Mount Gambier Baptist Church is unique to our Movement in its environment, current climate, and socio-economic makeup.
Situated in an ethnically diverse regional hub full of both professional and blue-collar opportunities, “the Mount’s” proximity to Victoria has seen anxiety towards COVID-19 escalate.
However, the church’s unique position brings with it rare opportunity, and 2021 has proven to be a season of careful optimism.
Pastor Cam Buchanan, who has served the church alongside his wife Jenny since 2016, was quick to champion the nine baptisms that took place in 2021.
“We’ve had more baptisms this year than we’ve [had] in the last five years. It’s a really cool thing to see people taking steps forward in their faith,” exclaimed Cam.
“That’s been a real focus over the last 12 months. Each time we’ve been calling for baptism services, people of all ages and ethnic groups are putting their hand up.”
Mount Gambier Baptist aims to mirror the cross-section of community found in the 30,000-strong town, and this reflects in their programs, rhythms, and events. Their playgroup is an often-unsung example, reaching both their church community and those beyond.
“It’s been running under the radar for a long time, [but] in the last 12 months it’s really taken off in a huge way, with a great team running it and building on the legacy of this thing for many years now.
“Every Tuesday morning involves use of playground facilities, food, songs and activities, and attention given to the parents as well.
“And it’s largely unchurched people. There have been people join the church [community] from it, so it does connect to the greater expression of who we are, but it is a community in and of itself as well.”
The effects of COVID-19 have disproportionately affected the Limestone Coast region over the last two years, and with the concept of living with the pandemic now a reality, the fatigued region is facing new challenges.
“With the floodgates open, all of a sudden everybody’s antsy and nervous in a way that you can probably dilute across Adelaide’s population differently, but we feel it a lot because of the size of our community.
“My favourite café is closed today because apparently they had a positive COVID-19 case there, so I’m a bit crabby. All these little things pile up to make people nervous.”
Alongside the seemingly endless challenges of the pandemic, Pastor Cam highlighted other difficulties of the past season that the church would like prayer for.
“There’s been some unnecessary deaths going on. There’s been road fatalities, some suicides that have really shaken the place up. There’s a bit of a cloud over that stuff, every little thing causes a ripple and rattles us.
“We also have a large Burmese community, and what’s happening in Myanmar right now is really hitting home. People here have relatives in these villages, which are getting bombed and burned.
“So, we have one part of our community which is really grieving at the moment in a strong way.”
Excitingly, there’s plenty to look forward to at Mount Gambier Baptist. February will be a month full of outreach, with their youth ministry running community barbecues in parks and hangouts across the city.
An inaugural evangelism conference featuring author and speaker John Dickson is slated for late-September. Unfazed that the event is likely to clash with AFL Grand Final day, Cam jokes, “let’s face it, neither Port nor Adelaide are going to be there next season.”
Church-planting is a conversation on the horizon, after a year of experimentation with creative models of online and in-person church delivery.
“The Limestone Coast and everything south of the Dukes Highway is what’s in our sights for future ministry. We’ve adopted that region as our Samaritan focus. Places like Penola, possibly even Casterton just over the Victorian border, all towns of 1000-1500 people.
“Whether it be a gathering or a table, I’m determined that we can have a witness in those spaces.”
Please keep Mount Gambier Baptist Church in your prayers as we enter 2022!
