SA volunteers are ‘All In’ this summer

More than 80 camps and missions volunteers gathered in Adelaide on September 13 for the inaugural SU Australia ‘All In’ Training Day event. 

The event marked the first time all South Australia’s camp and mission team members have gathered together in one place, and the energy levels alone were enough to get anyone excited for the ministry taking place in the spring and summer seasons.

The day was designed to equip and inspire volunteers, bringing together a mix of new faces and seasoned veterans. Proceedings kicked off with a powerful devotion centered on the question, “Who is SU?” brought by Senior Ministry Coordinator, Hamilton McNichol  – a timely reminder that our work is part of a much bigger, global story. 

SU staff and volunteers took time to reflect on the movement’s rich history and the timeless challenge of showing children and young people that God’s transformative love is for them, and they all have a place in his big story!

Keynote speaker, evangelist Bec Fielding, encouraged the teams to continue the vital work of proclaiming God’s Good News and sharing the message of Jesus with today’s young people. Volunteers also had the opportunity to dive into a variety of workshops led by experienced SU staff and long-time volunteers. 

These sessions focused on key topics covering: meeting with God daily, engaging communities, discipleship, and helping young people to “shine their light” in their school communities. For volunteers and SU staff alike, these workshops were spaces to learn and grow, while remembering the vital work they’ve been called to. 

For SU Australia Camping and Ministry Specialist, Andrew Beavers (Beavs), who ran two workshops on the day, one of the highlights was the chance to connect with volunteers from different ministries and hear stories of faith and faithfulness. 

“Just meeting people who have been passionate about SU in South Australia for many, many years… It’s just the encouragement of being around a group of volunteers passionate about doing ministry.”

Beavs also shared that a key takeaway for him was in “bringing people together from the different SU ministries to encourage and inspire each other.” 

“When you get to hear stories of the person on a beach mission or the person at a kids camp, and how they’re all tied together; for me, that’s the beauty of days like this.”

It was a day that truly celebrated equipping and releasing volunteers —central to the SU Australia DNA – who will go and serve in local communities, creating spaces and opportunities for children, young people, and their families to discover life and their place in God’s big story. 

To find out more about the upcoming spring and summer camp and missions seasons in SA, please visit: https://su.org.au/sa/