CRUview Summer 2020: The Future Edition

Upcoming Events

CRU® Women’s Fellowship

Date: Monday, 17 February 2020

Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm

Enjoy lunch, prayer and fellowship with an inspiring group of ladies who faithfully meet to pray for the work of CRU twice a year. For more information or to indicate your interest in coming along, call Philippa McCredie on (02) 9874 9833 (opt 4) or email philippa.mccredie@crusaders.edu.au

CRU® Business Lunch

Date: Friday, 13 March 2020

Location: The Strangers’ Room, NSW Parliament House

Catch up with friends, network with colleagues and hear about what God is doing in schools and on camps through CRU. There will also be an opportunity to support this vital kingdom work among young people. For more information, call Matilda Slade on (02) 9874 9833 (opt 4) or visit www.crusaders.edu.au/cbl2020

CRU® VOLT Autumn

Date: Saturday, 4 April 2020

Location: 9:00am - 1:00pm

A training event for CRU Holiday Camp volunteers including encouragement from the Bible, practical training and seminars. For more information, email cruleaders@crusaders.edu.au

Save the date! CRU VOLT Winter – 30 May 2020

CRU® Teachers’ Conference

Date: Friday, 15 May 2020

Location: St Anne’s Anglican Church, Ryde

CRU's conference for teachers and chaplains to network, be further equipped and spurred on in their vital school ministries. Hear from fantastic speakers, take part in collaborative think tanks, and be inspired by practical workshops. For more information and to register, visit www.cruteachers.edu.au

NEW! Join us for a Pre-Conference Dinner on 14 May 2020. Spaces are limited.

The new LAKE MAC Grand Opening and Service of Dedication

Date: Saturday, 22 August 2020

Location: CRU Lake Mac, Balcolyn

Save the date! Come and celebrate the completion of Stage 1 of the Lake Mac campsite redevelopment! Watch this space for more details.

The Big Picture

The Future Edition

“Death and taxes,” they say. Quoting 18th Century writers, “death and taxes” are said to be the only things that are certain for the future.

Yet Christians trust in the authority of the One from Eternity who spoke of the certainty of something more. His death was imminent, but Jesus pointed His disciples to a reality beyond death. He spoke of His resurrection, of the coming of the Holy Spirit, of the gospel being spread throughout the world, and of His return (Luke 24:45-49). Trouble will come, but this cannot cancel the promise of eternal life (John 16:33). This was echoed by the New Testament writers: examples include Paul in I Corinthians 15; Peter in I Peter 1:3-9; and John in Revelation 21 and 22.

is clear – one can be distracted and tempted to think our thoughts, words and actions don’t matter, but if we recognise our status before God, our identity in Him, we will behave differently.

Yet Christians trust in the authority of the One from Eternity who spoke of the certainty of something more.

At the same time, we don’t know the date of Jesus’ return, and don’t know whether we will be still alive when it happens. The list of things we don’t know – about our health, living arrangements, relations with others, or geographical location – is massive. Yet while this is a long list, it is completely outweighed by the certainties promised by Jesus, including the victory over sin and death that is found in Him alone.

In particular, the Bible teaches that the certainty of Jesus’ future return should shape our behaviour. Paul’s writing in I Thessalonians 4 and 5 interleaves instructions about behaviour with teaching about Jesus’ return and repeats the theme “Therefore encourage each other with these words” (4:18 and 5:11). We are described as those who are meant for, belong to, and have been set aside for “the day”. The message

As we celebrate CRU’s 90th anniversary, let us be spurred on by these words, “Therefore… stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)

Remember: the “U” in our CRU® logo is shaped like a U-turn sign, with an arrow extending upwards to signify our desire to point people to Jesus in all that we do.

Pictured: Gary Hill, Executive Director

Strategic PlanO CRU's

CRU’s new Strategic Plan “Equipping a new generation” has now been completed, outlining plans for ministry growth between 2020 and 2024. In doing so, CRU’s Board and staff have sought to build on the foundation which has been laid in recent years.

“We seek God’s direction as we plan,” commented CRU’s Executive Director, Gary Hill, “knowing that our knowledge is imperfect, but seeking to be responsible stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us.”

Planning involves prayer, conversation, review of trends, consideration of broader culture and attempts to look ahead. It’s recognised that we don’t have all the answers, and that God may indeed guide us into different directions as we step forward, yet it is appropriate to use the abilities, resources and gifts that we have to seek to set a path. “We walk forward, continuing to be open to His leading.”

The next five years is centred on the completion of the first stage of the Lake Macquarie redevelopment, adding 260 new beds to the site, plus meeting and

dining rooms and new activities. This work will provide a platform for expanding our CRU® Educational Camps program in particular. “We want to reach an extra 20,000 kids each year at the new Lake Mac once it is fully completed,” noted Gary. “By the end of 2024 we expect to be well on track for this, with around 14,000 additional campers on site each year by then.”

We seek God’s direction as we plan… knowing that our knowledge is imperfect, but seeking to be responsible stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us.

Our Educational Camps are expected to be the largest growth area between 2020 and 2024 with CRU West being the next biggest, as we seek to water the seeds which have been planted in Perth. Incremental growth is anticipated in CRU Holiday Camps or Day Camps in this period, but not a major uplift as we

focus on developing the Lake Mac operation and on reducing debt levels linked to borrowings for the site’s construction. Similarly we will be seeking to consolidate rather than grow the number of schools supported on the east coast. Investment in CRU’s workers – both regular staff and volunteers – is identified as critical for future growth in all areas.

As CRU’s Board and senior staff planned and prayed together, we reflected on some key indicators from recent years. Praise God that, even while we focused resources on rebuilding Lake Mac, we have seen the number of schools supported increase from 187 to 210 in the last five years; the number attending CRU® Holiday Camps annually increase from 3,149 to 3,322 (5.5%); and the number attending CRU Educational Camps grow by 14%. On top of this, Day Camps which commenced in 2013 now involves almost 800 campers each year; and CRU West is now engaged with 18 schools and seeing close to 100 campers attend holiday camps.

Praise God! In the last five years...

Our Schools Ministry team has supported an additional 23 schools.

An additional 173 campers are attending CRU Holiday Camps and hearing the gospel each year.

The number of campers attending CRU Educational Camps has grown by 14%.

Almost 800 campers attend Christian Discovery sessions each year at Day Camps.

Copies of the “Equipping a new generation” will be available for your information and prayer in both print and digital formats. Please email info@crusaders.edu.au to request your copy.

Pictured: Sailing at CRU Lake Mac

trusting GodO Foundations for a future

Over the past 90 years, many young people have been brought to faith in Jesus through CRU® Groups, camps and other ministries. Many of those young people, now grown, look back on their CRU experiences as children and teenagers and recognise just how important they were in shaping their faith.

One such person is Sue Hume, a former student at Queenwood School for Girls. Sue grew up in a nominally Christian family, but as was the case for so many in the 1950s, Christian faith was cultural rather than a relationship with God.

“I’d asked my mum some questions, but she couldn’t answer them,” Sue remembers.

Thankfully, God chose to reveal Himself to Sue, beginning when she was in Year 5.

“I had a Christian teacher, and she told our class that there was going to be a Christian camp held at Bowral. I went along. Really, what the camp did was introduce me to the idea that you could read the Bible. I came back from camp and I said to my mum, ‘I’m going to read my Bible every day!’ And she said, ‘Well we’ll see how long that lasts.’”

