NCYC 2003 attendees to reunite in Newcastle

A group of organisers responsible for NCYC 2003 are putting together a reunion for the event’s 20^th anniversary. Taking place at Australia Day, this will be a picnic at the Newcastle Habour Foreshore.

The reunion will meet at Wharf Street at the Railway Carriage Shed on the Newcastle Habour Foreshore from 12pm to 4pm. Organisers intend to later head to a local pub for dinner afterwards with anyone interested in continuing on.

Rev. Kent Crawford is one of the reunion organisers. He told Insights the reunion idea came from some of the people who volunteered at NCYC 2003.

“Lisa Wriley and Andrew Wright, wife and husband, key volunteer leaders of NCYC 2003 in Newcastle reached out to Rob Hanks and myself with the idea of a 20 year reunion just before Christmas,” he said.

“The event itself was held in the first week of January, but we’ve opted to mark the occasion on Australia/Survival Day in Newcastle, offering anyone who wants to come along the opportunity to participate in local events hosted by Aboriginal leaders alongside prior to and alongside our celebration.”

“Rob Hanks was the leader of the Synod Youth Unit as the time and the main driver behind the location, theme and feel of the event, given he was and is a Newcastle local.”

“I was placed as the NCYC 2003 Coordinator for two years as my ministry within the then Board of Education at the Synod.”

Rev. Rob Hanks is another reunion organiser who was involved with organising NCYC 2003.

“It was an inspired thought and a pre-Christmas realisation from among our hard working teams, remembering 20 years since a huge effort to host NCYC 2003 might be worth celebrating,” he said.

“The Car Park Cathedral, Mission immersions, contextual discipleship, and a wind storm created unique memories. Not to mention rumours of Midnight Oil playing at University of Newcastle.”

NCYC 2003 took place in Newcastle. Featuring the theme Shaking The Foundations, it featured international and local speakers.

One of the international speakers was South Africa’s Purity Nomthandazo Malinga, who went on to become the first woman to be elected as a Methodist Bishop.

Ireland’s Julian Hamilton was another international speaker. He is the Co-founder and Creative Director of The Good Summit.

The local speakers included Rachel Kronberger and Peter Hobson. Rev. Kronberger is currently Minister of the Word at Wesley Church Melbourne. Rev. Dr Hobson is Superintendent and Minister at Albert Street Uniting Church in Brisbane.

The National Christian Youth Convention (NCYC) is a national gathering of Uniting Church young people that takes place every second January.