October 2022 Ordinations

By Archdeacon

On the 15th of October, Bishop Murray Harvey ordained the Reverend Aaron Coates to the priesthood, and Amanda Larkin and Ruth Pobjoy to the transitional Diaconate.

Meet Reverend Aaron Coates

To serve God and to serve others is the most fulfilling of all human experiences. Being encouraged to sit back and reflect upon my life reminds me of how truly blessed I am. Especially when it comes to the blessing and fulfilment that is to be found in serving God and others.

From an early age, I grew up in the Anglican Church and combined with growing up in a military family, I was inspired by the idea of serving God and serving others.

When I became an adult, it then became my time to serve when I enlisted in the Royal Australian Army. It was here and during my service overseas that I truly experienced the fulfilling worth of being able to serve both friends and strangers alike.

Then God called me to serve others on a much larger scale. In the beginning, there was a considerable amount of negotiation between God and I. (It wasn’t that much of a negotiation, God was always going to win).

I thought that I wasn’t good enough, let alone being capable of achieving what was required academically. But God showed me how wrong I was, and how all things are possible through God’s grace and to God’s glory.

Today I stand proudly with my family, who I love and cherish very much. Today I stand with my friends who have blessed me immensely with their presence in my life. Today I begin another chapter in service to God and to others and the blessing of fulfilment that it eternally brings.

To all that have been part of this truly blessed journey. Know that I love you and am truly grateful that you have shared this journey with me.

Meet Amanda Larkin

Mandy grew up in Sydney and gave her life to Jesus when she was 12 years old. In her late teens she drifted away from God but an invitation to church in early 2018 resulted in her recommitting her life to Jesus.

She has spent the last few years in formation training first at St Thomas’ in Port Macquarie and most recently at St Matthews in Wauchope. Mandy is currently working as an accountant and completing her theology degree online with St Mark’s Theological College in Canberra.

She will move into a stipendiary position to continue her training in the future.

Meet Ruth Pobjoy

In reflection I can see God’s unerring guidance toward Ordination and ministry in the Orara Valley. I am married to Stan with three adult, married children and God has blessed us with five grandchildren. Stan and I have had our own business since 1981. Motor racing has been a large part of this, drag racing motorcycles and both drag racing and Hillclimbing cars. This has brought us into contact with people from all walks of life. My experience of racing cars was both exhilarating and confidence building.

Moving to Nana Glen in 1999 we began attending St. Peter’s Nana Glen. Here God called me to roles in Licensed Lay Ministry, Parish Council, Synod Representation and Special Religious Education in our local Primary Schools. My ministry education has included Special Religious Education; Education for Ministry; a Bachelor of Theology and Anglicare Disaster Recovery courses. In this time, I have also completed a Certificate lll in Children’s Services and related training. This has assisted in the ministry outreach to the children of our local area and is an important part of our continuing church fellowship. With God’s leading, I look forward to a future of united fellowship across the generations of our local community.

I give thanks to God for the way my faith and dependence on God has grown through my many experiences in the Orara Valley. I am grateful for the Ministers who have been part of my spiritual journey. I have valued the wisdom they have shared and their support.

In the power of the Holy Spirit, I seek to walk humbly with God. Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving the communities across the Orara Valley in ways that will bring praise and glory to God.