Now, 60 years later, Sue is pleased to say that the habit has endured and her conversation is peppered with Bible references, demonstrating her strong knowledge of the Word.

But it took a little longer after that first camp for Sue to really understand what she was reading.

When Sue moved up to the senior campus of Queenwood, a friend asked her to go along to the CRU® Group meeting on Thursday. The group at Queenwood at that time was led by Robyn Claydon (then Robyn Hicken), who taught English and Latin.

“I went along, and Miss Hicken gave a clear presentation of the gospel at my first meeting. She said that there were two ways in life, and that because of our sin we were all on the way that led ultimately to God's judgement. She said that if we believed in Jesus,

Sue continued going to the CRU Group every week, and really enjoyed it. “There was variety! There were talks, there were panels, there was an attempt at showing films… the way that the gospel truths were presented was creative and engaging.”

The year was 1959, and the CRU Group at Queenwood was experiencing enormous growth as it was the year of the Billy Graham Crusades in Sydney. Sue was one of 200 girls attending the group that year.

For someone who didn’t come from a churchgoing family, Sue’s CRU Group became important to her because it was easy to get to and easy to invite friends to. “When I became a Christian, my parents let me go to fellowship at a church but that was two buses or a 40 minute walk! The CRU Group was easier to attend as I just took my sandwiches to the hall at lunchtime.”

that He’d died on the cross, then we could know that Christ had taken our punishment and that we could become children of God. And I decided, well that’s what I want to do. I want to follow Jesus,” Sue remembers. Following her decision, Sue and her friend approached Miss Hicken to share the exciting commitment she'd just made.

Later, while reading over the notebook that she’d kept alongside her daily Bible reading, Sue realised that she’d already accepted Jesus. “But I didn’t know the significance,” she explains. “It’s like a human birth, because the baby doesn’t know the significance of the day that they’re born! It was at that first CRU Group meeting that I understood the significance of following Jesus."

It also became a place where she developed leadership skills.

“Students were encouraged to be involved and discover their gifts. Fairly early on I was asked to speak at the group, and I really enjoyed doing that.”

Following school, Sue was able to use the gifts and skills she initially honed in the CRU Group as a teacher, then working for the Navigators in Australia and New Zealand, and finally as a volunteer teaching English in Central Asia.

Sue’s life has had its challenges. “I didn’t get married until I was 43. I watched a lot of my friends getting married, and I wanted to be married, but I didn’t want

CRU can be a safe place where they can learn truths that are secure.

to marry someone who I couldn’t respect and someone who wasn’t walking with Jesus. So, I thought I’d rather be single,” Sue shares.

More recently, Sue has battled breast cancer and she and her husband, Syd, have encountered many other medical issues on top of the cancer.

But through it all, Sue has been able to trust God –which she identifies as the most important thing she learned to do in her CRU® Group, more important than the leadership skills she gained. Even when she was so young, Sue learned that God is in control and can be trusted and relied on in all circumstances.

Around Australia, CRU Groups, like the one Sue joined at Queenwood, are helping young people come to

know Jesus, and build strong foundations so that they can keep trusting God for their whole lives.

Sue recognises that these days, many young people are seeking something to trust. “Dysfunctional family relationships mean that they have a lot more to cope with. There’s probably a lot more pain, a lot more unresolved conflict in their lives, the baggage of confusion.”

But CRU can be a safe place where they can learn truths that are secure. If young people can learn the truths that God is good, that God loves us, that God is just and God is sovereign, that will give them a foundation for whatever they do and whatever happens to them.”

Pictured: Sue and Syd Hume

If young people can learn the truths that God is good, that God loves us, that God is just and God is sovereign, that will give them a foundation for whatever they do and whatever happens to them.

Equipping people for God's

harvest O

Mel Bell is bright, bubbly and loves working as a kids’ minister at St Andrew’s in Roseville. She first led on a CRU® Study Camp in 2012 and has served on at least one CRU Holiday Camp every year since then. We chat to her about why she keeps coming back each year and why she believes training is crucial.

CRUview: How did you become involved with CRU?

Mel Bell: One of my youth leaders co-directed a CRU Study Camp and I went straight into leading on that team when I finished high school. I just loved the atmosphere and loved having a hundred-something non-Christian kids sitting and hearing the gospel! I moved from leading to directing pretty quickly and was privileged enough to be able to hand over that Study Camp to two co-directors that I’d trained up. Now I focus on speaking at camp. I just love it.

CV: What do you think it is about CRU Holiday Camps that helps kids follow Jesus?

MB: Nowhere else would you get at least 5 days and 4 nights to invest into building genuine relationships. Kids experience a type of Christianity that they often haven’t seen before. They might attend chapel and associate Christianity with an old-school rigid kind of thinking. But on CRU Holiday Camps they meet these leaders who just want to love them, care for them, help them think through their lives and live it

purposefully. It undoes all these assumptions and allows for actual engagement.

I haven’t seen God grow His kingdom in the North Shore in such drastic ways other than on CRU® Holiday Camps. It’s been amazing to see so many kids put their faith in Jesus on the camps I’ve been on… and I’m just one person who’s attended CRU Holiday Camps for a finite amount of time!

CV: You’ve attended a number of VOLT Volunteers Training Days as a CRU Holiday Camp leader and director. Can you share some thoughts about them?

MB: VOLT prepares you for leading on CRU Holiday Camps. They’re useful for literally anyone serving on the camp - new leaders, junior leaders, senior leaders, seasoned leaders, directors… whoever it is, they should be investing in VOLT – that’s for sure.

As a director, it was such a great help for me to have access to training that wasn’t hinging on me, or my experience, or my wisdom, or anything like that. As a leader, the skills and wisdom you receive are just

on day 3 or 4 of camp, hitting a wall, and having no strength left! I don’t think I knew true dependence on God until I directed a CRU Holiday Camp. We should be that dependent for every breath, every moment, every day. Camp was such a good reminder that it’s never about my strength or my skillset - it’s always for God’s glory and by His grace.

CV: What is your hope for CRU?

MB: My biggest prayer for CRU is that we would run more camps and reach more non-Christian kids, but that it wouldn’t be at the expense of great volunteers, quality teams and well-trained people. Whenever I get ready for a CRU Holiday Camp I’m reminded that God needs to provide the farmers for the harvest. The harvest is here but we need workers, and if there’s ever a challenge in CRU Holiday Camps it’s, “Where are the workers? We need more.”

CV: What is your hope for the next generation?

MB: I think I’ve tasted spiritual revival at CRU Holiday Camps and my heart’s desire is that we’d continue

My heart’s desire is that we’d continue to see this revival amongst young people and that we’d see entire camps saved.

unparalleled. You have people who’ve been on 20, 30, 40 camps and they help us grow in our knowledge and skills for serving on camp. What better way to spend a Saturday than worshipping with brothers and sisters, hearing the Word, and learning some really practical skills to help you lead on camp!

CV: How has your VOLT training and your involvement with CRU Holiday Camps equipped you in your walk with God?

MB: One of the most helpful things I was trained in was how to share the gospel and have those gospel conversations. It has served me a thousand-fold already. But beyond that, I learned how to run a team, how to run a game for rowdy Year 12 kids, and lots of other practical things like that.

