Seeing the distance from the landing site at ANZAC Cove to Chunuk Bair was just 3.5km, the weight of loss on both sides was overwhelming with over half a million casualties during the campaign.

We reached the Nek and that was heart breaking. The Nek was only 27m long and 80m wide. The old

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God is Faithful – A Testimony!

Before anything can be said of Hillview Bible Studies, this unequivocal testimony must be given, “God is faithful”. From first to last, our experience has proved Him to be true to His word and absolutely dependable.

1 Kings 17: 10-16 quite fittingly illustrates our experience when, in March 1991 with a debit bank balance of $20,614, we committed our future to the Lord, believing that a camp type ministry of some sort was His direction for us. Since then we have not had a doubt and God has more than met every need, without any financial request of anyone and without charge to any camper.

maintain the farm, which was totally unable to meet our young family’s needs.

This meant obtaining work and a house in Lismore (125 km distant), returning to the farm on Saturdays to a mountain of hard work under almost pioneering conditions.

God’s answer

The turning point was the result of our son John’s 21st birthday celebrations in Dec 1990. Unusually, they extended over 10 days and included two hours of Bible teaching and discussion for five days and a two-day bushwalk with over 100 young people participating.

ay A View Tod

flatly refused) and the services of a builder and some voluntary labour, the farmhouse was virtually rebuilt to include six bedrooms, two lounge areas, four toilets, five showers, a semi-commercial kitchen and a 3.7m wide L shaped verandah to serve as a meeting/dining area.

The Camps

The first camp was held in September 1991 and since then there have been four regular camps annually; two 5-day Family Camps at Christmas and Easter (100-200 campers each) and two 4-day teenage Outreach Camps (40-80 campers each). Most long weekends are utilized and we also host some 1day events.

A New Building

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Background

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The property “Hillview” dates back to 1911 when Noelene’s father, Hugh McKee, as a single 21 year old from the goldfields of the Illawarra (SE of Sydney) selected 305 ha of virgin land on remote Duck Creek, Old Bonalbo in NE NSW. The poor soil and rugged terrain meant that a small family saw mill supplement a small dairy to provide his family’s livelihood. However, by the time Noelene and I married in 1968, there was a responsibility to care for her then aged father and

Despite the ultra-primitive conditions, their behavior was exemplary.

However, it was their obvious spiritual hunger and responsiveness that convinced us of the need for this kind of Christian fellowship and the opportunity for outreach into nonChristian homes. It left no room for doubt - this was God’s answer to our years of questioning, heartsearching, hard work and frugality.

So, in mid-March 1991, with a six month resignation from work, a $30,000 superannuation cheque, a $95,000 personal loan (the banks

Arrives

Initial accommodation was very primitive – four large tents and the open verandah or BYO tents and caravans. Within two years a cheap 3m x 12m transportable building was purchased as a short-term accommodation solution and we have bought three more. A further three have been donated and delivered without charge.

By 2009, anonymous gifts and voluntary labour enabled the construction of a 20m x 10m building as a meeting hall and games room.

The final addition to date was the gift

in 2011 of a 24m x 12m relocatable building from a Christian college in Ballina, delivered without charge by a Christian transport firm.

Anonymously donated funds are on hand for a soon-to-be constructed 15m x 8m workshop/storage building and finally, as far as planning is concerned, a much needed amenities block, commercial kitchen and dining hall are on the drawing board.

Reflection

Looking back, we can only marvel at God’s grace and His willingness to use such less-than-ordinary clay vessels. He has blessed us beyond our wildest expectations.

We thank God that many have come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and have grown in their knowledge of and love for Him. Many have been restored, challenged and

What a debt we owe to the many who have prayed, given, helped and encouraged over the years.

This is especially so of our family of five and their spouses and now, our 18 grandchildren. Please pray for continued unity and a willing and whole-hearted serving together.

Having begun with no knowledge or experience of the camping scene either Christian or secular and being answerable only to the Lord, we were neither driven nor impeded by cultural or other expectations. This has resulted in a

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Teaching in Marquees

a Workout

strengthened in their faith and encouraged in their Christian walk.

Then there are those who have come and gone, whose lives don’t seem to have been much affected and some seem to have positively rejected Him. However, we choose not to do God’s accounting work. To simply serve is enough for us – and what a privilege!

An area of real need and one in which we have substantially failed is that of “follow-up”. We make excuses of our workload but please pray that we or someone else will be empowered and respond to this call.

distinctive family atmosphere characterising all camps.

The Future

As we don’t know the future, we have no plans. We trust that the freedom with which we began will characterise the future and we expect His guidance for change or new directions.

We are aware of various specialised areas of need, such as personal training, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and various other uses to which the facility could be put but at present are satisfied with what the

Lord has given us to do and the physical well-being with which to do it, even though now in our 70’s.

Maybe the next change will be from the transience of an earthly campsite to the permanence of a heavenly home. To God be the glory!

