Your 2024-2025 Parish Council

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. 

Changes ahead for Wellspring leadership

 

Updated 30th October 2024

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 hereThank you to everyone who has honoured me and my family with affirmation, kindness, and ongoing prayer. We’re trusting God for a new adventure and will announce it when we can.

Recent months have seen developments in preparing for new leadership, according to 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 was finalised (click here to view it). It provides a helpful overview of Wellspring and the role of Rector for prospective candidates to consider.
  • Applications closed on October 13th, with interviews and next steps being organised in the weeks following.
  • 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.
  • The Imbergers’ farewell events, including an afternoon tea and final Sunday was a special and moving time (read here my farewell letter). I am now on annual 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.
  • During this interim period, you're encouraged to participate in "PREPARE", a season of united prayer and fasting. Read more about it here.

I’m so thankful for the life with Jesus that Wellspring has enjoyed in recent years, and grateful to have played a part in it. 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 - Update Dec 2023

Welcoming Refugees - where are things up to?


At August's Annual Meeting, I shared a new and exciting initiative to help us achieve our key priority of Local Outreach. 

Wellspring has been invited to join with other Hobart Anglican churches to assist refugee families settle in for their first 12 months in Tasmania. We have a concrete opportunity to share life with Jesus with some of the most vulnerable and needy.

Here is a summary of what's happened in the past few months:
  • 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).
Please be praying! This is a bold new step for our church and there are many unknowns. But in our life with Jesus, we partner with Him for Spirit-anointed, Luke 4 ministry.
Rob Imberger.

The Voice to Parliament - resources

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:
 

 

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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

Synod 2023 Report

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