Also, I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is just to have utter dependence on God. There’s nothing like being

to see this revival amongst young people and that we’d see entire camps saved. My prayer is that God would use this ministry even more to reach the next generation… to help replace hearts of stone with hearts of flesh and to just save people.

CV: Finally, what do you hope for yourself?

MB: I pray that God would show me what He wants me to invest in. I could spend my time doing a billion things and some of it could just be fruitless. I’m trying to work out where God wants me, what He wants me investing my time in, and how best to serve Him in His kingdom. That’s my daily question, I guess!

Help us train future generations in Christian leadership by giving towards CRU training events: www.crusaders.edu.au/futureleaders

Inspired to learn O

Like most Year 12 students, Campbell Steven wasn’t too sure what to do after he finished high school. But one thing was certain - he wanted to keep learning. God used that desire and brought Campbell to Sydney, where he recently completed his first year of CRU’s Summit Program, a full-time leadership and ministry training program.

Campbell’s first CRU® Holiday Camp experience was in Year 11. At the suggestion of his parents, he attended CRU West’s Spring Leadership Camp in Perth. Admittedly, he was hesitant to attend the camp and says, “I didn’t want to go on camp, I wasn’t keen at all because I didn’t have any friends going. My parents just told me it would be such a good learning experience for me.”

Even though he was initially reluctant to go, his feelings towards camp quickly changed as he started learning about Christian leadership and met other Christian students on camp. He shares, “As camp progressed, I got to meet some really good people my age and some really nice leaders. I learned a lot about God, how to run Bible studies, and other different things like that.”

“After camp, I was just so inspired and enthusiastic about wanting to learn more… I was just so much bolder in my faith,” he continues. This newfound boldness even led Campbell to talk about God and his faith at his school assembly. He says, “I was pretty nervous, but because of the things I’d learned on camp, I was just so much more confident about it.”

It was also at this camp where Campbell first heard about the Summit Program from a leader. “Nate told me that if I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after school, there were great opportunities over in Sydney to learn and grow and teach kids about God. It sounded pretty interesting,” he recalls.

Towards the end of Year 12, Campbell had another camp experience when he attended a CRU West Study Camp. He shares, “All the leaders on my camp were relatable, were easy to talk to and had heaps of answers to all my questions. They helped me want to be a leader on camps as well.”

“I didn’t have many Christian mates at school, but camp helped me connect with people I found out that there are actually Christians in Perth who are my age, who share the same struggles as me, and have the same questions as me,” he continues.

Campbell was still uncertain what to do as his final year of high school came to an end. But God made His plan clear when Campbell was accepted into the Summit Program! Although this meant moving away from his

family and home in Perth, he was excited for what this new season would bring. He recalls, “I just wanted to come over here to learn. I really love learning and I just wanted to grow in my faith.”

Campbell fondly shares how the Summit Program has grown him more than he could have ever imagined. He says, “I’ve just grown in my faith so much. Coming from high school, where I had no Christian mates, to being with Christians all the time, is just amazing!”

“I’ve become so much more comfortable when sharing the gospel. At school, I was just shy and scared and

After camp, I was just so inspired and enthusiastic about wanting to learn more… I was just so much bolder in my faith.

didn’t know how to share it with my friends. But now, hanging around Christians and seeing how they do it, has taught me how to share the gospel with kids in the most effective way and show them how good God is.”

Campbell is also amazed by the number of campers who are keen to grow in their faith after attending a

Camp. He shares, “One of my favourite things about working at Summit is being trained up and taking it back home to WA. It’s rewarding to see heaps of young kids, most of them I know from local churches, and being able to equip them and encourage them to know Jesus better.”

One thing I’d love to see in the future is for me to take everything I’ve learned here at Summit, back to Perth, and see how God can use that to grow CRU West.

camp. “After each camp we hand out so many Bibles. It’s just so inspiring to see young kids wanting to have Bibles of their own so they can read and get to know God better,” he exclaims.

Earlier this year, Campbell had the privilege of applying his new skills and knowledge at a CRU® West Holiday

This is Campbell’s hope for the future: “One thing I’d love to see in the future is for me to take everything I’ve learned here at Summit, back to Perth, and see how God can use that to grow CRU West.”

We’re excited to see how God will be using Campbell to grow CRU West in the future as well!

Do you know someone who has a passion to see kids come to know Jesus?

Please let them know about the Summit Program – CRU’s camping ministry and training program. The next intake will be in July 2020, find out more at www.summitfellows.com.au

Pictured: Campbell leading on a CRU Educational Camp

Even when they’re just in primary school, children are a valuable part of God’s kingdom, with an important role to play.

That’s why CRU® is committed to helping young students come to know Jesus and grow in their faith, so that they can play their part in the kingdom - both now and into the future.

Little leaders O

At Nowra Christian School, students as young as 10 are encouraged to take the lead in the CRU Group, doing talks and running activities.

One such student is Chloe Cochrane, a Year 5 student. Chloe’s family are dairy farmers, and though her family has some Christian affiliation, they struggle to get to church each week because it conflicts with their responsibilities on the farm.

Chloe decided to follow Jesus when she was in Year 3, after hearing about Him during God Space –the classroom Christian program at her school. “It was understanding the miracles that He did, and the stuff that Jesus did, and the stuff that was happening in the Bible,” Chloe cites as the reason she decided to become a Christian.

After becoming a Christian, Chloe started attending the CRU® Group at Nowra Christian School. “At CRU Group, it’s all about God,” Chloe says. “We sing songs, play games, and there are actions to the songs. It’s nice learning more about God and listening to the talks.”

Being part of the CRU Group has been crucial for Chloe’s growing faith, as she explains, “One of the reasons why I like going to CRU, is because of my parents’ job. We don't get to go to Sunday church, so CRU is sort of like my church.”

Now that Chloe is in Year 5, she is a leader of the CRU Group. “I wanted to be a leader because I like following God and learning about God,” Chloe explains. “It’s great because we get to sit with the younger kids, we get to lead the games, and sometimes we get to do the talks.”

Chloe was recently inspired in her leadership by attending a FIT (Followers in Training) event run by CRU for young CRU Group leaders. At FIT, students are taught how to run activities and learn some core skills for leading a CRU Group, all while having lots of fun and meeting new friends.

Chloe was particularly struck by the talk at the most recent FIT event. After hearing the talk, she has commented, “I want to learn how to be a leader, but also be a servant like Jesus.”

The primary CRU Group at Nowra Christian School is facilitated by teacher, Emily Thuaux. Emily loves the fact that even at such a young age, the students in the group, like Chloe, are being taught to be leaders. “We find that CRU is really helpful for our kids to learn how to be Christian leaders. They’re doing things like

practicing a talk, or leading a game, and equipping them with those leadership skills is really important. They carry those skills on to high school. Lots of our leaders move on from primary CRU Group, go to high school and continue that leadership all the way through.”

As a busy teacher, Emily appreciates the support she receives from CRU to help her run the group. “I absolutely love the resources CRU provides. It really helps to know that there are talks written for you to use,

I want to learn how to be a leader, but also be a servant like Jesus.

that are theologically sound. It takes the weight off me having to prepare something from scratch. It’s so hard to write a talk every week so it’s great to be able to use or borrow ideas from these resources as I run the CRU® Group each week.”

