New Rector for the Anglican Parish of South Sydney

Margaret Rodgers | 28 August 2006

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Bishop Forsyth Announces the Appointment of the New Rector for the Anglican Parish of South Sydney

Bishop Robert Forsyth, Bishop of South Sydney has informed members of South Sydney parish that the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, has appointed the Rev Paul Dew to be the new Rector of their parish. South Sydney parish includes St Saviour’s, Redfern and St James’, Beaconsfield in its boundaries. The former Rector, John McIntyre in January 2006 became Bishop of Gippsland in Victoria.

The Rev Paul Dew is presently the Regional Officer for New South Wales for the [Anglican] Bush Church Aid Society. He has extensive ministry and pastoral experience in regional areas of the State, having held appointments in the Dioceses of Grafton and Armidale, in the centres of Ballina, Quirindi, Werris Creek and Narrabri.

He is married to Heather and they have three adult children.

Paul Dew grew up on a farm situated some 50 miles west of Kempsey. He has lived and worked with Aboriginal people from his youth. Those relationships have formed an abiding importance and interest for him throughout his ministry, so that in every centre he has developed relationships with local Aboriginal people, and many of those relationships continue until this day.

The parish of South Sydney is noted for its commitment from an evangelical perspective to speak with compassion and justice within the community to local, national and global concerns. Mr Dew, while Rector of Narrabri, was the President of the local Community Aid Society, an umbrella body that operated a wide range of schemes to meet various local needs for individuals and the wider community.

Reflecting on this new ministry opportunity at South Sydney, Paul Dew said: “I want to build upon the work of the previous and existing ministries and come alongside the congregation so as to promote the gospel to see all presented mature in Christ. I am looking forward to working together with the present community of the faithful in the three congregations of the South Sydney Parish building one another up in love and good deeds.”

Mr Dew gained a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics degree and Dip.Ed from the University of New England. He entered Moore Theological College in Sydney for theological training, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Theology and an MA. He was ordained Deacon in 1982 in the Diocese of Grafton and the following he was ordained Priest in that same Diocese.

The Regional Bishop of South Sydney, Bishop Robert Forsyth said: “I welcome Paul Dew’s coming to South Sydney. He has big shoes to fill, but he is a quiet, experienced, humble man who loves people and I believe over the years will win a very great following in the area and lead a flourishing church.”

CONTACT: Margaret Rodgers (mobile) 0411 692 499 (Office) 9265 1507