Our History

Our Story

Thrive Church Coonabarabran was started in 1992 by Rob Scarello, Pastor from Dubbo. They began meetings in the Coonabarabran Primary School hall with Rob and Deb McMillan, their kids and a couple of Dubbo people, namely Gary and Julie Lovegrove who continued to travel over each week. The church grew to about 20 people including kids. Rob would lead worship with his guitar. In 1994 the legend Pastor Ranald Cameron from Gilgandra took over and the church met at the Girl Guides Hall and grew to about 30 people. During this time we often met at Darren and Jenny Naden's home during the week and had great times with Jen playing guitar and lots of laughter and a full house. Through that, more local aboriginal people came to have a look and join in with a song sometimes. Ranald would travel from Gilgandra during the week for meetings. The kids from Coonabarabran joined Gilgandra for youth trips and Rob often drove the bus, often being the biggest kid!

Church meetings then moved to the hall on the corner of Dalgarno and Charles Streets, opposite Barrons Tyre Service which was painted and transformed from a woollen quilt business to a meeting place. In 1998, Tony and Michelle Sargent became the Pastors, during this time, a kids church, a youth group and a band were started, and meetings at local Aboriginal homes. The Church had grown to fill the hall. In 2001 Pastor’s Jim Baker from Tamworth and Ranald Cameron from Gilgandra took over church meetings until Colin and Sharon Russell became pastors.

In March 2006, the church merged and became part of Christian Outreach Centre Narrabri with Pastors Mike and Anne Ross. They moved the church meetings into the unoccupied church building in Cowper St. Narrabri would help resource the Coonabarabran church with leaders and pastors. In 2012 Marlene Morphew from Narrabri was appointed as the service pastor and would travel over weekly for meetings.

In 2018, Travis and Aimee Lions became the Senior Pastors for Narrabri and Coonabarabran after a very healthy transition from retiring pastors Mike and Anne Ross.

In August 2020, Travis and Aimee appointed Anthony and Anne Blackburn as Location Pastors for Thrive Church Coonabarabran. Anthony and Anne are local to Coonabarabran and have a vibrant history in the local church. They wholehearted love God, love His church and love their community.

Also in 2020 we changed our name to Thrive Church, as we felt this better describes who we are. A church that Thrives and wants to see you Thrive.