Like Chloe, Emily is also a big fan of FIT. “We love it. The kids come back and they are just pumped to be able to put into practice the things that they've learned, whether it's games, or welcoming, or just how to pray.

They come back with all these strategies and they're keen to get involved.”

Both Chloe and Emily have big hopes for the future of the CRU Group at Nowra Christian School. Chloe says, “I hope that more people will be able to come, and that we might get more ideas of what we could do and maybe get a bit bigger. And I hope we might get to do more of the things that we did at FIT!”

Emily is hoping that “we can really equip our Christians to be little evangelists in our schools. I hope we can keep helping them to be leaders in their faith and not be afraid to stand up and talk about God.”

Help us train future generations in Christian leadership by giving towards CRU training events: www.crusaders.edu.au/futureleaders

Pictured: Chloe sharing at her school's CRU® Group

Engaging youth with the gospel now and into the future

By Anna Grummitt, Youth Editor, Centre for Public Christianity (CPX)

Attitudes towards Christianity are shifting rapidly among Australian teenagers, and it is crucial that Christian communities adapt to this changing culture in order to effectively communicate the gospel to young people, now and into the future.

To do this, we must be aware that for the majority of Australian teenagers today, religion, including Christianity, has become a distant foreign land.

A recent study of attitudes to religion among 13 to 18-year-olds (the AGZ Study), revealed that more than half of Australian teens identify as “religious nones” –that is, they don’t see themselves as belonging to any particular religion. Only 12% said they frequently attend any kind of worship service. And while some teenagers did recognise the positive contributions of religion to society, 44% thought religion caused more problems than it solved.

The majority of Australian teenagers today feel little or no connection to Christianity, have limited understanding of the Bible, and are uncertain or suspicious about religion’s place in the public square. Therefore, we must strive to communicate the timeless truth of the gospel to young people in a way that is clear, and that does not assume any prior knowledge.

It is also essential, going forward, that we show young people how the Christian message is relevant to them – that it answers their deeply felt needs and longings.

Today’s youth are in the midst of an anxiety crisis, and often feel lonely and disconnected from others. In the 2018 Mission Australia Youth Survey of 28,000 teens, mental health was the issue most frequently identified as being of national importance – and the percentage of those who saw it as important had doubled since 2015. Smartphones and social media have made today’s youth far more globally connected than teenagers in the past, however a recent international study by U.S. research firm, Barna, revealed that only

33% of young people agreed with the statement “I often feel deeply cared for by those around me.”

Teenagers now also have more opportunities available to them than previous generations – but this myriad of choices often leads to them feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and paralysed by pressure to choose the right path in life. They are asking big questions - like “Who am I?”, “What’s my purpose?”, “What matters?” – and are longing, but struggling, to find adequate answers.

In this climate of rising anxiety and loneliness, the gospel is truly good news for our young people. Brian Rosner writes that “the human heart … aches for the reassurance of a satisfying story to make sense of our existence”. The Christian faith delivers this satisfying story. In order to engage youth with the gospel, now and into the future, it is vital to show them that it answers their deepest yearnings, that it speaks peace and hope into the anxieties of their lives, that it provides answers to questions of identity and purpose, and that it holds out a vision of true freedom and flourishing that is unlike anything else they might find.

As our society becomes increasingly fractured, we also need to find ways to show youth that in Christianity they can find authentic, personal community. Our Christian communities should be places where they’re deeply valued and cared for, and feel a close sense of connection to those around them.

Increasingly, faith-based schools may become one of the few places where many young people can regularly hear this message of hope, and experience a meaningful connection with a community that embodies this vision. For this reason, we must prioritise school-based ministry that helps students to see the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christianity. To truly engage with youth today and into the future, we need to show them that Christianity is both true and good –for them, for our society, and for the world.

Free CPX youth & schools’ resources are available at cpxyouth.org

Annual Report 2019

2019 at a Glance

Holiday Camps

campers indicated they would like to start attending church after

Educational Camps

Schools Ministry

of campers indicated they grew in their faith/ understanding of God

of campers said they would recommend Holiday Camps to a friend

campers indicated they would like to start attending a school CRU Group after camp

Galston Gorge

851 campers took a Bible or Christian resource home (327 Bibles, 390 devotional books, 134 follow-up packs)

486 campers indicated a commitment or recommitment to faith

984

students trained at CRU Schools Ministry leadership events (FIT & CrossTrain, not including in-house school training)

1,011 students attended CRU Schools Ministry’s Inter-CRU events

89,497 students reached on school visits

100,931 meals served Average rating from guest groups

Aug 2019, the new solar

panels produced enough power

164 camps Camp types: Camp types:

43% Guest groups 30% Guest groups

26% CRU Educational Camps 45% CRU Educational Camps

Lake Mac CRU® West

30,275 meals served

31% CRU Holiday Camps 25% CRU Holiday Camps

22% increase in registrations (from 2018) 99%

of campers indicated they would recommend CRU West Holiday Camps to a

campers indicated they wanted to start attending church after camp of campers indicated they grew in their faith/ understanding of God 274 volunteers 54 volunteers 83 camps

Governance

CRU® is blessed to be served by a group of dedicated, prayerful and godly men and women who oversee this vital ministry. In the financial year of 2018-2019, we give thanks for the service of:

Vice Presidents

Roger Corbett AO

B Comm, FAICD

The Rt Rev Dr Paul Barnett

BD, ThL, ThSchol, MA, PhD, ASTC

CRU Board

Chairman

Dr Timothy Wright

PhD, DipEd, BSc(Hons), FACE, MRACI, CChem

Headmaster, Shore School

Deputy Chairman

Helen Burgess

BA, LLB(Hons), FGIA, FAICD

Legal and Governance Executive

Hon. Treasurer

Santino Dimarco

BEc, CA

Executive Pastor, St Andrew’s Roseville

Members

David Attenborough

Dip. Management, Dip Property Services

Business Owner

Rev Patrick Benn

BSc (Hons), BTh

EU Graduates Fund Senior Staffworker

(Evangelism) & AFES Sydney Area Director

Nathan Brown

BHosp CEO, Christian Media & Arts Australia

Dr Jennifer George

PhD, MEnvPl, BLArch, PTC

Director, Community and Planning, Comcorp

Rev Alexander Koch

BSc (Maths), BEd, BD, MACE, MACEL

Chaplain, St Catherine’s School, Waverley

Sarah Lancaster

M Teach, BPsych, BTh.

Children’s and Families’ Pastor, Christ Church

Anglican Gladesville

Clare Pendlebury

BComm, CA, GradDip CA

Manager - Business Services, CIB Accountants

and Advisers

James Ward

MABus, BADes, MDIA

Director, NBRSARCHITECTURE

Annette Ware

BEd, DipTh, MACE, Head of Senior College, Abbotsleigh

Further Office Bearers

Hon. Secretary Rebecca Carritt

BSc, Cert. Lang. (German), Grad. Dip. Div., Cert III

Cons. & Land Man. (N.A.R)

Committees

Thank you to all who helped govern CRU by serving on committees and providing strategic direction to increase our impact as we share the gospel with young people.

These committees are formed by, and report to, either the CRU Board or the Divisional Heads management team.

