In the early 2000’s James Daymond had just entered adulthood. His life busy. He had thrown himself many things his career, his reputation, family.

"Then I realised these things weren't actually yielding what I was looking for – spiritual satisfaction."

He went to church one day, and started to "think we all have a soul and spirit. We are all wanting satisfaction for our soul but these things I was chasing could not deliver what God could give nor deliver the very deep contentment in the inner most of our being."

He bucked a global trend – he became a young person who converted to Christianity.

This month Reverend Daymond will move to Cobar to become the first Anglican Minister for the congregation in more than two years.

He faces a number of challenges. Most congregations across the region have been without ministers and those that are active tend have been particularly small parishes with most of the members 80 years or over.

The Western Plains App understands that Anglican churches in Warren, Coonamble, Bourke and Narromine have all been unable to attract permanent Ministers for several years despite extensive recruitment efforts by the church.

In other cases our region's parishes have had ministers working well beyond retirement age as the church struggles to find young ministers and younger attendees.

Mark Calder who runs the Bathurst Diocese which looks after most of the parishes in the Western Plains told the Western Plains App that the church was trying to achieve generation renewal across the region by promoting the vacancies to bible college students.

"There are certainly opportunities here to share the hopeful message of Christ to people who really needed," Calder said. "But what a lot of the students I talk to about coming here when they graduate are expressing about coming to a rural area is fear of the unknown, that they will be lonely and isolated, because they will be out of their community diocese."

St Paul's Anglican Church in Cobar. IMAGE: Cobar Shire Council

Reverend Daymond thinks getting new Ministers across the region is important to ensure generational renewal.

"I think for young people in your region, their parents didn’t get go to church – let alone be something they would consider" he said "I don’t think churches have done a great job in appealing younger people. A lot of the ministers were very caught up in a political agenda or preachig morals, and that’s been really a global trend. What they havent taught is the good news – Jesus died for our sins, because God loves us".

Reverend Daymond will come to Cobar after four years working as an evangelist, first in Narromine and then Mudgee.

"I am really looking forward to go to Cobar," he told the Western Plains App

"I love the central west region and I feel called to go by God. 

"I'm also supported by a wonderful Anglican organisation called Bush Church Aid and I get a stipend from that. I would not be able to come to Cobar without it. 

"Actually Cobar was the second ever place to get a minister from Bush Church Aid when the revered Reginald Hawkins was the first minister there in 1920 so it’s a long-time connection and we are delighted to be able to return Cobar...I hope that people from all different ages will come and see what church is all about."

Reverend Daymond's commissioning service will take place on Saturday 18 February. He asks to those coming to please RSVP to the by Monday, 13 February 2023 at [email protected]