About PYNSW

Your partner in discipling children and youth for Christ.

Our Vision

“To see Presbyterian Churches in NSW filled with children and youth who know, follow, love, and share Jesus, actively participating in the life of the church.”

Aim of PYNSW:

Through God’s strength PYNSW aims to equip the Church to disciple all youth and children for Christ

Constituted in 1872 as the Presbyterian Fellowship Union, Presbyterian Youth (PY) was also formerly known as The Presbyterian Fellowship of Australia in NSW.
PYNSW works with youth leaders (and children’s ministry leaders) at local churches around NSW to help those churches disciple their young people. It remains the youth organisation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in NSW.

The gospel is the good news that God, the loving ruler of the world, created us to
live under his care. But we have all rejected him, choosing to rule our own lives. Because of this, we face his just judgment—death and separation from him. Yet in his great love, God sent his Son, Jesus, to live the perfect life we could not live and die in our place, taking the punishment we deserved. But Jesus did not stay dead—God raised him to life as the victorious ruler of the world. He now offers forgiveness and new life to all who turn from rebellion and trust in him.

This is the message of salvation that must be shared, with all nations and all enerations.

Ephesians 2:8 tells us that we are saved by grace through faith—it is not our own
doing, but a gift from God. This grace is for all people, and Jesus commands us to
go make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Yet this mission begins in our
own homes and churches, as God calls us to diligently pass on the gospel to the
next generation (Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 78).

We are entrusted with the responsibility to teach our children and young people about the love of Jesus, so that they too may know him, trust him, and proclaim his name for generations to come.

PYNSW works to:

Assist churches and presbyteries to fulfil their responsibility to reach, disciple, and place into Christian service, youth within the context of the Church
Promote outreach, mission, discipleship, learning and fellowship among young people, and foster an ongoing concern for these things within the context of the Church
Unite the youth of the Church in a fellowship of worship, study, recreation and service
Facilitate the integration of youth into the life of the Church
Facilitate training for youth leaders
Provide a statewide Christian camping ministry
Assist the Church to develop effective strategies for youth work

Committee

David Balzer Convener

Sarah Bell Committee Member

Danny Ford Committee Member

Andrew Garven Treasurer

Catherine Holland Committee Member

Jarrod McNaughton Committee Member

Brian Stuckings Committee Member

James Turnbull Committee Member

Andrew Vines Committee Member

Staff

David Phillips General Manager

Roslyn Deal SRE Director

Sam Smith Timothy Partnership Certificate Unit Coordinator

Presbytery Youth Reps
(PYR)

Vacant Canberra, Central Coast, Hunter, Northern Rivers, Sydney East Know someone? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.

Stephen Fong Central Tablelands

Allan Blanch Central West

Dal Proudfoot Illawarra

Jarrod McNaughton Northern Inland

Jeff Allen Mid North Coast

Dave Hayes Southern Rivers

Danny Ford Sydney Inner West

Sam Choi Sydney North

Shane Gooch Sydney South

Hugh Prattis Western Sydney

What does a Presbytery Youth Representative do?

The Presbytery Youth Representative role encompasses the following:

• Reporting back to the General Manager of PYNSW on which churches in a Presbytery have:
– Youth groups
– Sunday School
– Creche
– Other children’s ministry
– Other family ministries
– SRE teaching

• Communicate with churches in the Presbytery about PYNSW (and other) initiatives that are relevant to the Presbytery.

• Meet (on zoom) twice per year with other Presbytery youth reps for fellowship, encouragement, and to communicate the needs of the Presbytery.

• Be interviewed (via email or phone) by the PYNSW communications officer to help spread awareness on the good news, and need stories around children and family ministry in the Presbytery.

This role description is subject to expansion as PYNSW continues to seek to provide resources to churches and Presbyteries based on the support they require in line with their individual needs.