Board Committees

Finance

Santino Dimarco (Chair)

Ian Bucknell

Nigel Glasby

Gary Hill

Clare Pendlebury

Matthew Seidl

Damien Wang

Governance and Risk Management

Helen Burgess (Chair)

Paddy Benn

Jennifer George

Nigel Glasby

Gary Hill

Matthew Seidl

Tim Wright

Galston Property & Development

David Attenborough (Chair)

Zane Garratt ^

Gary Hill

Alice Rees ~

Andrew Reeves

Matthew Seidl

Garry Tenkate

Lake Mac Taskforce

James Ward (Chair)

David Attenborough

James Carroll

Gary Hill

Lisa Houghton

Nathan McElveney

Matthew Seidl

David Wood *

Strategic Planning

Paddy Benn (Chair)

Anna Burke

Rebecca Carritt

Peter Crawford

Nigel Glasby

Gary Hill

Nathan McElveney

Matthew Seidl

James Ward

Annette Ware

RTO and Summit

Annette Ware (Chair)

James Carroll

Calum Henderson ^

Gary Hill

Alex Koch

Michael (Frank) Leonarder

Nathan McElveney

Alice Rees ~

Nicole Schabort

PBI

Tim Wright (Chair until June 2019)

Gary Hill (Chair from June 2019)

Anna Burke ^

Rebecca Carritt ^

Nigel Glasby ^

Nathan McElveney

Matthew Seidl ^

Annette Ware *

HGLT Investment

Garth Rossler (Chair)

Anna Burke

Santino Dimarco

Michael Evans

Management Committees

Lake Mac Fundraising Committee

David Braga (Chair)

Sam Allen

Nathan Brown

Ian Bucknell

Anna Burke

Roger Corbett

Heather Henderson

Gary Hill

Karen Kightley

Cassandra Mathews

Damien Wang

Tim Wright

Camps

Nathan Gale (Chair)

Iain Aitchison

Melissa Bell

Polly Butterworth *

Emma Gray

David Krebs

Sebastian Lane

Louisa Macourt *

Philip Rawnsley

Daniel Sawyer

Stephanie Semler

Annika Williams

IT Steering Committee

Dave Czapala (Chair)

Anna Burke

James Carroll

Stephanie Chow ^

Nigel Glasby

Gary Hill

Nathan McElveney

Phil Rawnsley

Matthew Seidl

CRU Safe

Rebecca Carritt (Chair)

Andrew Fahey ^

Zane Garratt

Brooke Linton

Allan Nicholls ^

Jessica Seal

Matilda Slade ^

Kate Stace *

Garry Tenkate *

David Wood *

CRU West

Scott Rowland (Chair)

Kim Chin

Nathan McElveney

Nicola Naoum

Clare Potts

Sheridan Raston

Peter Smith

Dougal Steven

Michelle Underwood

Permanent Staff

(Sept 2018 – Aug 2019)

Executive Director

Gary Hill

Divisional Heads

Anna Burke – Fundraising

Rebecca Carritt – Assistant to ED

James Carroll – Summit

Peter Crawford – Schools Ministry

Dan Cummings – Marketing *

Kathy Elliott – Marketing ^

Nigel Glasby – General Manager

Nathan McElveney – Ministries

Allan Nicholls – Lake Mac ^

Phil Rawnsley – CRU Holiday Camps

Andrew Reeves - Galston

Matthew Seidl – Properties

Dave Wood – Lake Mac *

Schools Ministry

Anna Owen

Dan Perrott

Kate Stace *

Kellie Thomson

Nigel Vaux

Clare Wimble

CRU West

Hannah Killow

Sheridan Raston

CRU Holiday Camps

Jessica Keryaks (née Mullen)

Jessica Seal

Stephanie Semler

HR

Rhonda Ho ^

Finance & IT

Dave Czapala

Alice Henderson

Sue Lay

Karl Winter

Fundraising

Roslyn Harvey

Philippa McCredie

Linda Newman

Matilda Slade

Damien Wang

Marketing

Elizabeth Baumgart

Stephanie Chow ^

Patrizha Yeomans ^

Campsite Staff - Galston Gorge

Gordon Brice

Roby Budyman

Andrew Fahey

Tania Hawkins

Dave Herrington

Jenny Keighley

Kanesh Narayan

Megan Strachan *

Garry Tenkate

Campsite Staff - Lake Mac

Adam Houghton

Rachel Billington

Summit

Emma Bennett

Emma Duggan

Wellen Fu

Zane Garratt

Andrew Garven

Sarah Gillman ^

Calum Henderson

Lisa Houghton

Emily Jones

Kristy Kinene ~

Sebastian Lane ^

Brooke Linton

Bonnie Rootes (née Mason)

Ben Matthews

Luke Matthews

Bethany May ~

Heather-Rose Newcombe

Alice Rees ~

Harry Roberts

Hayley Roberts

Aaron Rootes

Nicole Schabort

Dan Shaw

Kathryn Swaisland

Mitchell Wall

Victoria York

Training

Jeremy Crooks

Michael (Frank) Leonarder

Stephen Rawls

Trainees

2018

Iain Aitchison

Luke Alexander

Frasier Bailey

Samuel Buckley

Aiden Cowell

Sofie Dowling *

Emma Duggan

Isaac Elliott

Jacob Franklin ^

Wellen Fu

Joshua Gazzard *

Sarah Gillman

Emily Jones

Adriana Kanjian

Meredith Kendrew

Samantha Lewis

Michael Lihou

Lachlan Macdonald

Rob Maiden

Benjamin Matthews

Joshua Sloan ^

Andrew Stanford

Ashley Thompson

David Thompson

Mitchell Wall

Tim Wallace

2019

Iain Aitchison

Luke Alexander

Aiden Cowell

Isaac Elliott

Jacob Franklin *

Sarah Gillman *

Samantha Lewis

Michael Lihou

Leticia Monteiro

Ryan Muller *

Ben Sennett

Michael Sheldon

Joshua Sloan

Brock Sperinck *

Andrew Stanford

Campbell Steven

Ashley Thompson

David Thompson

Tim Wallace

Gemma Willmott

Viv Yu

KEY:

^ = Started during the year

* = Finished during the year

~ = Maternity leave

= Holiday/Day Camps Intern

= Schools Ministry Associate

= Ian Holt Memorial Fellow

Who Are We Reaching?

Praise God for the schools we are reaching in NSW, ACT & WA, through the work of CRU® Holiday Camps, CRU Groups and CRU Educational Camps.

