Camden Valley Church

Hello everyone

Don't forget our new Second Service is running on Sunday mornings from 8am to 9am in the Library. It is a teaching service, looking at the parables Jesus used to teach about Eschatology (the study of the end times and the Second Coming of Christ).
The notes for these sessions are on the website and the audio recordings should also be available soon on the website.

If you have ever heard the term "Church Council" and wondered what and who this is, there is a short explanation below.

Don't forget this year's AGM, on Sunday, 2nd of November in the morning service. The meeting will give a Financial Update, a review of the year past and a look into the future of our church. To register as a Voting Member, please fill in this form.

The offical induction of our new Associate Pastor, Pastor Mandy, will occur on Sunday November 9th during the 10am service. Please come and share this significant moment for both Mandy and our church. A beautiful lunch will be served after the service.

See below for our Christmas Services as well. You can start getting into the spirit by making your own Christmas Wreath with Beth.

Staff contact details and Ways to Give to our church.

Waiting on God is not only difficult; sometimes it seems impossible. We want things to happen in our own timing, according to our plans. But God doesn’t operate on our schedules, and expecting that He will sets one up for disappointment.

Waiting on God means going without answers to prayer, wondering why the wicked seem to prosper, and having desires delayed and hope deferred. God has a greater perspective of life’s events, and His perspective, plans, and schedules are perfect and holy, because He is perfect and holy. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30). If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that whatever He does—and whatever His timing—is also perfect. When we grasp that fact, waiting on God is not only made less difficult, it actually becomes joyful.

The promises of God are clear on this matter—in waiting on God, we find our strength renewed (Isaiah 40:31). But we are human, and we live in a fast-paced culture that demands everything now. That’s one reason why waiting on God is difficult. Sometimes, the prayers we lift up to the Lord of Hosts are answered immediately, and that encourages us to further trust and confidence. However, sometimes the Lord’s answers are delayed. Over a period of time, the Lord tests our faith, and that’s when we can really struggle. We may even start to wonder whether the Lord is really listening to our prayers.

Waiting on God should not cause the believer to doubt or to worry. The apostle Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6). The King James Version translates this as the command to be “careful for nothing.” This means we are not to be full of care over anything; we should be mindful of nothing that might cause concern, except to bring it to God in prayer. Anxiety in the believer suggests a lack of faith, and that grieves the Lord (see Matthew 8:26).

Waiting on God can keep us out of trouble. Abraham had God’s promise of a son through whom the covenant would be fulfilled (Genesis 15:4). Abraham and Sarah tried and waited, but they could have no child. Rather than waiting on God and His timing, they unwisely took matters into their own hands, and Ishmael was the result (Genesis 16).

One divine attribute that will enable us to patiently wait on God is His sovereignty. We can have complete confidence in His total, independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by none, and absolutely independent, God does what He pleases, only as He pleases, and always as He pleases. Nothing can stay His hand: “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46:10). Once we better understand God’s sovereignty, coupled with His goodness, waiting for God to act becomes a matter of a child trusting in his father’s faithfulness, sure of his father’s strength.

Waiting on God is never easy, but we wait in the knowledge that God knows our situation, He cares for our needs, and He is good to the end. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).

Blessings, Jeremy

Our Church Council is the governing body of our church.
It is made up of people elected from our congregation.

The current members are:
Chair - Sarah Hoskins
Secretary - Matt Lane
Treasurer - Kevin Chamberlain
Lyn Dench, Cameron Ferris, Dylan Maloney, Greig Loomes and Jeremy Hodson.

Lyn, Cameron, Greig and Dylan, although without titles, have specific areas of oversight within our church.

The Council is responsible for all aspects in the life of our church - legal, financial, pastoral, operations and safety.

The Council is responsible for hiring paid staff (e.g. pastors and administrators). The Council will then delegate some of its responsibilities to these paid staff, who may in turn delegate some responsibilities to volunteers in the church.

One of the legal aspects of Camden Valley Church is that as we are an independent church (not part of a larger denomination), we were created as an incorporated association under the NSW Government's Fair Trading act and are a registered 'Not For Profit' organisation under the Federal Government's ACNC (Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission).

This means we have a constitution that spells out many of the ways we are to operate. It also means we are required to report both financially and operationally to the ACNC. Also, from a pastoral point of view, we are part of the Crosslink Network, which is a large group of independent churches (independent of the usual denominations) that offer advice, support and accreditations to our church.

One requirement of the Fair Trading act is that the members of the Church Council are voted onto Council for a fixed term (2 years for us) by the 'members' of the association, i.e. our congregation. At the end of their term they may be re-elected for another term. Members of the association (i.e. the congregation) are required to apply yearly for what we call 'Voting Membership', i.e. the right to vote at Special Association Meetings. It is optional for congregation members to become 'Voting Members'.

Another aspect of the Fair Trading act is Council are required to hold an Annual General Meeting (one of the Special Association Meetings) to inform the 'members' of the financial state of the association (i.e. our church), and allow Voting Members to vote on any motions and to elect or re-elect members of the Council. As Dylan is finishing up on Council this year, the Council will be seeking a new member at this year's AGM.

Welcome to CV Connect #14 of 2025

Wreath Making Workshop

Waiting on God is not only difficult; sometimes it seems impossible...

What is "Church Council" ?

Community Engagement

Services

Prayer Points

Mailing Address

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram