14 Feb, 2020
POSITION VACANT – PASTOR – WEST ORANGE BAPTIST CHURCH
As our Pastor is retiring in June 2020, applicants are sought from suitably qualified men.
West Orange Baptist Church (Inc) is an autonomous Baptist church located in the thriving city of Orange N S W. Located 254 km west of Sydney, at an altitude of 862 metres, population of 41,000.
We are basically fundamental in principal, pre millennial and conservative by choice.
Although predominantly an older congregation we would look for one who could build families while appreciating the contribution of the mature. Preach the Word, Pastor the flock.
Interested applicants, after prayer, may enquire with Steve Smedley on Mob 0417577834 or Wayne Sherwood Mob 0417291362 or email the Pastoral Committee on gitamae.smedley@gmail.com for further information.
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WEST ORANGE BAPTIST CHURCH is a nonaligned Independent Baptist Church. Not part of the Baptist Churches of NSW nor the Independent Baptist Churches. It is purely autonomous. We hold dear to Biblical principles with the Word being an essential instruction for life.
Currently two services are held each Sunday with 10 am attendance numbers between 45 – 70 and 25 to 30 in the 5pm service. (Currently there are 21 Members). Other activities are Ladies meetings, KYB, Friday night fellowship & Midweek prayer & Bible study. A spirit of love is very evident in the fellowship and value attendee’s contributions.
It is important to include the fellowship in the running of the church & each service as this trains & enhances their gifts.
A Statement of Faith & Constitution are available on request.
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WEST ORANGE BAPTIST CHURCH (Incorporated)
Relevant background information
WEST ORANGE BAPTIST commenced services in the latter months of 1980 with humble beginnings with dedicated folk who wanted to adhere to God’s word,
Fellowship was held in homes at first but numbers soon grew to be too many for this. With approximately 40 believers, agreement was reached that a new fellowship be born in Orange. At first services were held on Sunday afternoons so as not to impede on other service times. These services were then held in the now demolished Cherry Blossom Hall. The name of ORANGE COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH was then adopted.
After a time, services were relocated to the C W A Hall in Robertson Park with 100 in attendance. Preaching was carried out by a number of men from the church who took up the mantle to faithfully preach the Word. Various visiting speakers were invited and appreciated.
Eventually the Lord provided for the purchase of a large block of land on the western side of Orange, 79-85 Molong Rd. (initially half the block was sought however the Lord enabled the whole block). This was made possible partly through 2 interest free loans which lead to the building of a large worship building & bus/youth shed.
Programs covered 2 Sunday services, All Age Sunday School, men’s & lady’s meetings, midweek Prayer and Bible study, teenage program, 20-40 age fellowship, a very large youth work which at one stage utilised 3 buses to bring the children in from the 4 quarters of Orange.
The name of ORANGE INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH was then adopted. The fellowship was completely autonomous of any denomination or group. This remains in place to today.
All through this time the fellowship had no Pastor but was led by the Elders & Deacons. This continued for many years when it was voted to call a full time Pastor. Rev John Howard was appointed, followed by Dr Richard Wright, Pastor David Thompson, Rev Steve Caswell. In 2003 Mr Geoffrey Langdon joined us and has faithfully served the Lord till his impending retirement in June 2020. The quality of his preaching is acknowledged.
The church changed its name to WEST ORANGE BAPTIST CHURCH during the term of Pastor Steve Caswell in 1999, to better reflect the autonomous entity.
The role involves;
Full-time pastoral role in an established autonomous Baptist Church
Preaching in majority of 2 services each Sunday
Leadership of at least 1 Bible Study group
Love and appreciation of people of ALL ages
Pastoral care of the fellowship including visitation
Encouragement of congregation’s gifts and abilities
Remuneration via agreed stipend and expenses packaged with periodic reviews
Essential
Godly man and committed to Christ
Bible believer and in agreement with the Constitution’s Statement of Faith & the ethos of W O B C (constitution available on request)
Previous Pastoral experience with Pastoral care
One who lives & breathes Christ in all aspects of his life
A firm knowledge and understanding of God’s Word
Demonstrated ability to preach & teach in an interesting, simple & vibrant way to convey the truths of the Word
Ability to work with the leadership team; being pastor and elected Deacons
Desirable
Part time candidates will also be considered
Musical gifts
Possibly an early commencement to work with current Pastor prior to his retirement
Your Application
Please email your letter of interest and CV outlining relevant experience to gitamae.smedley@gmail.com to obtain further information. Mobile 0418577834
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CITY OF ORANGE N.S.W.