Abbotsleigh - Boarding

Abbotsleigh - Junior

Abbotsleigh - Senior

Arden Anglican School - Junior

Arden Anglican School - Senior

Arndell Anglican College - Junior

Arndell Anglican College - Senior

Ascham School - Senior

Australian Christian College - Junior

Australian Christian College - Senior

Barker College - Junior

Barker College - Senior

Belmont Christian College - Junior

Belmont Christian College - Senior

Berowra Christian Community School

Bethel Christian Academy - Senior

Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College - Junior

Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College - Senior

Blue Mountains Grammar - Junior

Blue Mountains Grammar - Senior

Brigidine College St Ives

Brindabella Christian College - Junior

Brindabella Christian College - Senior

Brisbane Girls Grammar

Broughton Anglican College - Junior

Broughton Anglican College - Senior

Burgmann Anglican School - Junior

Burgmann Anglican School - Middle

Burgmann Anglican School - Senior

Calderwood Christian School - Junior

Calderwood Christian School - Senior

Calrossy School - Senior

Canberra Girls Grammar School - Junior

Canberra Girls Grammar School - Senior

Canberra Grammar School - Junior

Canberra Grammar School - Senior

Carinya Christian School - Senior

Cedars Christian College - Junior

Cedars Christian College - Senior

Central Coast Adventist School

Central Coast Grammar - Senior

Charlton Christian College - Junior

Charlton Christian College - Senior

Chevalier College

Claremont College

Covenant Christian School - Junior

Covenant Christian School - Senior

Covenant Christian School ACT - Junior

Covenant Christian School ACT - Senior

Cranbrook School - Junior

Cranbrook School - Senior

Danebank - Junior

Danebank - Senior

Dubbo Christian School - Junior

Dubbo Christian School - Senior

Emmaus Christian School - Junior

Emmaus Christian School - Senior

Forestville Montessori School

Frensham

Georges River Grammar - Junior

Georges River Grammar - Senior

German International School Sydney Junior

Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School

Green Point Christian College - Junior

Green Point Christian College - Senior

Greenacre Baptist Christian Community School - Junior

Greenacre Baptist Christian Community School - Senior

Heritage Christian School

Hills Adventist College - Middle

HopePoint Christian School

Students attending CRU Holiday Camps

Lunchtime CRU Group

CRU Educational Camp program run

Hunter Christian School - Junior

Hunter Christian School - Senior

Illawarra Christian School - Junior

Illawarra Christian School - Senior

Inaburra School - Junior

Inaburra School - Senior

International Grammar School

John Colet School

Kamaroi Rudolf Steiner School

Kambala Girls School - Junior

Kambala Girls School - Senior

Kincoppal - Rose Bay

Kinma School

Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School

Kinross Wolaroi School - Senior

Knox Grammar Preparatory School

Knox Grammar School - Senior

Kuyper Christian School - Junior

Kuyper Christian School - Senior

Lakes Grammar - Junior

Lakes Grammar - Senior

Linuwel School

Loreto Kirribilli - Senior

Loreto Normanhurst

Lycee Condorcet - The French School - Junior

Lycee Condorcet - The French School - Senior

Macarthur Anglican School - Junior

Macarthur Anglican School - Senior

Mackellar Girls High School

Maitland Christian School - Junior

Maitland Christian School - Senior

Mamre Anglican School - Junior

Mamre Anglican School - Senior

Manning Valley Anglican College - Junior

Marist College Canberra - Senior

Marist College North Sydney

Marist Sisters College Woolwich

Medowie Christian School - Junior

Medowie Christian School - Senior

Mercy College

Meriden School - Junior

Meriden School - Senior

MLC Junior School

MLC Senior School

Monte Sant' Angelo College

Mosman Church of England Preparatory School

Mount Annan Christian College - Junior

Mount Annan Christian College - Senior

Mount St Benedict College

Mumbulla Steiner School

Nepean District Christian School - Junior

Nepean District Christian School - Senior

New England Girl's School - Senior

New Hope School

Newington College - Senior

Newington College Preparatory School - Lindfield

Newington College Preparatory School - Wyvern House

Northcross Christian School

Northern Beaches Christian School - Junior

Northern Beaches Christian School - Senior

Northholm Grammar - Junior

Northholm Grammar - Senior

Norwest Christian College - Junior

Norwest Christian College - Senior

Nowra Anglican College - Junior

Nowra Anglican College - Senior

Nowra Christian School - Junior

Nowra Christian School - Senior

Oakhill College

Oran Park Anglican College - Junior

Students attending CRU Training events

Regular support by CRU staff

Partners with Day Camps

Oran Park Anglican College - Senior

Orange Anglican Grammar School - Junior

Orange Anglican Grammar School - Middle

Orange Anglican Grammar School - Senior

Oxford Falls Grammar School - Junior

Oxford Falls Grammar School - Senior

Oxley College

Pacific Hills Christian School - Junior

Pacific Hills Christian School - Middle

Pacific Hills Christian School - Senior

Penrith Anglican College - Junior

Penrith Anglican College - Senior

Penrith Christian School - Junior

Penrith Christian School - Senior

PLC Armidale

PLC Sydney - Junior

PLC Sydney - Senior

Pymble Ladies College - Junior

Pymble Ladies College - Senior

Queenwood School for Girls - Junior

Queenwood School for Girls - Senior

Radford College - Junior

Radford College - Senior

Ravenswood School for Girls - Junior

Ravenswood School for Girls - Senior

Reddam House - Junior

Redeemer Baptist School - Junior

Redlands - Junior

Redlands - Senior

Regents Park Christian School - Junior

Regents Park Christian School - Senior

Richard Johnson Anglican School - Junior

Richard Johnson Anglican School - Senior

Rosebank College

Roseville College - Junior

Roseville College - Senior

Rouse Hill Anglican College - Junior

Rouse Hill Anglican College - Senior

Santa Sabina College

SCEGGS Darlinghurst - Junior

SCEGGS Darlinghurst - Senior

Scone Grammar School - Junior

Scone Grammar School - Senior

Scots All Saints College - Junior

Scots All Saints College - Middle

Scots All Saints College - Senior

Shellharbour Anglican College - Junior

Shellharbour Anglican College - Senior

Shire Christian School - Junior

Shire Christian School - Senior

Shore Preparatory School

Shore School - Senior

Southern Highlands Christian School - Junior

Southern Highlands Christian School - Senior

St Aloysius College

St Aloysius College Junior School

St Andrew's Cathedral School - Junior

St Andrew's Cathedral School - Middle

St Andrew's Cathedral School - Senior

St Augustine's Senior College Brookvale

St Benedicts Catholic College

St Bernadette's Primary School Castle Hill

St Bernard's Primary School Berowra Heights

St Catherine's School - Junior

St Catherine's School - Senior

St Clare's College Waverly

St George Christian School - Junior

St George Christian School - Senior

St Ignatius College Riverview - Middle

St Ignatius College Riverview - Senior

St Ives Preparatory School

St John Bosco College - Junior

St Joseph's Catholic High School Albion Park

St Joseph's College Hunters Hill

St Leo's Catholic College

St Luke's Grammar School - Bayview

St Luke's Grammar School - Junior

St Luke's Grammar School - Senior

St Mary's Cathedral College

St Michael's Primary School Baulkham Hills

St Patrick's College Campbelltown

St Patrick's Marist College

St Patrick's Primary School Asquith

St Paul's Grammar School - Junior

St Paul's Grammar School - Senior

St Peter's Anglican Primary School Campbelltown

St Philip's Christian College (Cessnock) - Junior

St Philip's Christian College (Cessnock) - Senior

St Philip's Christian College (Gosford) - Junior

St Philip's Christian College (Gosford) - Senior

St Philip's Christian College (Newcastle) - Junior

St Philip's Christian College (Newcastle) - Senior

St Philip's Christian College (Port Stephens) - Junior

St Philip's Christian College (Port Stephens) - Middle

St Philip's Christian College (Port Stephens) - Senior

St Scholastica's College Glebe

St Ursula's College Kingsgrove

St Vincent's College

Stella Maris College

Sydney Grammar School - Senior

Tangara Junior School For Girls

Tangara Senior School For Girls

Tara Anglican School for Girls - Junior

Tara Anglican School for Girls - Senior

Taree Christian Community School

The Anglican School Googong Junior (ACT)