Athol & Noelene Young

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ah Gets Our Verand

Faithful Volunte ers

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Child Protection: Not just a Policy, but a Mindset.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse has shone a spotlight on Christians (in name, anyway) behaving badly. Too many children were abused sexually, physically and/or emotionally, by adults in positions of power and trust.

These children are now living lives damaged and distorted by their traumatic experiences.

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Not all of this misbehaviour occurred in the dim, dark past; we are hearing of such breaches of trust right up to the present day. Therefore, Christian camps and organisations working with children must be clear and detailed in policy, procedure

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Since my appointment as National Development Officer for CVA in June, my main focus has been investigating the legal obligations surrounding child protection. I am asking the question, “What do CVA members need to have front of mind if we as a group are to demonstrate our absolute commitment to caring for the children and young people who visit our sites, to safeguard them, in fact, from harm that could be done to them by our employees in the exercise of their duties or other visiting adults?”

What has changed in the last 15 years?

Many of the leaders of CVA member organisations began their work in the late 20th Century. We are now fifteen years into the 21st century, and the rate of change is accelerating.

It is hard to keep up and to prioritise what must change from what is optional. Some major change drivers that all of you will

be aware of include:

Compliance. The sheer volume of legislation is huge and the level of scrutiny around compliance with a plethora of laws and standards is increasing all the time.

Accreditation and accountability.

Accreditation as a ‘safe’ or ‘green’ organisation is not something you can ignore. It will determine your clientele options. However, with accreditation comes higher levels of accountability.

Allergies. The percentage of children suffering from a range of allergies with reactions from mild to anaphylactic increases every year, adding to the risk factors on camps.

Community aversion to risk.

There is a general anxiety about risk, especially risk to children from all kinds of injury or abuse.

This affects children getting outdoors and being active and learning to manage risk in their daily lives.

I could go on, but the obvious point of this article is that child protection is flavouring all of these drivers of change at the moment. So what does this mean for you?

Every venue must have a strategy for the protection of children & youth. This must include a child protection policy & a code of conduct. To this end and as a benefit of your membership of CVA, I am developing templates that will have the approval of external agencies that you can adapt for your organisation.

Policy should be concise and be the ethos behind operation.

Standard Operating Procedures will reflect policy and ensure that theory translates into practice. A policy in a folder on a shelf in the

office is a useless waste of paper, unless it flavours the way you do everything. Employees must be familiar with SOP’s.

Staff need to be screened, regularly trained, briefed and monitored. You now need to track the ‘status’ of every employee, volunteer and contractor on your site. Do you have appropriate & current Police and/or Working with Children checks? When do these expire?

How do you induct new staff?

How do observe and monitor performance?

One of the key aims of the ChildSafe workshops CVA have conducted around the country is to promote the Safety Management Online (SMO) system that provides a program for managing all this data.

You must have an Incident Reporting process in place. There are requirements in place in the various states & the latest laws (in Victoria, at least) make it a crime for anyone to fail to report a child safety concern. You can encourage your team to keep an eye on one another, to encourage clear boundaries and safe practices, but also to be observant of the supervising adults who come with visiting groups. Reporting can be inhouse or to authorities.

So in conclusion, the culture of your ministry must reflect awareness of the law, community perceptions and the practical issues surrounding child safety, especially when it comes to abuse of any kind. CVA can help you if you feel overwhelmed by this, or would like assistance to ensure you are compliant.

Stephen Leslie National Development Officer

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and practice. This is not a box to tick to gain accreditation. It is a priority if we are to live blameless lives, lives that express the light, love, justice and purity of Christ.

It is not just the reputation of churches and para-church organisations that has suffered in recent years, it is the Name of Christ that has been dishonoured. As we learned at Leaders Forum15 recently, the stench of sexual misbehaviour and the perceived hypocrisy of it, is cited as one of the main reasons for many people rejecting the message of the church, the gospel of forgiveness and grace. Indeed, the Gospel has been dis-graced! Christian ministry is no longer widely esteemed and trusted.

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Our New Chap l Kathy and

Tatachilla

Tatachilla dorms

Mt Ainslie lookout Canberra

Hobart

Greenhills

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Going Pink at Tatachilla

We met at a Lutheran Church function in 1991, and God said to Kathy, “there he is, the man who will lead you to me” - and so it was. Kathy was baptised in 1993, and we were married in 1994, beginning our journey together and with God. At that time, Kathy was administration manager and accountant for a group of regional newspapers, and Stephen was head chef at a restaurant in Port Lincoln, SA. Our association with CVA began in 2003 when God told us unequivocally to take up management positions at Tatachilla Camp and Retreat Centre in McLaren Vale, a Lutheran Church site just out of Adelaide.

Tatachilla was one of those places where you just knew that God was in the building. We were blessed to oversee substantial growth and to see ministry and teaching set up on site. We were commissioned as layworkers and Kathy completed her theological studies.

By 2008, our Board was talking about renovations and expansion, but engineers estimated massive costs to make the century old buildings compliant - so instead, the site was closed and sold. This was a very sad time when Laurie & Rohna Venables, CVA’s Chaplains for SA, were a huge support. As things were being wound up, they were regular visitors, praying with staff and offering words of comfort.

