Book review: PY camping
‘See what God has done! These are tough days for children’s and youth ministries. Many churches that once had Sunday Schools of hundreds, and thriving, eager youth groups, now have […]
‘See what God has done!
These are tough days for children’s and youth ministries. Many churches that once had Sunday Schools of hundreds, and thriving, eager youth groups, now have few or no children in church and no youth group.
It is easy to feel miserable and discouraged about this, but as Balaam said of God’s people, ‘The Lord their God is with them: the shout of the King is among them’ (Numbers 23:21). And Balaam challenges King Balak to ‘See what God has done!’ (Numbers 23:23)
Well, ‘see what God has done’ in a book Think Christ, Live Christ, subtitled A history of camping in the Presbyterian Church since 1919 put together by a number of contributors.
Lavishly illustrated with a century of camps all over NSW, this coffee table book will see many a camper reminisce of their PFU and PFA and PY camping days.
Who’s that? Look! That isn’t … is it? With his arm around …! And I wonder what happened to her?’
And better still, ‘That was the camp where I knew I had to stop playing games with God … that was the camp where I came to Christ!’
In 1918, three hundred young people on a camp in Bowral had seen great blessing: It was reported ‘twos and threes met everywhere in prayer, where friend prayed friend into the very kingdom of God’.
But then the government refused the use of school property for camps.
Faced with this, a group of young people prayed earnestly for somewhere to continue their camping ministry. Specifically, they prayed for a camp site, and, as this book details, the Lord graciously answered that prayer and provided through a generous benefactor, Margaret Friend.
That led to nearly a century of camps at Thornleigh with eternal blessing to thousands of children and young people. An untold number of faithful mothers and ministers, mechanics and missionaries!
‘See what God has done’ when His people get together and pray!
There’s lots of photos – you may even see your grandparents, well, with a magnifying glass. But that’s to be expected. Wisely, not every camp is illustrated, though regional and District Committee camps are covered as well as Summer and Winter Camps. Be ready for a happy tear as you remember! And you’ll appreciate the personal stories included.
Unashamedly, Dave Philips, General Manager of PY invites readers to consider growing the Kingdom and blessing PY as Margaret Friend did. And perhaps in another hundred years, should the Lord delay His coming, a new generation will ‘see what God has done’
You can order a copy of the book ($60 printed, delivered; or free online) from davephillips@pynsw.org.au. PYNSW, 168 Chalmers St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia. Your first port of call might be: https://pynsw-camping-history.paperform.co/
– Andrew Campbell
