Presbyterian Youth NSW (PYNSW) has a long history of discipling young people in NSW. Originally constituted in 1872 as the Presbyterian Fellowship Union (PFU), it was later known as the Presbyterian Fellowship of Australia in NSW (PFA) before becoming PYNSW.
Today, PYNSW continues that mission by equipping leaders in local churches to disciple the next generation. One key way it does this is by modelling how to run great camps. And for Alison Morrow, PY Summer Camp isn’t just another event—it’s part of a rich family heritage that spans more than a century.
“Forty-five years ago, I was preparing to attend my first Summer Camp with PFA (Presbyterian Fellowship of Australian in NSW),” Alison reflects. “My older brother and sister had been going for a few years. My parents attended PFA camps in the 1950s, and my grandparents attended in the 1910s. Colin and I went in the 1970s and 80s, and our children attended PY camps in the early 2000s. Four generations all hearing, learning, and growing through PFA/PYNSW.”
Alison and her husband, Colin, now serve with Presbyterian Inland Mission. But their connection to PYNSW runs deep—not just in their own experience but in the lifelong friendships formed along the way.
“Colin and I are still in touch with friends we made through PFA. We socialise together and, when we can, we worship and minister together. All this with people God brought together so many years ago through PFA. My parents had friends they made through PFA with whom they were friends for the rest of their lives. It was such a blessing to see these godly people, sharing memories and living their lives for God’s glory.”
Last year, Alison found herself preparing for camp once again—but this time, as a Camp Parent for PY Summer Camp in Victoria.
“I feel that I’ve come full circle,” she says. “The excitement and anticipation were just as I remembered from 45 years ago. I couldn’t wait to get there, to share with these young people, to get to know them, and maybe to encourage them with all that PFA has meant to us.”
Alison’s story is a beautiful reminder that the work of PYNSW is not just about one camp or one generation—it’s about the ongoing legacy of young people hearing the gospel, forming deep friendships, and growing in their faith.
You can learn more about the history of PYNSW camping in our book – ‘Think Christ. Live Christ. A history of camping in the NSW Presbyterian Church from 1919’.