New Ministries commissioned in Bathurst, Mudgee and Parkes

Over the past two months, Bishop Ian Palmer has commissioned four priests into ministries in three parishes. 

ACTING DEAN: James Hodson holds the licence presented to him by Bishop Ian Palmer, as the cathedral congregation welcomes him to his new role. The commissioning took place in the context of the Cathedral's monthly Evensong service.

Last Sunday (February 4) he commissioned The Reverend James Hodson as Transitional Priest and Acting Dean at All Saints’ Cathedral and the parish of Bathurst.

On Saturday December 10 he commissioned the Reverends Ron and Crystal Spindler as Rector and Vicar in the parish of Parkes and Peak Hill, and a week later The Reverend Jono Williams was commissioned as Rector of Mudgee.

In Parkes, Bishop Ian said he had licensed Ron Spindler as Rector of the parish and his wife Crystal as Vicar, using a term widely used in some parts of the Anglican Church but not common in Bathurst Diocese. He explained that ‘Vicar’ had been originally used in England, where the parish priest may have actually lived some distance from the parish and another priest was licensed to exercise a ‘vicarious’ ministry.

Bishop Ian said there could foreseeably be times when Ron Spindler would have to be away from the main worship centre of the parish, in which case Crystal’s licence as Vicar would be quite appropriate.

The couple, who have moved to Parkes from Toowoomba, have also undertaken to provide ministry in Cumnock parish, which joins Parkes-Peak Hill’s north-eastern boundaries.

Ron and Crystal Spindler both trained as Church Army evangelists and worked in Brisbane Diocese before being ordained in Riverina Diocese ten years ago, where they served together in the remote areas surrounding Broken Hill for several years before moving to Ariah Park/Ardlethan parish for two years.

Jono Williams comes to Mudgee having served for the past six years as Priest in Charge of the combined Anglican and Uniting Church congregations in Canowindra, and Regional Ministry Coordinator for the Slopes Region. Prior to his appointment at Canowindra he had served as Chaplain at Bathurst Correctional Centre, and at the Orana Juvenile Justice facility in Dubbo. Since his ordination in 2000, he has served in the parishes of Blayney, Parkes, Narromine and Dubbo.

The Transitional Priest and Acting Dean of Bathurst, James Hodson, has for the past six years been part-time Priest in Charge of South Bathurst parish, where he has facilitated some significant changes in the life and worship of the congregation following the destruction of St Barnabas’ Church by fire three years ago.

Far from signalling the demise of the parish as some feared it might, the fire actually energised the congregation to think of new ways of being a ‘church without a building’. An arrangement with the Sisters of St Joseph at Perthville, about eight kilometres from St Barnabas’ Church, has enabled the congregation to continue meeting for Sunday worship in the chapel at the convent. Smaller mid-week services are now held in the St Barnabas Centre (the former Bishopscourt).

ANNOINTING: Bishop Ian Palmer prays a blessing over Ron Spindler after annointing him with oil during the commissioning service in St George's Church in Parkes.  Ron and Crystal Spindler have been licenced to proviide ministry in the parishes of Parkes/Peak Hill and also Cumnock.