The Big Change: June 2006

Southern Cross | 29 May 2006

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JANICE BROWN - Toongabbie Anglican Church

At Toongabbie Anglican Church, the youth ministry is the single biggest source of new Christians for the church. One of those new Christians is Janice Brown, who is in Year 11 at Pendle Hill High School. A re-energised Scripture program, lunchtime group and a breakfast club have helped Janice and others discover new life in Christ.

Janice was struggling with the aftermath of her parents separating. “I felt as though I had no reason to live,” she says. “I had no best friends and no one to talk to about my troubles or my fears. I felt no one cared. All of this led to me feeling depressed and suicidal. I put on my pretend face in front of everyone else, but inside I was alone.”

However, things began to change for when her father and new stepmother started going to church. “There was something different about Debbie, my stepmother, and people at the church. At first I thought, ‘What’s wrong with these freaks? They are always happy!’”

Janice started seeking for information about the God who was changing the lives of those close to her. She continued going to church, to youth group and to the lunchtime group at school.

“I learnt more and more about this God bloke and that he sent his son Jesus Christ to this world because he loved me,” Janice says. “I was like ‘whoah!’ This guy I didn’t even know died for me and made me a brand new person. That’s when I decided I wanted to live for Jesus. I have a best friend who I can talk to anytime.”

Janice has continued to grow and flourish in her new life with Christ. She has been in leadership training with Anglican Youthworks and is actively involved in Toongabbie’s children’s ministry on Sunday.

EXPANSION FOR ANGLICARE
Key appointments have been made at Anglicare as the organisation expands its ministry in partnership with parishes. Anglicare’s structure has been streamlined and it is developing a strategic plan for the next three years.

New Director of Strategic Support
Wayne Newell is Anglicare Sydney’s new Director of Strategic Support. He has served as Uniting Care’s Chief Financial Officer since 2003 and has over 25 years’ experience in financial and strategic management. He will oversee the operations of the IT, Finance, Human Resources, Legal and Administration, Property and Maintenance and Communications departments as well as Anglicare Shops. He will also act as the Chief Executive Officer in Peter Kell’s absence. He is a member of Quaker’s Hill Anglican Church.

New Director of Community Care
Ian Jackson has been appointed to the position of Anglicare Director of Community Care and will start on July 4.

Since 1992, he has worked for the Catholic Education Office of the Diocese of Parramatta in a range of senior roles including Head of the Special Education Division. Mr Jackson is a registered psychologist who has over 25 years’ experience of senior management in education, with a particular focus on special needs.

He attends Mortdale-Oatley Baptist Church with his wife, Jennifer.

King to manage new policy unit
Sue King is the new Manager of Anglicare’s newly formed Policy and Special Projects Unit. She worked at Anglicare as a senior researcher with the organisation’s planning and research unit from 2002 to 2005.

New Director of Residential Aged Care
Rob Evers is Anglicare’s new Director of Residential Aged Care. Rob was previously the Regional Manager for Victoria of the Amity Group and before that was the Chief Financial Officer of the Churches of Christ Community Care Victoria/Tasmania.

New faces for Anglicare council
Polly Seidler, a lawyer and a student at Moore College together with Dr Greg Clarke, Director of the Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education, have been elected to the Anglicare Sydney Council.

Doug to battle the emergencies
Doug Philpott is Anglicare’s new Emergency Services manager. Doug was previously working the Wollongong Regional Office in technical support and in administering Policy One (Prayer) of the Diocesan Mission.

CLERGY CHANGES

Tom Halls retires
The rector of St Peter’s, Cooks River, the Rev Tom Halls retired at the end of May. He has been the rector of St Peter’s since 1981, and also served in the parish of McCallums Hill and in the Diocese of Sabah with CMS. Part of his ministry has included training church leaders in the Ukraine.

New man for Lugarno
The Rev James Rogers will become the new rector of St Stephen’s, Lugarno from June 14. James moves from the parish of Wilberforce, where he has been an assistant minister for the past four years. James is married to Michelle and they have four children. He says he and his wife are looking forward to nurturing Lugarno’s enthusiasm for the Diocesan Mission.

From the outback to the sea
The Rev Rod Oldfield has been appointed as the new Church of England Chaplain to the parish of Norfolk Island. Rod was previously priest-in-charge of the parish of Coober Pedy with Bush Church Aid, a position he has held since 2002. Prior to that Rod and his wife Christene were at the parish of Woodville Road.

New CMS educator
The Rev Mark Fairhurst is the new CMS NSW Mission Education Secretary for the Northern, Western and Southern Regions of Sydney Diocese. Mark has been rector of St Philip’s, Eastwood since 1993.

“I am looking to getting to know the CMS family over the months ahead and helping churches in their partnership with CMS in Christ’s mission to make disciples of all nations,” Mark said.

New CMS Associate General Secretary
The Rev Malcolm Reid will finish his role as the rector of Cambridge Park this month after five years there to take up the newly-created role of CMS NSW Associate General Secretary in July. Malcolm has previously served with the Bush Church Aid Society in the Diocese of North West Australia in the parishes of Port Hedland and Newman.

He will work alongside CMS General Secretary, the Rev John Bales in a senior executive capacity.

GENERAL APPOINTMENTS

Minister elected to media council
Assistant minister at Annandale Anglican Church and Christians in the Media, the Rev Andrew Barry, has been elected to the Anglican Media Council. Andrew is involved in ministry to the media industry across Sydney.

Fundraising for Bible Society
Bible Society NSW has appointed Mark Lees as its new fundraising manager. Mark’s previous role was Fundraising Manager for NRMA CareFlight.

Corrections and Clarifications - MAY 2006
Two references to a ‘nudist church’ in Wales in the article ‘True Confessions of the emerging church’ should not have been published. The Christian website from which the information was sourced published the item in jest. Southern Cross apologises for the error.

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