When 31-year-old Jonathan Lilley was ordained deacon at St Andrew’s Cathedral on February 2 it was an historic moment.

Mr Lilley is the first Aboriginal candidate to complete the full four-year course at Moore College. While Sydney Diocese has several aboriginal workers, Jonathan is the first to complete the full Bachelor of Divinity degree.

Synod funds given to the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples’ Ministry Committee (SAIPMC) were used to support Mr Lilley’s college training, which has borne the fruit of his appointment as the new assistant minister at Nowra Anglican Church, where he will be involved in ministry to the South Coast’s Aboriginal community.

Mr Lilley regards Sydney Diocese’s support of his ministry training and appointment as an indication of its willingness to facilitate reconciliation with the indigenous community. 

“They are training up people like me to go into my own community which is great. There is much support from Sydney Anglicans which help mission organisations reach remote indigenous communities,” he says.

However, Mr Lilley says the indigenous communities within Sydney still require more assistance at social, economic and spiritual levels.

“There are now four indigenous churches within Sydney but they struggle with many issues and would value support from other churches,” he says.

“We as aboriginal people often feel alienated from our own land. Many still struggle with health, education, housing and substance abuse. But my communities’ biggest need is their need to know Jesus and what Jesus offers all people: salvation and eternal life.”

Making connections meaningful
Mr Lilley says meaningful connections can be made with indigenous churches by listening to their needs.

“A good start is a phone call to the leaders of the various indigenous churches. Simply listening and taking an interest is an awesome start,” he explains.

“Some leaders within the indigenous churches in Sydney are trying to plan and structure training for our people in Sydney.  We need the prayer and financial support of other churches for this project to take place.”

Mr Lilley says a bridging program is needed to equip and guide indigenous Christians into higher levels of theological training.

“Moore trains people for ministry very well but not all Aboriginal people can handle its vigorous academic standard. We are hoping to have a ‘pathway’ college of some sort to disciple new Christians and train them for lay leadership in their home churches,” he says.

“Many of our churches within and outside of Sydney struggle with leadership. Under God we are trying to address these issues.”

SAIPMC committee member Tom Mayne says while most Christians in Sydney Diocese understand the need to be reconciled to God through Jesus, many do not appreciate the need to be reconciled to those whom they may have offended.

“The current debate about an apology doesn’t just have political implications, it has theological and moral ones,” he says.

“There needs to be reconciliation between black and black as well as between black and white. In a rich country like ours it should concern all churches that many indigenous people (including Christians) live in poverty.

“Many are still waiting to have their wages paid to them after state and territory governments misappropriated such money between the 1890s and the 1980s and never returned it.”

SAIPMC committee member Archdeacon Deryck Howell says the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples’ Ministry Trust Fund set up in 1997, which has supported Jonathan Lilley’s college education and the opening of the Gawura School, has grown from the $1.2million it received at Synod in 1997 to over $2 million dollars.

“The fund which is invested by the Property Trust has continued to receive donations from Synod, parishes and individuals over the last 10 years, and in a number of instances from the proceeds of the sale of parish property, in recognition of the prior indigenous ownership of land,” Archdeacon Howelll says.

“Significant income is thus generated to further the work of the gospel among Indigenous people in the Diocese.”

Jonathan Lilley’s south coast mission

Mr Lilley, who was born in Newcastle and grew up in Melbourne, says he went to Moore College because he wanted to be challenged and equipped to tell indigenous people about Jesus.

“Moore College is known for its academic training and they really push their students in this way. I wanted to be tested, tried and have the best education for the position of teaching about Jesus to my people,” he says.

“The Anglican Church in Sydney is really keen to tell all people about Jesus including the Aboriginal people. I want to help in any way I can to share Jesus with my people and address various issues within the indigenous community.”

At the ordination service, Sydney Archbishop Peter Jensen described Jonathan as a man with a great heart for his own people, but said his training meant he could be posted to any ministry, aboriginal or not.

