“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
The CRU Lake Mac Open Day and Thanksgiving Service provided a great opportunity to reflect on God’s extraordinary provision for CRU. Just over 400 people gathered despite heavy morning rain to tour the site’s new facilities, participate in sailing, archery and climbing, and to praise God. A 7-metre-long banner displayed in the Undercroft outlined the site’s history from the time that Dr Lesley Parr donated it to Crusaders in 1946.
Dr Parr’s daughter, Joan Bell, read from Ephesians 3, with a current Board member, Alex Koch, speaking on this passage. Earlier, one of the granddaughters of Max and Helen Bywater, the site’s first full-time managers, opened the service in prayer. God’s praises were sung with gusto; a video showed the original site with army tents, the construction of the jetty pool and timber tents, and then the redevelopment work; Bruce York, Julie Mathews and Nate Gale shared memories; and a current school student Lydia Piper spoke of her experience on camp since the new cabins were added.
The redeveloped site is expected to allow CRU to reach an extra 20,000 kids each year with the gospel – a million extra over a 50 year period! Already we have seen growth: the site hosted 10,600 camper nights in 2019, 25,700 in 2021, and over 43,000 are expected in 2023. We’ve seen God’s remarkable hand in the gift of the site, its development and use over the decades, and in the generous funding of its redevelopment.
But more than just new activities, new buildings and new views, we praise God that He is doing a stunning new work in people’s lives, enabling them to recognise His goodness and mercy in Jesus. “In Him, and through Him, we can approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12)