The Armidale School - Senior

The Hills Grammar School - Junior

The Hills Grammar School - Senior

The Illawarra Grammar School - Junior

The Illawarra Grammar School - Senior

The King's School - Senior

The King's School Preparatory School

The Lakes Christian College - Junior

The Pittwater House School - Senior

The Scots College - Boarding

The Scots College - Middle

The Scots College - Senior

The Scots College Preparatory School

Thomas Hassall Anglican College - Junior

Thomas Hassall Anglican College - Senior

Toongabbie Christian College - Junior

Toongabbie Christian College - Senior

Trades Norwest Anglican College - Senior

Trinity Christian School - Junior

Trinity Christian School - Senior

Trinity Grammar Preparatory School

Trinity Grammar School - Boarding

Trinity Grammar School - Junior

Trinity Grammar School - Senior

Tudor House School

Tyndale Christian School - Junior

Tyndale Christian School - Senior

Victory Lutheran College Wodonga

Wahroonga Preparatory School

Waverley College Senior School

Wenona School - Junior

Wenona School - Senior

William Carey Christian School - Junior

William Carey Christian School - Senior

William Clarke College - Junior

William Clarke College - Senior

Wollondilly Anglican College - Junior

Wollondilly Anglican College - Senior

Wycliffe Christian School - Junior

Wycliffe Christian School - Middle

Wycliffe Christian School - Senior

Wyong Christian Community School - Junior

Wyong Christian Community School - Senior

1,384 students representing 429 NSW and ACT state or Catholic schools, and WA schools also attended CRU Holiday Camps or CRU Educational Camps.

10 students representing 9 NSW and ACT state or Catholic schools, and WA schools also attended CRU leadership training events (e.g. CrossTrain and Spring Leadership Camp WA).

382 students from disadvantaged backgrounds attended CRU Holiday Camps (incl. sponsored campers).

Please note that this list is sourced from Sep 2018 - Aug 2019. Only schools that have two or more students are listed.

Financial Reports

Thank you so much for your support in 2019! God has provided abundantly through faithful people like you! Over 102,500 young people were reached last year with the gospel through CRU® on camps and in schools across NSW, the ACT and WA. We appreciate your time, prayers and gifts which helped make CRU’s ministry to young people a reality.

Thank you to those who have sacrificially given towards Stage 1 of the Lake Mac campsite redevelopment. Praise God that we have now met our $19m community fundraising target plus received a $5m government grant! We are still reaching out to supporters who haven’t yet had an opportunity to give to this project. Further contributions will help fund an additional (fifth) cabin that has been brought forward to Stage 1, creating more accommodation space, and help reduce bridging finance costs.

Income* $8,723,486

*Does not include Capital Campaign Income

LAKE MAC REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

10% DEPRECIATION & AMORTISATION

Thank You

Thank you for your prayers and financial support over the past year. Please partner with us in 2020 as we seek to glorify God and reach a new generation of Aussie kids with the truth about Jesus, and help them to grow in their faith.

CRU® Ministry & Property Updates

We are thankful for the great work God is doing through CRU®. Stay up to date with everything that is happening in our various ministries and properties.

“Since we re-book our Mid-Year Conference in advance after the camp each year, the process of booking our stay is always very easy and smooth! CRU staff are excellent in ensuring that our group is well-catered for and are great in responding to our enquiries as quickly and efficiently as possible... The appearance and cleanliness of CRU Galston is always at the highest standard. And once again, the food (especially the jam donuts) are always a highlight for everyone!”

HOLIDAY CAMPS

“Everyone, from office staff to cooks and cleaners were friendly, helpful and accommodating. Thank you for making us feel welcome - a challenge with over 160 excited primary school children!”

Jenny Hilderbrandt,

EDUCATIONAL CAMPS

• Praise God for the 24 Holiday Camps that ran over the summer season. We saw over 900 campers and 300 leaders enjoy the fun and sun, while also discovering that Jesus is the answer!

• CRU Ball (our annual thank you event for CRU’s volunteer leaders) happened again in October and saw over 180 leaders celebrate and give thanks for what God has been doing through CRU Holiday Camps.

• In spring, our Galston campsite hosted its largest ever cohort of Year 12 students on CRU Study Camps, with 355 students attending over 2 weeks.

• Throughout Term 1 of 2020, CRU is expected to run a total of 39 Educational Camps for over 2,545 campers. We’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity to share the gospel with every one of these students as they come on camp with CRU. We are also very thankful for our partnership with these schools that bring their students on camp with us.

• At the start of January, we welcomed our new Summit Program trainees (formerly referred to as ‘Fellows’). It is very exciting to have some fresh faces on board who are ready to share the gospel on camps and we are very thankful to God for His provision.

• Along with our corporate rebrand, Summit Educational Camps is being renamed to CRU Educational Camps. We pray that this change will help communicate unity in CRU’s brand and wider ministry, especially for teachers and students.

• Praise God for the opportunities that students have to be in God’s creation and for the many opportunities for gospel conversations while completing activities. Praise God for Nathan*, in Year 7, who was chatting to a leader throughout a bushwalk on camp. He shared with his leader that he was unsure where he was at with God and they were able to have a great conversation during the walk. As they reached the top of the hill at the lookout, Nathan commented, “Wow, how cool is this? God must be pretty epic!”

Hornsby North Public School Band Program, guest at CRU Galston Gorge

“Camp helped me understand more about where I am in my faith.”

Nate Giles, camper on Easyriders Winter 2019

Sarah Brown, CU

Macquarie

Uni, guest at CRU Galston Gorge

GALSTON GORGE

• We are delighted to see increased use of the indoor high ropes, the flexibility it provides, and the enjoyment it produces for guest groups, CRU® Holiday Camps and CRU Educational Camps.

• Praise God for the successful installation and operation of 100KW solar panels. We are grateful for the excellent service provided by the contractors and for the financial savings the panels are producing.

• As we rebrand to CRU, it has been exciting to be involved in the design of new quality signage across the site. The new signs are impactful upon arrival and clearly guide people around the site as they search for their accommodation and meeting rooms.

SCHOOLS MINISTRY

• The Schools Ministry Team are excited that the latest CRU Groups resource on Colossians is now ready for chaplains, teachers and students to use in their lunchtime groups.

• Praise God that over the last 12 months, the Schools Ministry Team have witnessed many CRU Groups growing in the number of students who attend each week. The team has enjoyed visiting all the CRU Groups and sharing the love of Jesus with them.

• Give thanks to God for the 223 students who attended Mega-CRU in November 2019. Pray especially for the students who heard the gospel of Jesus for the first time at the event.

DAY CAMPS

• Praise God that this winter, we saw our first Day Camp reach 100 campers! St Paul’s Castle Hill partnered with us for this camp.

• Thank God for the 128 high school assistant leaders who were trained in Christian ministry over this past year.

• After many seasons of growth since Day Camps began in 2013, we’re now entering a phase of consolidation. We are working towards a goal of improving processes, efficiencies and quality of programs, while maintaining the current level of around 750-800 campers per year. Pray that God will continue to work in campers and leaders through this new phase.

CRU WEST

• Praise God for the way that Inter-CRU events in WA have grown - from 8 students at the first event in 2018, to over 50 students at our most recent event in November 2019.

