To say Sarah and Nathan (Wal) Walter are busy is a modest assessment. Wal has loved serving as the senior minister at Naremburn-Cammeray Anglican Church for over five and a half years, and both are involved in various ministries there. Outside of church, they both participate in sports, and Sarah works as a physio, teaches at Australian Catholic University, and runs a training and development program for women in ministry. With all this and everything that a family of six (and two dogs) brings, it’s understandable that life can get busy!
Yet over many years, and through the busyness, Sarah and Wal have partnered with CRU and shared in its mission of reaching the next generation with the gospel. And we’re thankful that they have been able to witness God’s work through CRU’s ministry firsthand – not just in their own lives, but in their children’s lives as well.
Sarah is personally thankful for how she’s grown in her walk with Jesus through CRU’s ministries and reflects, “Coming from a non-Christian family, CRU had a big impact on my Christian journey.”
From making the decision to be Jesus’ friend on a Year 6 Crusader Camp in 1984, to attending a CRU Group in high school and then leading on various CRU Camps, she recognises God’s work in her life.
“In Year 6, I attended a CRU cooking camp. I don’t remember any of the cooking, but what I do remember is a diagram that was drawn on butchers paper. The picture was of us being separated from God and the leaders explaining that the barrier was called sin,” Sarah recalls.
“Then they drew a cross to bridge the gap and explained that through Jesus, we can now be friends with God again. I remember lying on my bunk bed that night and saying, ‘Jesus, can I be your friend?’”
Following that camp, Sarah attended her local church with a friend and joined the CRU Group at school. Through these various points of Christian contact, she gradually grew to understand more about the gospel.
After high school, both Sarah and Wal led and directed on CRU Camps and were particularly passionate about serving on CrossTrain, formerly known as January Leadership Camp (JLC). They continued to lead on camps after they were married, and when their children were born, they continued to bring them on camps as well.
Wal shares why they were so committed to leading on JLC, “The camp was mainly for Year 11 and 12 kids who would be leading their lunchtime Christian groups at school. Lots of the camp had to do with Bible training and biblical theology.”
“It wasn’t flashy, but it was a lot of fun. There’s just a confidence in the steady chip-away ministry of opening the Bible in groups, building meaningful relationships, praying, and pointing children to Christ. He’s the source of our enduring hope.”
Sarah and Wal pray that their own boys will continue to experience that same encouragement – to keep opening God’s Word and look to Jesus. One way they see this happening is through their Christian CRU Groups at school.
“Students get to see teachers and key adults in their school community as older brothers and sisters in Christ,” Wal explains. “They get to build relationships with the student leaders and teachers who help run the group and be supported by a set of trusted people that they can rely on, who are all in the Lord together.”
Wal adds, “It’s a significant thing for a teenager growing up trusting Christ to have a rich web of Christian relationships around them. Not just at church, but in a school community if possible, or on camps where you go with others. Multiple points of Christian contact help strengthen and deepen your faith in a really significant set of years.”
“A lot of the gospel work CRU does is with school children – kids coming from both Christian and non-Christian families.” Wal continues, “CRU gets to work in a window of time which is often observationally very important for people to be exploring the gospel.”
For this reason, the Walters have continued to support and partner with CRU over the years. Though they aren’t leading on CRU Camps anymore, Wal and Sarah still support CRU through prayer and have made the decision to leave a gift to CRU in their Will.
Sarah and Wal took the opportunity to attend a free CRU Wills Day and recall it being a beneficial experience. Sarah explains, “It gives you peace of mind when you actually have it done. It’s one of those major life things that you can then tick off and then update it again according to your changing circumstances.”
Wal shares their thoughts on leaving a gift to CRU, “Writing a Will allows us to set priorities in what we want to try and do with our assets, reflecting significant relationships and important commitments.”
“If we’re disciples of Christ, we know that the great priority is the kingdom of God and the gospel being proclaimed. By including CRU in our Will, we’re not only teaching and modelling that gospel priority to our boys, but we’re entrusting assets to people who we trust are going to be able to use it for the gospel.”
Their second son, James, is in his first year of ministry training with CRU’s Summit Program and serves in frontline gospel ministry on CRU Educational Camps. Wal reflects that this is made possible because of the generous gifts from previous generations.
He shares, “God’s people provide for these ministry opportunities, and it’s very tangible. And so, when you give, you’re a part of something bigger. A gift that was given in a previous generation is still bearing fruit.”
We give great thanks to God for gospel partners, like Sarah and Wal, who share in our mission to see God’s kingdom grow. Please join them in their prayer:
“Pray that we’d hold onto the gospel of salvation by grace alone, not by works, through Christ alone, and faith alone. Pray also for sustenance in ministry and the goal of running the race and getting to the finish line with that enduring hope of eternal life in Christ.”
Have your Will written or updated for free!
Attend a CRU Wills Day:
Friday, 21 October, in Mona Vale
or Saturday, 22 October, in North Sydney
Contact us to secure your appointment at www.cru.edu.au/willsday