More than 600 Adventurers, families and staff gathered at Yarra Holiday Park (Stuarts Point Convention Centre) in Stuarts Point, NSW, for the bi-annual North New South Wales Conference (NNSW) Adventurer Camporee. Held on the last weekend of school holidays, October 11 to 13, the event, themed “Option One”, encouraged the Adventurers to choose Jesus.
Guest speaker Pastor Ian Cangy, dressed as Jonah with a substantial black beard, presented the Bible character’s story on a stage decorated with sea creatures, including large paper-made jellyfish. “Pastor Cangy presented the story in a unique and powerful way,” said NNSW Pathfinder and Adventurer district director Alan Bates.
Adventurers enjoyed a weekend filled with activities, crafts, time in nature and spiritual growth.
The event also featured an underwater adventure drama performed by a team from Central Coast Adventurers and written by Scott Wegener, worship led by Maneesha Mistry-McNabb and supported by the Tongan Pathfinder Youth Band, and sea creature nature nuggets with Tammy Reeves.
Camporee Director Colleen Savage, NNSW children and family ministries director said, “I pray that all the families and adventurers who attended camporee went home ever knowing that choosing Jesus is and will always be our best option. Thank you to all the staff and volunteers for an amazing team effort.”
The event also honoured NNSW youth director Pastor Dana Howard and his wife Di for their years of service in youth ministries—the couple will enter semi-retirement at the end of the year. Pastor Howard, with the support of his wife, has served 15 years in youth ministries, seven of those at NNSW.
They were presented with gifts and a glass-engraved plaque that read, “Dana and Di Howard, thank you for your outstanding ministry to the Adventurers of NNSW Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church – 12th October 2024.”
