Rev Andrew Smith has accepted a call to the Canberra Region Presbytery as Presbytery Minister –Congregation Futures

Following the issue of call at our Presbytery Meeting on 17 August 2019 we are delighted to announce the good news that Rev Andrew Smith has accepted our call to the placement in the Presbytery of Canberra Region as the Presbytery Minister – Congregational Futures. Andrew will take up his appointment on 1st February 2020.

Andrew began working life as a lawyer with the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department from 1994-2001 following his completion of a Bachelor of Law and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in 1994 from the Australian National University.

Then in 2002-2003 Andrew followed a call and took up the role as Youth Pastor with Canberra Central Uniting. Andrew grew his faith formation as the son of a Baptist minister and gained experience of the wider church as a young adult. Seeking wider and deeper understanding in faith Andrew became part of UCA and formed his passion for ministry first by studying Clinical Pastoral Education at Canberra Hospital and subsequently by completing his Master of Divinity in 2007 at Sydney College of Divinity. It was then that Andrew accepted a call to Corrimal Regional Uniting Church where his ministry has led him to explore a wide range of innovative ways to foster Christian discipleship, witness and connection to community.

Andrew comes to us after a very successful congregational ministry of 13 years forged around "Connecting with God and Community". Andrew is excited about being caught up in the risky movement of God in Christ toward the world for reconciliation and renewal. He sees the gospel as part of us, but not a lake inside us, but a river running out of us to others in word and deed. For Andrew it is also something we draw attention to and celebrate as it is found in the world. It is good news, life changing, risky and costly…it puts life right.

Andrew is keen to encourage people to make connections between what they do and why they do it. Andrew is keen for people in the church to connect their faith to their activities of service so that their service is not just merely filling a roster position. This has involved him fostering means by which individuals discover shared passions and pool their resources to engage together with the local community often using the principles of Asset Based Community Development.

He has worked closely with Uniting Mission and Education (UME) in courses on Courageous Congregations – Community Organising and adaptive change in addition to Insights conferences on community development. He is currently actively involved in Mission Shaped Ministry learning and training and will bring these resources and skills to our Presbytery congregations.

Andrew comes well equipped with deep experience of how congregations may foster and find new life and new futures. But Andrew recognises that we are all on a pilgrim journey to build new and appropriate forms of Christian witness and Christian community into the future.

It is with much joy and rejoicing that we thank God and welcome Andrew to his role as Presbytery Minister-Congregation Futures.

Sincerely Yours,
John Williams and Delia Quigley,
Co-Chairs, Canberra Region Presbytery.
8 September 2019