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| . Father Paul West ssc Fr Paul is the son of an Anglican priest and retired hospice chaplain. Born in Hornsby, he spent his childhood and teenage years in the Hunter Valley. At high school he majored in history and fine arts, coming equal first in the NSW HSC art major work. Paul met his future wife Sally, who was born in Mona Vale, in his father's study, where she was typing the parish newsletter—the definitive Anglican romance! They were married in 1988. At Newcastle University, Fr Paul graduated with distinction in an honours degree in Fine Arts and a Graduate Diploma in Education; while Sally gained a degree in Social Science (psychology) from Charles Sturt University. In 1994, they moved to the Goomeroi aboriginal communities of Toomelah and Boggabilla in far north western NSW. As an art teacher in the local central school, Fr Paul helped facilitate a national indigenous youth arts festival, 'The Euraba Arts Festival' in 1995. In 1996, he was invited by the New England Institute of TAFE, to coordinate a community indigenous arts program. He worked closely with a group of Goomeroi women elders to establish a community economic development project: The Euraba Paper Company. This project brought local cotton farmers and aboriginal women together, in a small business enterprise, making handmade cotton certificate papers for Australian universities. In 1999, Fr Paul was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study indigenous community paper manufacture in Ecuador and Egypt. In 2000, 'The Euraba Paper Company' won the National Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships. During the seven years that Fr Paul and Sally lived in the aboriginal community, both their children were born. Jessica (12) and Dylan (7). In 2003, Fr Paul was the acting head teacher at the Hunter Institute's School of Fine Arts in Newcastle. During this time he attended the funeral of Bishop Leslie Stippard—an old family friend and mentor to Paul. During the funeral, Fr Paul sensed again the gentle prompting of God toward the priesthood. Fr Paul trained for the priesthood at Westcott House, a Church of England theological college within Cambridge University in the UK. The family lived in Cambridge from 2004 until 2006. Highlights included work placements at Westminster Abbey, Ely Cathedral, Royal London Hospital and working with British army pardres at Catterick Garrison (the largest military base in Europe) Parish ministry experiences at Little St Mary's Cambridge, St John on Bethnal Green and S. Peter's London Docks. Fr Paul was made a deacon at Little St Mary's Church, Cambridge in 2006 and ordained a priest at Holy Trinity Cathedral Wangaratta, in Petertide 2007. He served his title parish at St Matthew's, Albury from 2006-8, a wonderful place of learning about pastoral care with a particular focus in youth ministry. Sally continued her work as a child protection specialist for the Department of Community Services. Sally's great passion is all things equestian, she has been an active member of pony clubs for most of her life. Fr Paul's interests include walking, swimming, cycling and Rugby Union. Both Paul and Sally are very keen gardeners. Jessica has a particular devotion to animals and their welfare. She enjoys creative writing. Dylan is looking forward to joining one of the local surf lifesaving club's nippers groups. As a family they are excited by the challenges and opportunities of walking alongside their new parish family at St John's. |
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 Our Honorary Assistant Priest is Father George John Gardiner – known as Jack. He was born in Chatswood in 1921 and was educated at Stanmore Commercial School. From 1939 to 1945 he served his country in the Army. In 1952 he felt called to the Priesthood and studied at St Francis College Brisbane. In 1953 he was admitted to the Diaconate in the Bathurst Diocese and served in Condoblin. He was Priested in West Wyalong in 1954 and assisted in Bathurst Cathedral in 1955. He was Rector of Warren from 1956 until 1961 and then became an army chaplain until 1969 , serving in Vietnam in 1967 and ’68. From 1970 he has been our much loved Honorary assistant and has looked after the Parish at all those times when we have been without a rector. Fr Jack celebrated 53 years as a priest on Corpus Christi in June, 2007. . |
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 DIRECTOR OF MUSIC is Mr Tim Swales. Born in the Isle of Wight in 1938, Tim Swales started learning to play the piano at the age of 6, became a choirboy at 8, an organ student at 12, was admitted as an Associate of Trinity College of Music, London, in December 1954, and joined the Royal Navy a month later. Tim’s education was undertaken in 5 different schools before joining the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, notable among them being the King’s College Choir School at Cambridge. While at Cambridge he auditioned twice, unfortunately without success, for entry to the choir. Music continued to play a large part in the early stages of Tim’s naval career, the facilities at Dartmouth being particularly good, but service at sea gave him few opportunities. However there was the occasional shore appointment, including 3 spells at the RN College in Greenwich, which enabled him to keep in practice. Tim spent 25 years in the Navy, most of it in the Submarine Service, before taking early retirement in 1980 to emigrate with his wife Kathe and son David to Australia. Settling in the Northern Beaches, at first in Allambie but since 1985 in Dee Why, Tim gained employment initially with the Maritime Services Board as a tug master and then as a skipper with Captain Cook Cruises. He is also the Commodore of the Sydney Heritage Fleet. In 1994 he joined the choir at St John’s as a bass, soon afterwards taking on the additional responsibility of Assistant Organist. David Coburn, Director of Music from 1992, moved to a new appointment in a different Parish in 2002, with Tim then filling the position at St John’s in an Acting capacity. Tim was confirmed as Director of Music the following year. Tim was recently honoured by receiving the Merchant Navy Medal. . |
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PASTORAL CARE ASSISTANT is Mrs LYNETTE JOHNSON Lynette is married to Tony, our head server and they have two married daughters. She has been a parishioner here for the past 19 years, since her arrival with her family from the UK. Lynette has completed an Education for Ministry course and at present is studying at Mary Andrews College to gain a Diploma in Theology. She has completed a Lifeline Telephone counselling course and 2 CPE courses (Clinic Pastoral Education) at Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards. During that time she worked on the Children’s ward, Oncology ward and Emergency and Accident Dept. For 3 months she also worked at Westmead Hospital. Lynette has been a pastoral care worker at Manly Hospital, for the past 12 years She visits all wards including Intensive care and serves on the committee which helps to organize in-service talks and support for other pastoral care workers, helps to put together training courses for new pastoral care workers and helps to organize memorial services for the hospital 4 times a year. She visits our local private hospital (Delmar Hospital) one morning or afternoon a week or whenever they call her in. Apart from all these roles, this busy lady finds the time to be the Baptism co-coordinator for our parish and handles related issue in connection with that, as well as being very involved in the children’s ministry work. Lynette can be contacted on 9971 9085 or email: lynette@qvrcom.com.au . |
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