Issue 25, Number 10
November 2006
PP 565 001/00190 ISSN 0726-2612
‘Raise up new leaders’ Jill Freear
THE WIDER Uniting Church has been challenged to identify and raise up future leaders – particularly those who may be suitable for ministry. Nationally the Uniting Church is facing a severe shortage of ministers in the next few years. The situation is no less critical in South Australia. About a third of the 150 ministers and deacons in placement in SA will either retire or turn 65 in the next six years. Uniting Church SA pastoral relations and placements executive officer Rev David Buxton said the shortage is compounded by the fact that ministers are tending to train later in life and retire early. “So the ones we are training have a much shorter formal ministry lifespan,” he said. “Presently we have an average of six or seven ministers retiring each year and only two or three graduating from Parkin Wesley Theological College.”
These Parkin-Wesley students are interested in ministry. They are, from left, Titus Ng, Matthew Stuart and Athena Tanti.
David cautions that, while the church faces a significant ministerial shortage, that does not mean we can afford to be less selective. “We need people with character, chemistry and competence,” he said.
inside… Meet the exit students
2
The drought
3
Open letter to Australians
4
‘Doing it like Jesus’
5
Has ecumenism lost its punch?
6
Religion promotes peace
7
Clmate change
8
Seniors awards
12
“What I’d be looking for in an applicant is someone with a passion for ministry and a strong sense of call to one of the specified ministries. “Applicants need to have demonstrated gifts in ministry and already be engaging in ministry at a local level, so the church can have confidence that they are able to do the job. “They also need a demonstrated capacity to cope with academic study and high emotional intelligence.” David said he is also concerned about “self selection” where people hear an “inner call” to ministry. CULTURAL HUB: Daniel Goodluck, left, and Thon Arok, of Mitcham Uniting Church, look through one of the old fences that would come down in a plan to form a Cultural and Historical Hub at Mitcham. The present church, the old church and historical buildings in the area would be part of the hub. See story page 3.
“There must also be an outer call, where the church recognises that someone has the gifts and skills, as well as the passion and capacity to be effective in ministry,” he said. Continued page 2.
Please hand out at your church door