Clergy moves September 2008

Joseph Smith | 1 September 2008

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King comes to Canterbury

The Rev Campbell King will conclude his ministry as the rector of the parish of Manly Vale with Allambie Heights on November 30. He has been the senior minister there since 1985.
“After 23 years a parish becomes like home so we will miss the people we have ministered to and worked with very much. Also, most of our children and grandchildren belong to the parish so we will miss the frequent contact we have with them at the moment.”
Mr King will become the rector of St Paul’s, Canterbury on December 1. He will also become acting rector of St Clements’s, Marrickville.
Mr King’s move is part of the plan to revitalise the Canterbury deanery of the Georges River Region and follows in the footsteps of the Rev David Wallace’s move to Belmore.
The plan is for Mr King to focus on leading the largely Anglo congregations at Marrickville and Canterbury and to encourage and pastor a team specifically geared for a new cross cultural church planting strategy.
“This is an attempt to do something of a ground breaking nature as the church reconnects with the local community,” Mr King says.

Matthews joins St Matthew’s

The Rev Guy Matthews will conclude is ministry as the rector of St Cuthbert’s, South Carlton on October 4. He will become the senior associate minister at St Matthews, Wanniassa in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn.
Located in suburban South Canberra, St Matthew’s, Wanniassa has a strong evangelical tradition and currently has over 450 adults attending church each week.
The rector of St Matthew’s is former Sydney Anglican minister Bishop Trevor Edwards who is also an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn.
Mr Matthews will be responsible for looking after the parish when Bishop Edwards is away on episcopal duties.
“I will also have the responsibility for pastoring the 10am family congregation and training people for lay ministry,” Mr Matthews says.
Mr Matthews actually worked with Bishop Edwards previously during their time at John’s, Camden in the mid-1990s when Mr Matthews was assistant minister and Bishop Edwards was the rector.
“We know we can get on together. I am looking forward to a partnership with him in supporting and strengthening evangelical ministry throughout the Canberra & Goulburn diocese,” Mr Matthews says.

George Atkinson retires

The Rev George Atkinson will retire on November 9. Mr Atkinson has been the rector of the parish of Concord and Burwood since 1999.
Mr Atkinson has had a variety of ministry roles in Sydney Diocese and the national church. He was the first full time parish youth worker in Sydney Diocese, working as parish youth worker at St Luke’s, Mosman from 1969-70. He had two stints as the director of CEBS Sydney Diocese from 1972-74 and 1979-83. He was ordained in Bathurst Diocese in 1985 and was a chaplain at All Saints’ College Bathurst from 1986-93. He was also the Sydney Diocese Anglican Education Commission’s Children’s Ministry Consultant from 1994-96.
Mr Atkinson will take six months of holidays after completing his ministry at Concord and Burwood.
“I will miss the close contact with people as being in charge of parish comes to an end,” he says.

Peisley’s down with Pitt Town

The Rev Greg Peisley became the new curate-in-charge of the recently renamed Pitt Town Anglican Community Church on August 30.
Mr Peisley has been the assistant chaplain at Arndell Anglican College (AAC) since 2002. This role consisted of leading the two Arndell Anglican Community Church (AACC) Sunday congregations at AAC.
AACC and the parish of Pitt Town have had a close working relationship since the end of 2007 when AACC’s evening service was relocated from AAC to the St James’, Pitt Town church building.
Mr Peisley says being senior minister at Pitt Town will greatly increase his church’s potential for outreach into the community.
“One of the struggles of our ministry at Arndell Anglican College is that we have had little contact with the outside community. No one just ‘drops in’. Since we have merged with Pitt Town in an acting capacity we have seen more outside contact then ever before.”
Mr Peisley also plans to employ a fulltime family and children’s worker for 2009.
“There are so many preschools and primary schools in our area for us to connect with, both the children and their families.”

Layson leaves Miranda

The Rev Mark Layson will become the rector of St Matthew’s, Ashbury on September 8. Mr Layson has been an assistant minister at St Luke’s, Miranda since 2005.
“It is almost 6 years we have been at St Lukes’ as I was student minister there for 3rd and 4th year of college. In that time all of our three children have been born there, so it is a very family connection for us. We will miss the friendship of so many good people,” Mr Layson says.
Mr Layson says the suburb of Ashbury has a high population of Catholic and Orthodox believers, almost double the Sydney average.
“It is an area that we will need to work hard in. As for the church, they are an enthusiastic group of people who love Jesus and want to reach their community,” he says.

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