By Dave Gilchrist of CRU
The ten A-frame timber tents, which provided accommodation for campers at CRU’s Lake Macquarie campsite since the 1970s, have recently disappeared, but it’s not the only change occurring at CRU (formerly “Crusaders”).
After more than three decades of leadership, CRU’s long-serving CEO, Gary Hill, stepped down at the end of last year. Taking his place is Nick Hood, who now leads this interdenominational youth organisation, which reaches around 110,000 kids annually in NSW, ACT and WA. Five of Sydney’s Anglican Archbishops, the current bishop of northwest Australia, and thousands of other church, parachurch and school executives were involved in their youth with CRU. Many came to faith during camps at Lake Macquarie and Galston.
Gary himself is part of that story. He came to faith on a CRU Camp as a schoolboy, before serving as a volunteer and then joining the staff to set up CRU’s Summit Educational Camps program in 1987. He was appointed CEO in 1993.
CRU was at a crossroads at that stage. Holiday camp numbers had been declining, lunchtime school groups were static, and CRU’s two campsites were ageing and needed both redevelopment and expansion.
Galston was upgraded between 2003 and 2010, and the replacement of the timber tents at Lake Macquarie is stage 2 of that site’s redevelopment. Stage 1 has seen an extra 13,700 campers reached each year with the gospel, and the completion of Stage 2 in 2026 is expected to increase by a further 7,000 annually.
Janine, a former CRU camper and now a leader, shares, “I grew up in a non-Christian family. I got to hear about Jesus for the first time on a CRU Camp. On camp, I was given a Bible of my very own where I could learn more about Jesus for myself, and through camping ministry, I came to faith in Jesus. I’m so keen for more kids to come on camp and meet Jesus like I did.”
As well as directly engaging with campers, the revenue generated from the campsites helps to fund the ministry work in schools.
Having served for the last two years overseeing ministry, training and operations at CRU Lake Macquarie, Nick is well-placed for the senior role.
Gary notes that Nick’s appointment is a wonderful answer to prayer. “From the start of my time, I realised the need to pray for my successor, whenever that would be,” said Gary, “but from 2007 Margaret and I have been praying about knowing the right time to leave. That triggered an ongoing dialogue and prayer with the Board of CRU about finding the right time. Three years ago, that became more defined and succession planning developed more structure.”
Image: Gary and leaders at Galston
Unlike churches and many other organisations, this resulted in detailed preparation for handover, which intensified when Nick was announced as the new CEO. It included changing some Board positions in the preceding years to ensure that major Board changes did not occur concurrently with the CEO change; keeping staff and supporters well-informed; and an increasing prayer focus.
Nick Hood has taken on the CEO role with considerable experience both within and outside CRU. He was originally part of CRU’s trainee program, before directing educational camps full-time and spending seven years as CRU’s Director of Holiday Camps, and then returned to the senior role at Lake Mac. Nick has completed a Master of Divinity at Sydney Missionary and Bible College, and served for 6 years as a Senior AFES Staff worker at Newcastle University. Nick, with his family, is a member of Lake Mac Evangelical Church, having previously been part of Anglican churches in Sydney and Islington Baptist Church in Newcastle.
“I am so delighted that Nick is willing to serve in this way”, wrote Gary to CRU staff and supporters. “Praise God for the way that He has shaped Nick, prepared him and equipped him for the journey. And please commit to praying for him.”
Main Image: Gary Hill and Nick Hood at Galston. Image source: CRU