However, Mr Lilley says at this point in time he has a real passion for ministering to the indigenous community of Nowra.

“They are a beautiful people.  They are water people, like my mob in Port Stephens.  Like all of God’s creation, they need to hear of Jesus and respond in faith to his call,” he says.

Mr Lilley says the local community has made him very welcome.

“The locals I have met have received my family and I warmly and we are very thankful for this,” he says.

Mr Lilley is still uncertain as to what a new Christian fellowship may look like in this indigenous context, but he is certain about his methodology for reaching out to people.

“I want to speak to the people and see what they want it to look like. I want to start by building relationships, reading the Bible and praying with people, then let God move us in the direction of His will,” he says.

“There are already many Aboriginal Christians in the community so I will work in the Anglican church and build from that platform into the community.”

The big picture

In Sydney’s southwest, Michael Duckett has commenced as the new pastor of Minto Indigenous Church.

The former Shellharbour City Baptist church member who has spent the last nine years working at DOCS says ministry has been his passion since he was 20.

“I said to my wife when we were ready we would feel the Lord lead us to return to ministry. We both agreed now was the right time to come back,” he says.

Mr Duckett says the congregation numbers can fluctuate from 10 to 30, but adds he is looking forward to the challenge.

“It will be a steep learning curve, but at DOCS I was involved in counselling, conducting funerals and I have been preaching since I was 20. My wife and I are keen to recommence pastoral work to the indigenous community.”

The Indigenous Peoples’ Ministry at Tregear has a new full-time leader since the departure of the Rev Neville Naden last year when he moved to Broken Hill to bring the gospel to remote Aboriginal communities.

Under a memorandum of understanding with the Presbyterian Church the Rev Rick Manton leads the ministry with the assistance of Bradley Dodd, a youth leader who is currently training at Youthworks College.

Pastor of Crossroads Aboriginal Ministries, Ray Minniecon, will conclude his position at the church in June this year after five years in the role. Mr Minniecon will also stand down as SAIPMC chairman.

However, Mr Minniecon is thankful for the contributions to indigenous ministry he has overseen during his time in Sydney Diocese.

“We have seen the graduation of the first indigenous student from Moore College, we have seen the opening of the Diocese’ first indigenous school and we have secured indigenous representation on Sydney Synod,” he says.

The Gawura School opened in St Andrew’s Cathedral School in April 2007, teaching students Aboriginal language and culture, basic numeracy and literacy skills.

In 2006 Sydney Synod decided to accept two indigenous representatives onto the Synod.

“It’s a huge decision – it’s very historic,” Mr Minniecon said at the time. “The motion means Aboriginal Christians for the first time [can] make decisions about the furtherance of the gospel in Australia.”

The rector of the parish of South Sydney, the Rev Paul Dew says Mr Minniecon’s contribution to Crossroads and indigenous ministry in the Diocese and worldwide cannot be underestimated.

“Ray has a love of the Lord Jesus and great gifts of speaking and singing. He also has a real heart to see more Aboriginal churches and schools operating. He has used his gifts to spend himself in trying to grow the Aboriginal work, not just in Redfern, but the indigenous work across the world,” he says.

However, Mr Dew says the work at Crossroads has great hope for the future as congregation member Lindsay Roberts commences as a student minister doing two days pastoral work within the parish.

Mr Roberts is enrolled in the Diploma of Bible and Ministry at Moore College.

“Lindsay and his wife Marjorie are a mature couple with a stable marriage. They are great role models for the Aboriginal community,” Mr Dew says.

“However, it is Lindsay’s love for the Lord and his commitment to see himself grow in the love and knowledge of that Lord – and to see indigenous people come under the Word of that Lord – that marks out Lindsay as a good leader for his community. I am convinced that Lindsay will pave the way for others to follow in his steps.”

Photos courtesy of Ramon Williams / Worldwide Photos Ltd.