• We’re thankful for the way our partners have joined with us at a growing number of prayer meetings, and are generously giving at a level that allows us to increase our staffing in WA.

• Praise God for the growth in Perth’s Spring Leadership Camp, which had 15 campers in 2017, 39 campers in 2018, and 59 campers in 2019. Also thank God that there are more campers who want to be involved in CRU Groups at their school after camp each year.

Lake Mac Update O

• Praise God that the construction of Stage 1 is well underway.

• Praise God that we can carry on with existing camps while half of the site has been sectioned off for the redevelopment.

• Thank God for the successful completion of the new climbing tower. Our guests have enjoyed the new climbing challenges that the tower offers.

Praise God that very soon, thousands more campers will have the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel at the new Lake Mac!

The Stage 1 works to redevelop the Lake Mac campsite are well underway. If you were to visit this week, you would find:

1. A new 13m abseiling and rock climbing tower

2. A new boathouse and storage yard nearing completion with a 2nd level meeting room

3. Cabin 4 nearing completion with ensuite accommodation for 52 campers

4. Cabins 1, 2, 3 and 5 well underway which will provide ensuite accommodation for an additional 208 campers

5. A new dining hall under construction with capacity for 350 people

6. A new archery range and beach volleyball court almost complete

7. A new maintenance shed under construction

8. Pedestrian access for the 40-hectare bushland area complete

9. Bivouac and Refuge Building on the 40-hectare bushland area almost complete

We continue to seek God about all aspects of this project and thank Him for His continued provision and guidance.

We continue to seek God about all aspects of this project and thank Him for His continued provision and guidance.

To donate, please call the CRU Fundraising team on (02) 9874 8933 (opt 4).

You can stay updated on the progress of the redevelopment, view photos, and watch drone videos of the construction at www. growlakemac.com.au

The Grand Opening and Service of Dedication for Stage 1 will be held on 22nd August 2020.

Watch this space for further details! We are so grateful to the CRU community for your continued prayers as we build the new Lake Mac - for God’s glory!

Whilst the major fundraising campaign is over, there are still opportunities for supporters to give towards this project. Further support will help provide funds for the fifth cabin (brought forward into Stage 1), as well as assist with the costs of bridging finance. This project is funded by the Australian Government through the Building Better Regions Fund

Thank You

CRU ® is so thankful for those who faithfully give their time, money and efforts to support our ministries. We want to say thank you to these three people, who have played a vital role in the work of CRU over many years:

Annette came to faith as a 19-year-old and now attends St Andrew’s Anglican Church at Roseville. Over the past ten years, Annette has served faithfully on the CRU Board. As Dean of Senior College at Abbotsleigh, Annette loves spending her days with young women who are keen to live life well and with meaning, purpose and hope.

Annette says, “CRU Groups allow students at all stages of their faith journey to learn and grow, to ask questions, and to be encouraged and supported Many students credit CRU with being a key factor in their coming to faith and growing as a Christian. Many also learn valuable leadership skills as they give talks and lead others."

Annette continues, “CRU Study Camps are enormously helpful for developing good study routines while also providing an opportunity to investigate afresh the person of Jesus at a key time of transition in their lives.”

Thank you, Annette, for your faithful service to the Lord through CRU!

In Year 12, Danielle attended a CRU Study Camp which brought “greater clarity” about her relationship with God. Danielle also remembers fondly the CRU breakfasts held at her school, Roseville College, where they “ate croissants and heard interesting stories about God.”

Danielle is married to Peter and has two daughters, Chloe and Millie. Danielle currently works at Westpac managing projects and has a business distributing skincare products.

Since her school days, Danielle’s connection with CRU has remained strong. Danielle and Peter are regular table hosts at the CRU Business Breakfasts. “CRU is a great way for children to hear the gospel message, explore their faith, and grow in their knowledge of God - in a safe environment. I’m amazed at how many children CRU is able to connect with each year through schools and camps!”

Thank you, Danielle and Peter, for your faithful support of God’s work through CRU.

Tom Pattison came to faith through a youth group, and has served on 10+ CRU Study Camps as a volunteer leader and speaker. Tom started his ministry at St Mark’s Avalon, then studied at Moore College, worked as a Minister at Grace City Church, Waterloo and in 2020 will begin working at Geneva Push. He is married to Brie.

Tom shares, “On the most recent Study Camp, I saw a girl who had come to faith on a previous Study Camp, return as a leader and stand up to tell her story… Study Camps provide a unique opportunity where 17 to 18-year-olds can explore faith in a comparatively anonymous environment, full of compelling leaders who are a couple of life stages ahead of them. They can ask the deep questions of life and take a step forward in a way they never would at school.”

Thanks so much, Tom, for your faithful service as a volunteer leader and speaker on CRU Study Camps.

ANNETTE WARE TOM PATTISON

DANIELLE BROCKINGTON

HOOKED

• Emma Bennett & Damon Pesavento

• Emma Gray & Harry Roberts

• Ash Lambert & Lachlan Bunn

HITCHED

• Bonnie Mason & Aaron Rootes – 21 September 2019

• Mel Brady & Brock Sperinck - 2 October 2019

• Jolly Gomes & Apurbo Biswas - 31 October 2019

• Jaimi Fenwick & Joel Fullerton - 9 November 2019

HATCHED

• Kait & Alex Chapman – a boy, Jude Alexander, born

25 August 2019

• Emma & Martin Robinson – a boy, Isaac Andrew, born

7 September 2019

• Grace & Damien Wang – a girl, Rosemary Joy, born

21 September 2019

• Elise & Matthew Hill – a girl, Magnolia Henrietta, born

8 October 2019

• Emily & Blake Peisley - a girl, Indiana Isla, born

12 October 2019

• Bill Hayward – 6 August 2019

• Sally Warren – 21 September 2019

• Craig Sinclair - November 2019

TEACHERS ON THE MOVE

• Kylie Wilson will be School Chaplain and Head of Biblical Studies at St Catherine’s School from Term 1, 2020.

• Jonathan Brayshaw is taking leave from Pacific Hills Christian School to teach in Canada during 2020.

• Richard Browning will become Director of Mission for Anglican Schools in the Brisbane Diocese in 2020.

• Matt Stackhouse has finished up as School Chaplain at Charlton Christian College and will commence full-time PhD studies on the Spiritual Formation of Christian Educators.

• Marty Telfer will be starting his new role as Principal of St Philip's Christian College (SPCC) Port Stephens from Term 1, 2020.

• Dr Tim Petterson has moved from SPCC Port Stephens to be Headmaster of Shore School from Term 1, 2020.

• Keith Dalleywater is moving from being Head of Brisbane Boys' College Junior School to be the Head of SPCC Port Stephens Junior School from Term 1, 2020.

• Suz Gorham has moved from being Chaplain at Roseville College to Senior State Chaplain - Specialist Commands with the NSW Police Force.

• Damien Whitington will become Chaplain at Northern Beaches Christian School.

• Matthew Richards is moving from a teaching role at St Peter's Anglican School to be an Assistant Chaplain at Thomas Hassall Anglican College.

• Jann Robinson has announced her retirement from her role as Principal at St Luke's Grammar School at the end of Term 2, 2020.

If you have any news, updates, or stories that you would like to share with the CRU community, let us know by emailing cruview@crusaders.edu.au

Sharing Jesus with a new generation