
Dear BST family.
We can hardly believe we are only a few months off it being 2 years since our departure from Brisbane.
The time has gone by so quickly.
It has been a whirlwind start to our first full-time pastoral ministry appointment here in Oberon.
Of course, we can’t cover everything, but here are few things that will hopefully bring you up to speed with where things are at.
Since our arrival we have seen God at work in an amazing way in our parish and are so grateful that we’re able to be a part of what he is doing both here and also across the Bathurst diocese.
We have seen amazing growth in all four of our church congregations, particularly here in Oberon. This is God’s grace to us, but of course it’s helpful that there is now a full-time minister in the Parish. We are very deliberate in reaching out to the communities our churches are in, and are loving getting to know the very generous-hearted people here.
It’s a much harder job reaching the communities of Tarana, Hampton and Mutton Falls, as we don’t live in those towns and so have to travel if we are to get to know these communities. Liz regularly face-paints at market days, and I play music at the pub as a means to get to know people in those towns. We have to be very deliberate. Please pray for God to open more doors for the gospel and relationships in those locations.
Our strategy is Connecting Community in Christ (which we have adopted as our Mission statement). By this, we’re trying to connect our existing people to Jesus more and more, and connect the wider community to Jesus through our church community, all in the context of relationship and undergirded in prayer. Please pray that we can all do this more and more effectively and naturally as we live out our faith every day.
It was a delight to have the BST mission team led by John Coulson join us just over a month ago. It was a great encouragement to our people to have them engage in the ministry here so wholeheartedly. They not only impacted our churches, but the whole town. So many people have commented on what a blessing they were to have here. Hopefully, we gave them a good look at what country ministry looks like, and that some at least will consider how they might serve in a context like this.
Sam has loved the move to the country, and last week he was announced as one of the Oberon High School Vice captains for 2025. We are very proud of him, and so thankful to God for the way he is thriving here.
Bella moved back in with us earlier this year, and is working as the local pathology collector in town—a job she is very good at and is well loved in the community. She will continue her nursing studies through Charles Sturt Uni in Bathurst.
Liz is doing one clinical day in town, and hopes to transition from her educator’s job that has meant quite a lot of travel, to pick up more local clinical work, as well as begin some research.
We are so thankful for the prayer support of so many, and to God for his amazing provision that means we can minister here full-time while he grows his church to a point that they can support us in a full-time capacity.
We miss our Brisbane friends and family a lot, and ask that you keep us in your prayers as we work to see God’s kingdom grow and Jesus made known in Oberon and the surrounding area.
Every blessing.
Jonny Lush (and family).