the real australian - The Bush Church Aid Society

From Little Things Big Things Grow
A Trip to Winton
Leonie Burgess has been the Mission
Contact for Figtree Anglican Church and
her branch church, The Soldiers and
Miners Memorial Church at Mount Kembla
for many years.
It was during a
recent trip to Winton
to visit BCA Field
Staff, the Revd Anne
and Noel Winton,
she got to see some
of the amazing work
they are doing there
and share that with
her congregation in
Mount Kembla.
At the Annual
Council Meeting
for BCA in May, I
was privileged to
the community is essential if ministry is to
be effective. I came away from the meeting
greatly encouraged by what God was doing
through prayer, financial giving and a group
of very special people.
Some weeks later I was sitting with
several friends finalising our trip to
Queensland, which
included a day trip
to Winton. I recalled
the field report from
the Nixon’s and the
breakfast programme
run each school
morning to provide
healthy nourishment
(and sometimes a
sandwich for lunch)
for the children
attending St Patrick’s
convent and Winton
State School who
hear reports from
each of the ministry
Anne with a Winton local
would otherwise
go to class hungry.
fields during the preceding twelve months,
giving me a glimpse of the huge need for
a Christian presence in the lives of people
living beyond our coastal fringe. It was
uplifting to hear answers to prayer in
moments of need and challenging to hear
what Field Staff may face during the course
of their day.
What struck me most was that
missionary work in the field stretches far
beyond what makes up the life of a city
church with more people, resources and
welfare services. Participation in the life of
Funds for the programme were running low.
In response to mentioning that Winton was
a BCA parish and being Mission Contacts,
we decided to try and visit the church.
On 9th June I spoke to our small
congregation at Mount Kembla reminding
them that nearly half the congregation
including the three church wardens would
be missing for the next two Sundays and
gave them information on the breakfast
program at Winton. They were enthused
by this work and keen to give financially
as well. Early on the 18th June, eight of
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