We recently caught up with SMBC alumni, Dave and Margie Wood…
If you asked me three years ago what I would be doing in the near future, I would have answered: “I don’t really know, but I guess since I am enrolled at SMBC, it will be something to do with serving God and being Jesus’ hands and feet…”
Did I really believe this three years ago? Well, sort of, but probably more my version or image of what serving God looks like. It may have been less full-on or less independent or less remote… I am not really sure. But God, knowing me better than I do, had other plans. Bigger and wider plans. He led me along a path that has ended up in the Central Australian desert community of Coober Pedy since early March 2024.
Both Margie and I can see clearly this is where God wants us and we really enjoy being here! The path that I mentioned began many years ago.
“But God, knowing me better than I do, had other plans. Bigger and wider plans.”
I’m a mining engineer so our family has lived and worked in the bush for some 30 years. We enjoyed our time in mining towns and being part of (at many times) the only church in town. We didn’t know it then, but God was growing our affection for the bush and bush churches. After a while I sensed God was pushing me to serve him more intentionally. This took the form of Christian camping ministry for seven years.
Then God again prodded me to step in even closer, which led to Margie and me enrolling at SMBC in 2021 for the Associate Degree of Ministry. (We were in our late 50s with four adult children and six grandchildren living in NSW and the ACT at that time. So, we’re keen to let you know that it’s not too late to come to SMBC and prepare for ministry! And amazingly, one of our (adult) kids also enrolled at College in the same year – she was a much better scholar than we were!)
It was such fun to be in community at SMBC and study God’s word 24/7… how wide and deep it is!
As we progressed through study, we were asking ourselves what do we do after College? Long story short, we had an opportunity through the Diocese of Armidale in regional NSW (thanks, Rod), to minister to a church in a small rural community north of Inverell for six months during 2022. God blessed our time hugely and we were hooked on rural ministry. We returned to SMBC for our second year in 2023.
But again, the question was where to go after College. One of the great community practices of SMBC is the weekly ‘Principal’s Hour’ (chapel service) and ‘Ministry Matters’ (where missionaries present workshops and explore a range of current urban, regional and overseas missions topics). On one of these occasions, we had visits from the inland mission agency called Bush Church Aid (BCA). This connection with BCA and the way God was forming us in community alongside the lecturers (who had both ministered and missioned in many parts of this world), was a key process for our next steps.
“Our vision and desire is to develop relationships with people and hopefully have deeper chats when God softens hearts.”
So with the 100% support of BCA and the generous provision of God’s people, we are now serving in Coober Pedy (‘Coobs’), South Australia. Our Church is The Catacomb Anglican Church in the Diocese of Willochra. Following a recent break over January and February, we were encouraged to be back in the community again.
We went down to our local supermarket and bumped into the ‘drive-in’ movie theatre committee chairperson where we spoke about volunteering (it’s the last drive-in movie theatre in South Australia); then we also ran into a church member at a ‘Second Chance Animals’ stall, and then we caught up with the chairman of the Umoona Aboriginal art collective. All this is to say, we are keen to spend our time being a part of the community and interacting wherever we see an opening for deeper relationships with people.
Other ways we are getting involved here is through the ‘Dusty’ radio (community radio); the school (Coober Pedy Area School); the SES/CFS emergency service; the South Australian Ambulance Service (SAAS) as volunteer chaplains) and so on. Our vision and desire is to develop relationships with people and hopefully have deeper chats when God softens hearts.
Our weeks can be hard as well. When we first started in 2024, the town was deeply affected by two youth suicides. This sad and difficult time put us in the place to show and be God’s love to people who needed support during such terrible grief.
There is no way we can do any of this work alone. We’re so thankful God’s Spirit is with us and we have the support of BCA and people who prayerfully and financially get alongside us.
We’d greatly value your prayers as we serve here by praying for:
- the youth here to reconnect with the church and with us. We have some programs in place and others will start soon; and,
- for the adults who might be lonely, weary or sad to reach out and find our church and us;
- for any pride holding people back from coming to church on Sundays and becoming part of God’s family.
Dave & Margie Wood
Photos: Eternity News
