Congratulations to your new Parish Council for 2024-2025.

Councillors: Matt Bowditch, Ruth Charlton, Wendy Falloon, Peter Kleywegt, Grace Ren, John Schuringa

Wardens: Anna Folkerts, Richard Lord, Brett Reid

Synod Reps (2024-2027): Richard Lord, David McQuillan and TBC.

Nomination Committee 2024-2027: 1. 2. 3. (supplementary 4. 5. 6. ) TBC

Please pray for this group of people as they seek to lead Wellspring in life with Jesus. 

Communication to Parish Council can be made through the office: admin@wellspring.org.au

Council meets third Wednesday of each month. 

It was the end of April when I announced that, after much seeking of God and asking Him to lead, I would be concluding my role as Wellspring’s Senior Pastor/Rector by year’s end. You can find video of that here. Thank you to everyone who continues to honour me and my family with affirmation, kindness, and ongoing prayer. We’re trusting God for a new adventure.

There is now more information to share about what the months ahead will look like. This is the standard process for all Anglican churches in Tasmania, organised by the Diocesan office and facilitated by Parish Council:

• A parish-wide consultation took place during July, led by Archdeacon Stephen Savage. This involved two sessions of in-person discussion, with an invitation for written submissions, which were gratefully received. This consultation yielded some answers about who Wellspring is and where we want to go, and thus the type of person needed to lead as the new Rector.
• A Parish Profile is almost finalised. It will provide a helpful overview of Wellspring and the role of Rector for prospective candidates to consider. Soon after, the process of advertising and recruitment begins. It is likely this will take several months.
• The Imbergers’ final Sunday with you will be on October 27th. I then need to take accrued leave before officially resigning and moving in mid-December.
• The Wardens have recommended, with the Bishop's approval, that Noel Bowditch serve as Locum (ie. Acting Rector) from November 1st and until a new Rector commences. Noel is known and respected among our church community, and will provide stable and godly leadership during this interval.
• Pray for your Nomination Committee, who works with the Bishop and Diocesan members, representing Wellspring’s interests and vision in the search for a new Rector. They are the ones who join in on interviews, discern God’s leading, and make recommendations to the Bishop for his eventual appointment. The Nomination Committee members are: Matt Bowditch, Darryl Cook, Gemma Kleywegt, Helen Lord and John Morse - they will continue to serve in this role until the end of the process.
• John Morse will also remain available as a contact person over these months ahead.

I’m so thankful for the life with Jesus that Wellspring has enjoyed in recent years. It’s an encouraging journey that I believe is poised for more depth and Spirit-fruit. As above, what this path ahead provides are clear and decisive steps to ensure Wellspring is well-led. There will definitely be change, some of it difficult, but some of it exciting too, and godly leadership will help navigate our church through both.

Your brother in Christ,
Rob

Welcoming Refugees - where are things up to?

• A dozen Wellspring members expressed their support and passion to get behind this, with various networks and resources at their disposal.
• Two Community Supporter Groups across four churches have formed, including me and three other Wellspring members. We’re called “Welcome to Hobart 1 & 2”, with a hands-on role to assist new arrivals with transitional housing, employment, education, healthcare, and so on.
• CRSA (the organisation which matches refugee families with local CSGs) requires applications from these teams and its members: this comprehensive process is being completed currently. We will undertake training in February 2024, with UNHCR and CRSA arranging the matching process soon after.
• With the current demand in refugee camps worldwide, it's likely that refugee families will potentially arrive during the first quarter of next year. How wonderful would it be to show up as a 'Welcome Party' at Hobart airport, meeting them with warmth and love as their first impression of Australia?
• Finances will be centrally controlled through Anglican Health & Welfare, a Diocesan organisation led by a Board (of which I'm a member). 
• Wellspring's financial contribution will be drawn from an upcoming grant, to be applied for through the Diocesan New Ministry Development Fund. The two CSGs are considering several fundraising options also.
• There are multiple ways that a church community can be involved (click here for such a partner organisation).

