Speakers – Albury Wodonga Prayer Breakfast

Susannah McFarlane (2024)

The EJ12 Girl Hero series, the EJ Spy School Series, D-Bot Squad, Boy vs Beast, Go Girl!, and Zac Power. For decades, Susannah McFarlane has been the author, publisher, and driving force behind some of Australia’s most popular children’s books.

In her 50s, Susannah met her birth mother for the first time but discovered – to her shock – that she was a Pentecostal Christian. A staunch atheist, Susannah tried to argue her mother out of belief, but in researching the historical claims of Christianity, found herself converted – reluctantly – to the faith instead.

Watch Susannah share her story in the 2024 Prayer Breakfast keynote:

Susannah McFarlane Speech – Albury Wodonga Prayer Breakfast – YouTube

Dr Mark Timlin MBE (2023)

Dr Mark Timlin manages the Christian-based charity HOPE worldwide Australia, with a focus on international aid and working with vulnerable groups such as seniors and asylum seekers in Australia.

Mark also works as a General practitioner in Refugee Health, Adolescent Mental Health and Prison Medicine. He has extensive experience working overseas in the NGO sector.

Amanda Stoker (2022)

The Hon Amanda Stoker is an Australian politician who became a Senator for Queensland in 2018 until 2022. Stoker held the ministerial portfolios of Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General, Industrial Relations and Women in the Morrison government.
Stoker was born in the Sydney suburb of Liverpool and completed her HSC at Hurlstone Agricultural High School before studying arts and law at Sydney University, graduating with first-class honours.

Graeme Lauridsen (2021)

Graeme Lauridsen a local mentor and coach will be sharing some of his story as he move from a Pastor to a Christian leader in business. Encouraging us all to see God’s purpose for our lives in whatever stage of life or setting we are in.

Continue reading Graeme Lauridsen (2021)

Karl Faase (2019)

Karl Faase is a well known Australian Christian communicator, media presenter, leader and social commentator. He is the CEO of Olive Tree Media, the organization through which he produces programs of excellence for Christian media and local church use internationally.

Karl is in demand across Australia as a speaker, with a special interest in encouragement & motivation, leadership, ministry development and communicating to those exploring faith. Karl is regularly called upon as a Christian spokesperson and commentator on a variety of social issues. He is passionate about reclaiming the Christian Gospel as word as well as deed.

With over 20 years of involvement in media, Karl is one of Australia’s most experienced Christian radio and television presenters, with his programs broadcast and distributed in the USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany and New Zealand.

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John Dickson (2018)

His journey has been an eclectic one. Starting out as a singer-songwriter for 90s rock band ‘In the Silence’, he now works as a writer, speaker, local church minister, historian, and media presenter. He is a public advocate of the Christian Faith.

With a first-class honours degree in Theology from Moore Theological College, Sydney, and a PhD in ancient history from Macquarie University, John has been a Fellow of the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University from 2004, and he teaches a course titled ‘Historical Jesus to Written Gospels’ at the University of Sydney (Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies). During 2017-18 he is a Visiting Academic in the Faculty of Classics at Oxford University in the UK. He is committed to delivering creative, engaging content grounded in careful thought.

Continue reading John Dickson (2018)

Cameron Butler (2017)

Cameron’s Roles

National Director (CEO) – Sports Chaplaincy Australia
Former Chaplain of the Melbourne Football Club
Life Saving Chaplaincy Australia Board
Australia’s representative on the international Sports Coalition Council

Family

Cameron lives in Melbourne and is married to Merryl and has 4 kids

• Sally • Amy • Holly • Lachlan

Education

Scotch College • Box Hill TAFE • Harvest Bible College

Ministry

Youth Pastor – Richmond AOG 1988-92 • Assistant Pastor – Doncaster City Church 1992-98 • Chaplain – MelbourneFC from 1998-2013

Sports Ministry

In 1998 Cameron began serving the Melbourne Football Club football department to provide pastoral care for the players, coaches, administration and club staff and their families.

Sports Chaplaincy

Now, in his full-time role as National Director of Sports Chaplaincy Australia Cameron is strategically involved in developing sports chaplaincy networks for sports communities throughout Australia and internationally.

Passionate!

Cameron is a passionate, personally-engaging & humourous public speaker. A compelling story teller, he enjoys challenging the norms of life & faith. He will inspire you with a different perspective • help you consider what ‘genuine’ influence is • to think bigger & inspire confidence in God’s roadmap for your life.

Gary Raymond (2016)

Chief Inspector Gary Raymond APM has just retired after being a member of the NSW Police for 33 years. Prior to his retirement in December 2005, Gary was performing duty at the Blacktown Police Station as a Duty Officer specialising in Emergency Management and Crime Scene Management.

Prior to joining the police, Gary performed 5 years service as an Ambulance Officer with the NSW Ambulance Service in the Sydney metropolitan area.

Gary joined the NSW Police in 1972 and performed general duties at Redfern Police Station as a Probationary Constable. He was then chosen to join the elite NSW Police Rescue Squad.

Continue reading Gary Raymond (2016)

Peter Kently (2015)

Peter spent 24 years as an airline pilot with Ansett Airlines flying most of the fleet. He also flew as a Commander on International operations with Transwede, Air Mauritius and Singapore Airlines.

Peter was a flight training instructor on most types and served as an air safety specialist with the International Federation of Airline Pilots and the International Civil Aviation Organisation based in Montreal. Continue reading Peter Kently (2015)

Margaret Court (2014)

Reverend Dr Margaret Court MBE; PhdLLD (Hon)

Margaret Court nee Smith was born in Albury NSW in 1942, the youngest of four children to Maude and Lawrence Smith. At fifteen years of age she moved to Melbourne to train and further her promising tennis career. In 1966, Margaret decided to retire in Perth, Western Australia. It was here that she met Barry Court, son of the then Premier, Sir Charles Court.

Continue reading Margaret Court (2014)