Bishop's Ministry Team
The senior staff of the Diocese work as an extension of Bishop Farran’s ministry and under his leadership as the Bishop’s Ministry Team, each with a distinct portfolio.
The roles of each member of the team and the appropriate Administrative Assistant to contact in order to be in touch with a member of the team are as follows:
The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart, Assistant Bishop
All enquiries to Danielle Veronesi
At one level, as an Assistant Bishop I get a very simple job description. I’m a bishop who according to the Canons and Ordinances undertakes “such work and performs such episcopal acts as may be required or permitted by the Bishop.”
The heart of my ministry is to be a bishop who assists the Diocesan Bishop in his ministry. Bishop Brian extends to me the opportunity of a collegial relationship which includes sharing the exercise of Episcopal ministry with him at ordinations, confirmations and at all liturgical celebrations involving both bishops.
Most Sundays of the year we are both in parishes seeking to encourage and support the local work of mission and ministry. This involves not only presiding at worship but meeting with ministry leaders, ministry teams or parish councillors. During the year we spend time with clergy and parishes supporting their ministry and exploring new opportunities.
Alongside this general area of episcopal ministry, I have some specific portfolios including leading the strategic ministry development of the Central Coast, overseeing the work and development of the Newcastle School of Theology for Ministry and Stipendiary Ordination Formation program, liaising with the University of Newcastle and the Morpeth Professor of Theology, chairing the Diocesan Examining Chaplains, chairing the Samaritans Foundation and Lakes Grammar, and supporting and overseeing the work of CEY Ministries.
At an administrative level I have been asked to look at the Diocesan Law Book and its implementation to make sure our ordinances reflect and assist the development of a missional church.
From time to time, I stand in for the Bishop (in a role called the Commissary) when the Bishop is absent from the state.
The Venerable Stephen Pullin, Archdeacon for Diocesan Development (Archdeacon of Newcastle)
All enquiries to Amanda Zaicos
The Archdeacon of Newcastle is responsible for working with parishes and groups across the Diocese to further the implementation of the Diocesan Strategic Directions.
My main focus is in supporting parishes and deaneries in clarifying and implementing their vision, and in assisting with the practical implications of the decisions made at local level.
I am available to parish communities and leaders to work in such areas as stewardship, strategic planning, development or redevelopment of facilities, or any other area where support or clarification of Diocesan Ordinances and procedures is needed in a practical way.
My duties also include the gathering of information from parishes through the annual returns, and ensuring that all parish plant (buildings) and property are maintained and presented in an appropriate way for the sake of all who use them.
Finally, as chair of the Property Approvals Board, I am responsible for the development and implementation of all property related matters in the Diocese, including the identification of possible sites where the Diocese may want to be present in the future as the community grows and changes.
The Venerable Arthur Copeman, Archdeacon for Ministry Support
All enquiries to Diocesan Office Reception
As Archdeacon for Ministry Support my role includes facilitating the consultations with Parishes across the Diocese when they become vacant, arranging locums for vacant parishes under the Bishop’s directions, ensuring that Incumbents in Parishes have regular reviews.
I am responsible for organising the Clergy Retreats each year, chairing the committee which organises the Diocesan Leaders Conference and Chairing the Manning Valley Anglican College Council. This is a half time position.
With the other half of my time I am leading a community who are in the process of planting a new church in Newcastle. This church planting ministry at present consists of a prayer meeting each Sunday night at St Matthew’s Georgetown.
It is intended that the prayer meeting will become a core group working on a new church, which would be inaugurated once the planning phase is complete.
Father David John Battrick BSG, Diocesan Ministry Development Officer & Director of the Newcastle School of Theology for Ministry
All enquiries to Emma Haining
I am responsible for the implementation of the vision of Becoming Ministering Communities in Mission in parishes across the Diocese, and for advising the Bishop on the further development of the processes and support offered by the vision.
I work with Parish Priests and Parish Councils during the early stages of exploring the vision, and where a congregation makes a commitment to the vision, I accompany them on behalf of the Bishop through the visioning, discernment and formation stages that lead to the commissioning of a Parish Ministry Team.
I co-ordinate the discernment process for candidates for ordained local ministry, and I am responsible for the formation programme for deacons and priests in local mission.
More broadly in the Diocese I am responsible for the Diocesan Professional Supervision programme, and liaise closely with Bryan Dunn the Chair of the Professional Supervisors.
I also co-ordinate the processes for the issuing and renewal of lay authorities for Chalice Assistants, Lay Liturgical Assistants and Preachers in the Local Congregation.
As Director of the Newcastle School of Theology for Ministry I am responsible for the management and development of the School and its programmes.
Mr John Cleary, Diocesan Business Manager
All enquiried to Danielle Veronesi
I am responsible for issues relating to management, finance, communications, IT and administration. I provide leadership to the Diocesan Office including the recommendation of budget priorities; the development and implementation of policies, plans and decisions of the Synod and the Diocesan Council.
I serve on a number of Diocesan Boards and Committees including Diocesan Council, the Newcastle Anglican Schools Corporation, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, The Anglican Savings and Development Fund (Treasurer) and am Secretary to the Trustees of Church Property.
I am currently enrolled in a Doctor of Philosophy course through Charles Sturt University’s Faculty of Business.
Father John Power, Diocesan Director of Ordinands & Emerging Communities Networker
All enquiries to Diocesan Office Reception
As Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO), I am responsible for the Priestly Formation of Diocesan stipendiary Ordinands, which supplements their theological Education with practical pastoral and ministry skills.
I help to create a learning community amongst the Ordinands and co-ordinates their placement in parishes for practical ministry experience. I help organise the placement of assistant curates in parishes and am responsible their training in Continuing Ministerial Education (CME).
As Emerging Communities Networker (ECN) I seek to encourage and develop missional strategies for parishes engaged in new projects. I am involved in training in fresh expressions of church, missional communities and emerging worship and help resource these new congregations.
Where needed, I also take an active role in piloting fresh expressions of church projects.