Croydon Hills Baptist Church (CHBC)

The BUV has encouraged country churches to have a link with at least one urban church.  Our partnership with Croydon Hills has led to a variety of friendships over the years with mutual support extending in both directions.  Portland always welcomes visitors from CHBC and enjoys paying return visits.

Grace Baptist Church

With our Associate Pastor, Michael Drennan, coming to us from Grace Baptist Church in Virginia USA, it is natural that there should be a connection between the two churches.  Grace’s Mission Group has been particularly supportive of the link between us with visitors from Grace having come to us over the years with another visit planned for 2009.

Bethany Church Obninsk, Russia

Our pastor, John, had the privilege of speaking at the Bethany Baptist Church in Obninsk, which is approximately 100 kilometres south east of Moscow.  Since that visit in 2006, a strong link has developed leading to a visit to us by the pastor of the church there, Rev Alexey Nozdracheve.  Alexey was the guest preacher at our 149th Church Anniversary in June 2008.  Portland has provided finance for the Obninsk church building program which is nearing completion.

The People We Pray For and Support around the World

Ian Cathie, Development Associates International (DAI) Staff Worker

As part of the church’s commitment to support the work of Christ globally, the congregation provides prayerful and practical support for Ian Cathie, an Australian staff worker with DAI.  DAI is working across the world with a special focus on training and mentoring Christian leaders in countries which have expressed a special interest and need for such support.  Ian is working alongside Christian leaders in PNG, China and India.  

This role was previously exercised by Max Meyers, a good friend of Portland, whose brief included working with Christian leaders in Russia and Africa.  Portland’s pastor, John Simpson, is a member of DAI’s Australian Board and currently serves as its President. DAI

SE Asia

We are supporting staff with Pioneers working on location in SE Asia.  They are providing professional guidance for local industry there and meeting a variety of human needs in so doing.

Rod and Cindy McGarvie

Rod and Cindy have had a long association with Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT).  They are currently based in Tanzania where Rod is the Director of the WBT Branch there, a very significant leadership responsibility.  

Wycliffe has a global focus and goal to translate the Bible into previously unwritten languages – of which there are presently more than 2000 around the world.  In order to translate the Bible, linguists work on site with indigenous people who help them learn the language so that dictionaries and grammar schemes can be identified with literacy programs then being designed to help the people read and write their own language.  In so doing, the survival of these languages is guaranteed and the Bible can be understood in the mother tongue through which it has maximum meaning and impact.

Norm and Karen Roberts

Norm and Karen are staff workers with Global Interaction Australia (GIA).  They are based in Alice Springs providing pastoral care and spiritual guidance for indigenous communities over vast areas of inland Australia.

Doug and Jeanette Bennetts

Doug and Jeanette are also supported by the church and they too are serving as WBT staff workers in Australia after 25 years of teaching literacy programs in PNG.  They are now promoting the goals of WBT around Australia.

Peter and Sally Cunningham serving in Niger with SIM

Coming Soon...