Synod in Past Years
>> Ordinary Session 2002

Georges River Regional Council

Annual Report for 2002

(A report from the Georges River Regional Council.)

• Introduction
• Farewells
• Major matters
• Synod Grants
• Parish Organisation
• Employment of Staff

Introduction

1. In the year 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002, the Regional Council met on 5 occasions and held its annual one day conference in April 2001.

Farewells

2. At end of 2001 Bishop Ray Smith, the first Bishop of Liverpool retired. The Regional Council organised a regional farewell at Panania with suitable tributes paid by many who had appreciated Ray's regional ministry and leadership. His wife, Shirley, had ably supported Ray and had her own ministry to the wives of clergy and lay workers. Regional Council noted its gratitude to God for Ray's pioneering role in establishing the Region and working for the growth of God's Kingdom within it.

3. Regional Council welcomed the Archbishop's appointment of Canon Peter Tasker as the new Bishop and looks forward to the contributions Peter and his wife, Joan, will make to our diverse ministry.

4. Regional Council also farewelled the Rev Howard Barnett and Miss Kitrilly Foley and welcomed the Rev Stuart Milne and Mr Richard Graves to replace them. Mrs Vilma Page retired as Minute Secretary and has been replaced by Miss Norma Esler.

Major matters

5. Regional Council continued its detailed considerations to promote mission in the Region and has identified 4 major strategies through which to do it. Parish ministry, cross cultural ministry, children and youth ministry and leadership training all have task forces to evaluate, refocus and drive forward their particular responsibilities. Overall percentages of the Region's annual budget have been allocated to each strategy and the individual task force makes recommendations to Regional Council regarding particular grants.

6. New initiatives this year have included an investigation into Nursing Home ministry in the Region and the reports' recommendations have included a pilot scheme to be carried out in the Salt Pan Creek Area Deanery. Council members also worked with the parish of Kingsgrove to develop a way forward.

Synod Grants

7. In the final year of the triennium, a number of smaller grants were made from the Synod Fund to assist present ministries and initiate new ones. Grants were made to Fairfield ($28,250), Bossley Park ($8,000), Hoxton Park ($12,000), Belmore ($13,000), Marrickville ($5,000), Regents Park ($10,000), Greenacre ($15,000), Cabramatta ($30,000), Liverpool South ($4,500), Earlwood ($11,500) and Revesby ($5,000). In addition, various smaller disbursements were made from the Parish Assistance Fund and $20,000 was made available for the ministry of the Rev Cam Phong Huynh at Cabramatta. Notable also among the grants is the one to Greenacre for Mr Eddie Smith, a former WEC ministry, as the Region's part-time Muslim Ministry Advisory.

Parish Organisation

8. Regional Council has reported to Standing Committee on the St Luke's Liverpool Ordinance and the Cabramatta Leasing Ordinance. Various parishes have had changes to their parish council constitutions and Annual Vestry Meeting arrangements approved as Acts of the Bishop-in-Council.

9. Approval was given for the Council's demountable to be moved to a new site in Cowpasture Road, Hoxton Park for the use of Hoxton Park Anglican Church.

Employment of Staff

10. Regional Council continues to support the ministry of Mrs Kerrie Newmarch as coordinator of the children and youth task force and Mrs Marilyn Clerke as the Region's ESL consultant. With a grant from the Archbishop's Community Care and Development Program, the work of Mr Phin Tang, the Region's Refugee Settlement Support Coordinator, continues to expand and links newly arrived refugees with caring individual volunteers and local churches.

For and on behalf of the Georges River Regional Council.

GEOFF HUARD
Regional Archdeacon
9 August 2002