This article was published as part of Wellspring's September 8th Newsletter. In no particular order, the resources Rob referred to can be accessed below:
 

• "A Christian Perspective on the Voice Debate: 4 Key Takeaways", Akos Balogh, The Gospel Coalition Australia
• "PM's offensive vanity project a bad 'vibe' for nation's future", Peter Dutton, The Weekend Australian, Apr 8-9 2023
• "The Voice: A Christian Consideration", Michael Jensen, The Gospel Coalition Australia
• "A majority of First Nations people support the voice", Rebecca Huntly, The Guardian
• "No pamphlet casts light where Yes prefers shadows", Louise Clegg, The Weekend Australian, July 22-23 2023
• "Indigenous Voice to Parliament a question of love and moral imagination", Max Jeganathan, CPX
• "Reject race-based 'poison', privilege voice will deliver", Ramesh Thakur, The Weekend Australian, July 29-30 2023
• "Voice our chance to lift Indigenous lives above lies and insults", Marcia Langton, The Weekend Australian, Aug 5-6 2023
• "Human Equality and Permanent Privilege: Concerns with the Voice Proposal", Sandy Grant, The Gospel Coalition Australia
• "Attacks on the voice an ugly attempt to wound the PM", Chris Kenny, The Weekend Australian, Aug 5-6 2023
• "An Open Letter", Tim Costello, Tearfund

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The Voice to Parliament referendum will be held on October 14th. Australians will be asked whether we approve an amendment to our Constitution, to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by establishing a Voice to Parliament. (The federal governments website provides a useful overview of what that means). Most of us will have received paperwork, read commentary, and perhaps already formed a view that amounts to a Yes or No.

Like many contemporary issues, the bible does not comment on this Voice, therefore there cannot be a categorically Christian way to vote. But, as with every other matter the bible does not specifically address, Christians are wise to employ their reason and conscience, seeking the Spirits illumination.

As your Pastor, I want to be upfront with the Wellspring community and indicate Ill be voting Yes. You will need to research, think, and discern about these issues for yourselves. If you dont know, dont vote No: please find out more and pray.

Here are a few convictions driving my intention to vote Yes:

1. God made and owns our land Australia, including everyone in it: therefore, what is done by and to Australians matters to Him. The Uluru Statement from the Heart, from which The Voice originated, is essentially one big appeal for white Australia to listen. I believe the permanence of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in our Constitution, often cited as a negative, is a much-needed corrective for peoples who have been historically marginalised, mistreated, and sinned against.
2. Jesus gospel is as big a solution as our sin-problem. When the problem is reduced to my sin between me and God, the solution is as private: 'Jesus died so I am forgiven and go to heaven'. The effect of the solution is also small-scale: 'I can overcome my personal sins'. When the problem is broadened to 'Sin has tainted everyone and everything', the solution is likewise wide-ranging: Jesus has come to restore whats broken and resurrect whats dead, inside me and around me. The effect of this solution is personal and social. Political decisions, including about The Voice, can be part of the outworking of Jesus justice-producing gospel.
3. Christians should be the best at reconciliation. If we have experienced forgiveness and welcome from God through Christ, we can apply that to our human relationships, perhaps especially the complex ones. In what I think is a gracious way, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are inviting Australians into renewed relationship with this Voice, where listening and speaking play their parts.
4. Not perfect is our default setting until Jesus return. I dont believe flaws in The Voice model are reason enough to deny its passage. Political solutions only partially fix spiritual problems, but the fixes remain worthwhile where we are able to make them.

Ive been reading and reflecting about The Voice for some time and have compiled the above resources from a variety of viewpoints which may help as you continue considering. One timely opportunity is to attend Dr. Michael Guerzonis workshop at the upcoming Bishops Training Event.

Some of us may be alarmed by how polarised the wider debate has become, which is sure to increase in the coming weeks. Lets be praying that honour, integrity, and good listening characterise the Churchs witness especially.

If desired, I invite you to contact me to explore things further.

Your brother in Christ,

Rob Imberger

See attached report from Richard Lord at the recent synod meeting.