Wollongong Regional Council

Annual Report for 2002

(A report from the Wollongong Regional Council.)

• Introduction
• Disbursement of Synod Grants
• Planning
• Cross Cultural Ministry
• Keeping in Touch
• Resignations

Introduction

1. Wollongong Regional Council held 5 bi-monthly meetings during year and the Executive Committee of Council met on 5 other occasions.

Disbursement of Synod Grants

2. A significant proportion of Region Council's time was spent considering the wide range of requests made for the $417,000 allocated by Synod to the Wollongong Region.

 

                                                                                        $                                 % Last Year                                 % This Year

                      Ongoing Parish Funding                      100,000                                 30                                                    24

                      New Parish Initiatives                            63,000                                  4                                                     15

                      Deanery Applications                             91,000                                 23                                                    22

                      Regional Applications                           163,000                                 43                                                    39

3. The largest allocations were made to support the work of Chaplains at work in Wollongong and UWS Universities ($98,000) and for Cross Cultural/ESL ministry ($84,000).

Planning

4. The annual Regional Planning day was held in September. Council agreed to accept the new Archbishop's goals and has identified 4 significant growth areas to focus attention on. (Edmondson Park, Shellharbour, West Dapto and Narellan). By the end of the year, Draft 13 of the Regional Plan was published.

Cross Cultural Ministry

5. Early in the year, the Rev John Thew submitted his resignation as Director of Cross Cultural Ministry in Wollongong Region. Council has greatly appreciated John's significant contribution to this ministry and wishes him well for his work with CMS. Council is delighted with the appointment of the Rev Joe Zagninsky as John's replacement and looks forward to expansion of work in his vital area.

Keeping in Touch

6. The Council has made a deliberate effort to keep itself informed about ministry being undertaken within the region by inviting guest speakers to meetings. During 2001 Council has heard from -

* Cross Cultural Ministries - the Rev John Thew

* Anglican Diocesan Emergency Plan - Ms Jennifer Davies and Mr Doug Philpot

* Anglican Counselling and Illawarra Anglicare - Mrs Margaret Fuller and Mr Michael Mittwollen

* Chaplains at Wollongong and Western Sydney Universities - the Rev Richard Blight and the Rev Peter Hughes

7. Every meeting of Council received a written report from Bishop Piper and from the Assistant to the Bishop, Mr Geoff Kyngdon. In addition written reports have also been received from-

(a) Indigenous People's Committee,

(b) Shoalhaven Anglican School,

(c) Campbelltown Anglican Schools Council,

(d) Nowra Anglican College,

(e) The Illawarra Grammar School.

8. Council also discussed at length the philosophical and theological underpinning of Cross Cultural Ministry.

Resignations

9. Regional Council accepted resignations from several long serving members during 2001. Dr David Stevenson resigned early in the year as Treasurer of Regional Council. The Rev David Woodbridge resigned as a representative of the Shoalhaven deanery prior to his retirement and the contributions of Canon Peter Tasker will be sadly missed following his appointment as Bishop of Georges River. The retirement of the Bishop's Secretary, Mrs Barbara Bull, was marked with a special farewell at the end of the year where tributes were paid to her incredible work in the Region over many years.

For and on behalf of the Wollongong Regional Council.

RON WEBB
Secretary
20 June 2002