Kate Tierney

(Chairperson)

Kate had a background in art before beginning training for ordained ministry 18 years ago.  She is currently in settlement at St Stephen's Wodonga where she is also very involved with the work of UnitingCare Wodonga, both as a Board member and in the various programmes and services that UnitingCare offer.  For the past four years she has worked as the Police Chaplain for Wodonga and region.  She is also the chairperson of the Albury-Wodonga Ecumenical Tertiary Chaplaincy Management Group.  She loves her community.

Kate was a member of the CFM for 7 years, and a member of the CFM Co-ordinating Committee for 4 years.

She brings a deep passion for the church's involvement in the life of the wider community, and for an active engagement in bridge building so that people may be invited to venture to explore something of the faith and hope that is offered in Christ. - "Faithful mission takes us into some of the most painful,messy and diffcult parts of human life. As a church we must be willing to roll up our sleeves and be unafraid of getting rough skin on the hands of our being."

There are few things which excite her more than a good dream, - "It seems to me that missional dreams are bumping into us all the time waiting for the right constellation of people and time and energy, to enable them to grow flesh."

Odile Glenn

Odile's training as a microbiologist was first use in teaching and research. Those skills have been applied and extended in many councils of the church over 20 years.  In the 1990's she was part of the WA Synod Strategy & Extension Working Group.  Moving to Tasmania coincided with her appointment to the Assembly Strategic Planning Unit where her knowledge to the diversity of our practice across the Synods was expanded considerably!

During 2004-2006 she was a member of the Presbytery of Tasmania Mission Development Committee and Synod of Victoria and Tasmania Standing Committee. She has just completed a training course for effective board membership.

She hopes to offer this board:

• an educated, logical mind
• a firm faith, and
• a growing experience of the ways the ethos of the Uniting Church can be harnessed to God's mission on earth.

David Pargeter

Executive Director, Commission for Mission

Cliff Peters

Cliff was with the Victorian Education Department as a secondary teacher for 36 years (now retired) including Vice Principal for 13 years at a large metropolitan Secondary College - managing daily operations, staffing (approx 100), buildings and grounds.

He has also been involved with:

• Eastern Suburbs Community Mental Health Service Board of Governance, 11 years (8 as Chairperson)
• Central Box Hill Parish - Elder, Church Councillor, Secretary, 14 years
• Bourke Presbytery - convenor Community Services Committee, member Standing Committee, Commission for Mission representative
• Kew Regional Outreach Ministry 12 years, convenor managment group

Geoff Pryor

B.A., B.Ed, M.Ed., F.A.C.E

Geoff is a retired Assistant Principal, Fellow of the Australian College of Educators and has a casual contract with La Trobe University, Bendigo.  He is an Elder with the Neale Street U.C.A congregation, Bendigo.

Major Pastime  - Researching and investigating family history within the context of Australian and World History. Recently he completed an account of World War 1, centred around the War Diary of his Great Uncle G.B.Pryor (1896-1916) and is currently researching the history of education in 19th and 20th century Victoria based around the story of his father - L J Pryor (1912-1991). He also has skills of analysis and synthesis.

John Rickard

John is a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia and has had a strong committment to local mission since his ordination in 1982.  This commitment has been formed by two initial settlements in inner-city Melbourne, at North Melbourne and Carlton. In this context mninistry and mission have been offered in a most socially polarised environment, encompassing the refurbisehd, leafy, gentrified, inner-city suburbs and high-rise apartment blocks.

During John's previous appointment as Executive Director of The Commission for Mission, Synod of Victoria, he broadened his interests to include the practicalities of share ministry leadership in churches, and ministry and mission in multicultural Australia.  Over these years John has developed a strong passion for Missiology, the study of mission in the church.

John has a deep passion for the indigenous people of this land as they seek justice and self-determination and has worked with a number of organisations over the years including Urban Rural Mission of the World Council of Churches and the Aboriginal and Islander Commission of the National Council of Churches in Australia.

Over the last several years John has been seconded to work for the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress of the Uniting Church in Australia as Resource Worker. This has enabled him to truly stand in solidarity with the most disadvantaged people in this country while at the same time begin the long journey of listening to the "first peoples' of this land in order to better understand their culture and spirit. This journey has been a great privilege.

Alison Whish

BA, B Soc Admin, BTh, MTS, Dip Min

Ground of our being is an image of God that is important to Alison as is the embodiment of the incarnation. Her faith permeates all of my being and has shaped her life personal and professional for many years. She has woked with Anglicare in South Australia in a range of management roles including Senior Policy Officer. She was General Manager of UnitingCare Port Pirie from 1997 until coming to Melbourne in 2003.

During that time the organisation went through a considerable growth change which included developing a new head office building. During this time she was also a member of the Ministerial Forum for Domestic Violence Prevention and SACOSS Policy Council.

With the Uniting Church she has undertaken a wide range of roles, including terms with UnitingJustice and UnitingCare national reference committees, work on the Synod strategic plan, and teaching sessions at Parkin Wesley College.

Currently she is a Minister of the Word in Placement with the Western Port Parish on the Mornington Peninsula. She is also deeply moved by sacred music and is part of the Otira Icon School.