“A foretaste of heaven” was how BCA’s Indigenous Ministry Officer Neville Naden described the third NSW Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship Family Camp held at Gilgandra on the October 2023 Labour Day long weekend.

It was a powerful example of the church doing what it is supposed to do with mixed ethnicities, ages, backgrounds and gender, living out the camp’s theme of Unity in the Church.

The camp’s numbers peaked at about 350 when people from all of Gilgandra’s churches, which had combined to host the event, joined the Sunday worship service – the Shire Hall was almost bursting at the seams.

Faithful preaching of the Word was the number one highlight for Neville, “We were encouraged by that and everything that was said and done over the weekend. And the music was exceptional. There’s nothing like a good old praise time around country gospel music, a genre not being used in many churches today.”

Among the many talented musicians was the Brownley family, who drove from their home in Kalgoorlie WA to sing at the camp. They delighted the gathered mob with their exquisitely harmonised gospel songs.

The Family Camp’s living quarters were at the Showgrounds, which became a pop-up town of caravans, camper trailers, motor homes and tents.

First to arrive were the BCA Nomads. Under the direction of John & Annie Schipper, two dozen Nomads swung into action and set the pace for the weekend, as tomorrow’s tasks were completed today.

Invited by Neville to be the core of the 50-strong volunteer force, the Nomads came from far and wide. Their efficiency was spectacularly demonstrated at the Shire Hall when the preparation – sweeping, mopping, kitchen clean-up, and setting out about 300 chairs and wiping each down – was completed in just 54 minutes.

Throughout the weekend both venues – the Shire Hall and Showground – were kept spic and span by the Nomads. They also rose early to cook breakfast and stayed late to help clean up and shift equipment at the end of each evening’s activities.

The Nomads put the weekend’s theme of Unity in the Church into action. “The Nomads were living out their catch cry: Serving those who serve … so that all could enjoy the weekend,” says Neville.

Don’t be tempted to think that the life of a BCA Nomad is all work and no play. Many of the Nomads at Gilgandra had the pleasure of catching up with friends whom they had served with in the past or making new friends with people they’d perhaps only heard about on the BCA grapevine.

Without the tireless efforts of a faithful few Gilgandra locals, who long to see the region won for Christ, the camp could not have been such a success. These people – Kath Bird, Lois Towney, Francis Towney, Kerry Gainsford, Pastor Rod & Val Bird, and Gail Naden, gave good leadership over the weekend.

The 2023 camp drew people from as far as Papua New Guinea, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie (WA) and Cherbourg (QLD), as well as helpers from the Living Waters Church at Redfern and a contingent from Maitland Evangelical Church (NSW).

Initial planning has begun for the 2024 camp and if the growth trajectory of doubling each year continues, the organising committee will have a wonderful logistical nightmare to solve.