Fast forward to 2012 - we had been managing Greenhills Centre, a Uniting Church site just out of Canberra, for nearly two years. One bitter, wintry day we decided to drive up to the snow at Thredbo, stopping by a lovely stream to spend time in prayer.

We both thought of Laurie Venables and asked if CVA chaplaincy was a road that God wanted us to travel, and felt that it was.

Stephen Schlenk The following week we had a meal with Errol and Dot Woodbury, the ACT/NSW Chaplains, to see what was involved. They were most encouraging and so we then had a conversation with Ken Pullen. Several criteria needed to be met, so Kathy tied her qualifications together and was accredited with Australian Christian Churches – we had been members of a Pentecostal church since 2010, running their prayer ministry – and then we simply shelved the idea for God’s timing, along with a recurring notion of Tasmania which had been on our minds since 2009.

In 2013, we were considering whether or not to renew our contracts at Greenhills Centre and again Tasmania popped up in prayer. We mentioned this to our prayer team and one of our members asked why we didn’t just go over there to see if we could discern what it was all about. Now why hadn’t we thought of that?

So we went over on recognisance in October, and had the firm conviction that God did indeed want us in Tasmania. Upon our return, we did some serious

research, but nothing right came up as far as employment was concerned.

In February 2014, a sermon at our church was about taking a leap of faith when your heart had a conviction that God required something of you. We asked God if that was it – if He wanted us to take a leap of faith. He did. So, with considerable trepidation, we resigned on that Monday, packed up and sailed to Hobart on 23rd April, moving into our home the next day.

We had expected to take a few months off to regroup, but God had obviously planned for us to take a year off – to the day! On 23rd April, 2015, Kathy won a part-time job with Scripture Union as Chaplaincy Support Officer, overseeing chaplaincy in 19 schools in and around Hobart. The next day, we received a call from Ken Pullen asking if we were still interested in chaplaincy for CVA. Doesn’t God’s attention to detail make your hair stand on end?

That year off not only made us so aware and thankful for God’s provision and gave us an appreciation for our ‘white knuckle’ ride, but also gave us the

opportunity to volunteer at our church, where we are now elders and lead the Pastoral Care team. Kathy has been able to work with Rachel’s Vineyard, facilitating women’s retreats, and Stephen is involved in men’s ministry through Directions. It has been a time of handing everything over to God, and trusting in His plan. We have also come to truly love Tasmania – it is Kathy’s ancestral home and we have had the time and opportunity to revisit her old haunts and explore.

Sadly, we have no children and so we have borrowed everyone else’s – campers, nieces and nephews, youth groups and sponsored kids in Africa and India. All of our family are in Adelaide, so it was certainly glad tidings when we saw that our first official function, Leaders Forum15, was being held at Nunyara. We are looking forward to being part of the CVA family again and to supporting and encouraging the Tassie members.

It feels like we have come home!

Kathy & Stephen

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ains in Tasmania

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the LAST word

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….by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony

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(Rev 12:11) I think it was author Bruce Wilkinson who wondered why God didn’t just write His good news across the sky, or have angels knock on every door to proclaim it. Instead He chose to give that commission to us – Jesus instructed the twelve, ‘therefore go and make disciples of all nations’ (Mat 28:19).

Fancy God delivering such important work into our hands! The furthering of His kingdom was given into the hands of people who had turned from Him, been manifestly disobedient and had treated each other very poorly. What unfounded confidence He seemed to have in us, that we would turn back from our fallen, sinful ways and not only live in faith and righteousness, but also share this amazing truth and treasure with others.

This appears to be a vital component of the new covenant where God promises, ‘I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’ (Heb 8:10). In Luke 4, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61, saying, ‘the Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news’. Isaiah goes on to say in the same chapter, ‘and you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God’.

So how can we live out this commission?

For some, the picture of an evangelist waving a Bible on a street corner comes to mind, and they cringe. No, it is far simpler

than that. When we have God’s laws inscribed upon our hearts and minds, and we know that He is our God and we are His beloved children, the word of our testimony is sufficient. Look at the woman at the well in John 4 – she was an outcast, yet her testimony brought an entire town out to seek Jesus.

She had experienced the love and grace of Jesus, and she knew that although He was aware of all of her sins, He showed her mercy. He valued her and forgave her, offering her redemption. That joy, shining in her face, was sufficient to sway a town full of people who no doubt had a rather low opinion of her. They believed her conviction and certainty, and her testimony touched their hearts.

And so it can be with us – others will want to meet the Jesus who has given us such good news, who has showered us with such grace and mercy, and who fills our hearts with such joy. Others will see in us something wonderful and they will want to have that for themselves. Jesus, ‘the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross’ (Heb 12:2), set us the ultimate example. We don’t have to make the sacrifice He did – He did that on our behalf – but we can share the good news and we can share our testimony. We can tell others about the God who inhabits our hearts.

Kathy Schlenk, Tasmanian chaplain