“We serve the Presbyterian Church in NSW/ACT by equipping our people and churches to engage society and culture from a biblical basis with a gospel focus.”

Joanna Barlow is a general psychiatrist in Newcastle, who is a deacon at Charlestown Presbyterian Church. She is responsible for pastoral care and music there, and is a member of the women’s ministry committee. She is the teaching leader of the Newcastle women’s Bible Study Fellowship class and a member of the Scots College council. She is married to Malcolm and they have two adult sons.

Benjamin Shuhyta loves to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. A final-year student at Christ College, Benjamin is training to become a minister of the Presbyterian Church. He worships with his wife and children at Port Macquarie Presbyterian Church where he serves as an elder and pastoral assistant, also coordinating Special Religious Education in local schools. Prior to this Benjamin was a broadcast journalist of 20 years with commercial networks and the national broadcaster, and has tertiary degrees majoring in journalism, theology and mathematics.

John McClean is the Convenor of the Committee. He is the lecturer in Systematic Theology and Vice-Principal at the Christ College in Sydney. He is also the Convenor of the Church and Nation Committee for the Presbyterian Church of Australia, which covers similar areas as GS&C for the national Church. His areas of teaching include Ethics and Apologetics as well as Systematic Theology. He has published articles on a wide range of ethical and cultural issues.  He is married to Elizabeth and they live in the lower Blue Mountains and are involved in Springwood-Winmalee Presbyterian church.

Kamal Weerakoon was born in Sri Lanka and immigrated to Australia, with his parents, when he was a teenager. He holds degrees in commerce, law, and theology, and worked as an accountant before becoming a Presbyterian Church minister. He wrote his master’s thesis in Christian sexual ethics and his doctorate on multiethnic ministry in the contemporary context of globalisation and the global church. He is currently part of the ministry team at Gracepoint Presbyterian Church and an adjunct lecturer at Christ College. For fun, he also dabbles in faith-based fiction.

Sandy McMillan, having served for 30 years in pastoral ministry in Wagga Wagga and Drummoyne, is seeking in ‘retirement’ to support ministry through mentoring, supervision and supply. He is married to Karen and they live in Woonona. They have three married daughters and five grandchildren. Before training for ministry Sandy developed his interest in justice issues by working in youth welfare, then as State Representative for TEAR Fund. As State Moderator in 2011-2012 he developed an interest in how the denomination can have its voice heard in the public square.

Ben Greig is an elder at Bathurst Presbyterian Church. He did Metro training at Bathurst Church and worked as a baker for over 20 years. He currently works as a community and social worker dealing with homelessness and addiction. He is married to Jenni Greig and has a strong interest in hobby boardgames, social media, distribution of wealth and sex in advertising. He has served as moderator of Presbytery and NSW Assembly.

Lewis Jones ministers on university campuses with AFES, leading the Simeon Network, a network of Christians working in academia. He holds a PhD in astrophysics and a degree in theology from Moore Theological College. Lewis serves on the UNSW Human Research Ethics Committee, is a regular columnist with CASE Quarterly, and is a fellow of ISCAST–Christians in Science and Technology. He is married to Jenny, has three children, and is an elder at Randwick Presbyterian Church.

Karine Woldhuis once asked Jesus for an adventurous life and he answered that prayer. From mission work in the Ecuadorian Andes with her husband John and their three kids to their current pastoral ministry at Wahroonga Presbyterian – the Lord has brought them many opportunities to serve Him in varied contexts. Karine continues to work with SIM as co-lead of For Freedom, SIM’s global anti-trafficking ministry, and is a Professional Pastoral Supervisor. She holds qualifications in Business, Theology, Social Development and Professional Supervision. Karine enjoys walking and cooking new recipes – especially when they work out.

Amy Butler holds a degree in Communication and is a graduate of Christ College. She resides in the rural town of Parkes with her husband, Adrian, and their four children who are home educated. She enjoys the fellowship of the saints at Parkes Presbyterian Church and has interests in education, discipleship and intentional Christian living.

Lucy Han attends Gracepoint Presbyterian Church, where she serves as a youth leader. She is a commercial lawyer with experience in corporate governance. She has developed a genuine interest in utilizing technology to support Christians from various cultural backgrounds and age groups, aiding them in their understanding and practice of faith.

RESEARCHER/WRITER

Christine Metusela is the Researcher/Writer for the GS&C committee. Christine is an academic at the University of Wollongong and has a research background in quality improvement in health care, including addressing needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. She leads the music ministry team at Wollongong City Central Presbyterian Church and is also on the Committee of Management. She is married to Sam and they have three adult daughters.

Administration

Samantha Elley has been a journalist, editor and digital producer for over a decade. A Christian for more than 40 years, which has included missionary work in Spain, Sam is married to Mark and has two grown up sons. She lives on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, where they attend Evans Head Presbyterian and says Heaven is a local phone call. Passions include family history and finding those stories from the past. Sam owns website talesfromthegrave.org that discovers those stories from ‘down under’. She loves a mellow wine and a well-made coffee.