The Orange City Council web site describes in part, the following:
Orange Local Government Area (LGA) is located only three and a half hours from Sydney in Central NSW. Orange has four distinct seasons, elegant streetscapes, beautiful parks and some of the best regional food and wine in Australia. The Orange region celebrates the beautiful great outdoors, a flourishing cultural scene, fine produce and cosmopolitan cafes and restaurants.
Orange LGA is home to more than 41,000 residents and includes the regional city of Orange and the small villages Lucknow to the east and Spring Hill to the south. The Orange LGA economy is driven by health service activities, mining and mining support, public administration, tourism, retail, viticulture and horticulture. Orange also supports the surrounding region providing key health and education services through Orange Health Service Charles Sturt University and Western TAFE. Orange also boasts a significant regional airport with direct flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that connect the city to metropolitan markets.
There are 2 Christian Schools within Orange. Orange Christian School https://www.ocs.nsw.edu.au/ & Orange Anglican Grammar School https://www.oags.nsw.edu.au/ . There are no less that 20 churches covering many denominations/ beliefs.
Orange offers families the chance to reconnect with each other – to find the time to talk and sit with each other at the end of the day. To be together without the added strains and pressures that financial worries, excessive commuting and out of control price hikes bring. You can work hard here in Orange, but still have the time to sit down at the dinner table together, with locally produced food, sourced from local businesses and manufacturers and have the chance to laugh and regroup with your family and friends.
The affordability of housing in Orange is one of the most talked about lifestyle benefits that inspires people to make the move. Whether you want a Californian bungalow in the centre of the city, a modern large mansion or a rural property with spectacular views and room for a horse, Orange has it all. Into the bargain, it’s usually at least half the price of what you would expect to pay for the equivalent dwelling in a similar location in Sydney.
Orange offers you the perfect way of life. You can continue to learn as our education facilities for all ages are second to none. Fancy going for a bike ride, or taking the kids to the park to play soccer, take your pick, Orange has a large number of alternatives for cycle routes and sports clubs around the City. Always wanted to be in a triathlon, or take up running, join a club – we have more than one here for you to join.
Gourmet food your thing? Orange has become known as one of Australia’s most highly regarded gourmet restaurant and cafe cultures, which has bolstered the city’s reputation and the region’s growing status as a ‘food capital’.
The region experiences mild summers and cold winters with an average annual rainfall of approximately 900 mm. The fertile volcanic soils are suitable for a range of agricultural enterprises focused around livestock, in particular sheep farming and cattle farming, as well as grain production, dairy farming and fruit production. Viticulture for cool climate wine is continuing to develop in the region.
The region has unique geology containing minerals such as gold. This has enabled the development of one of the largest gold mines in Australia. Other exploration has been occurring in the region, with potential for further gold and copper mining projects.
The region is home to a range of educational facilities for all ages. From primary schools and high schools offering unique education for a range of needs including disability education services such as Anson Street School, through to Charles Sturt University, Orange College (TAFE) and the School of Rural Health which offer courses related to job opportunities in the region.
The region is centrally located in the heart of NSW, close to Bathurst as well as Parkes and its proposed national transport node. It is connected to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne via flights from Orange Regional Airport. It also has rail access to Sydney. The region’s affordable house prices, rural lifestyle choices, small community feel, natural beauty and diverse economy also make the region liveable and an attractive place to raise a family, retire, semi-retire, study or work.
West Orange Baptist Church
Orange NSW, Australia
Part time / Full time
