Anglican Diocese of Bathurst ordains four new clergymen

Steven Klouth, James Daymond, Tim Smith and Jonny Lush were all ordained at a service at the Bathurst Anglican Cathedral on Saturday, December 3, with Rev Klouth headed to West Wyalong, Rev Daymond to serve at Cobar (the first resident Anglican minister in two decades), Rev Smith going to Grenfell and Rev Jonny Lush to serve the Oberon community.

Anglican Diocese of Bathurst Bishop Mark Calder said the ordination sets them apart for their life of ministry.

"It's a recognition by the church and therefore giving confidence that these people are gifted, appropriately trained and that they'll do a good job ministering God's word," Bathurst Anglican Bishop Mark Calder said.

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"The ordination sets them apart for their life of ministry."

The Reverend Greg Harris, the national director of the Bush Church Aid Society (BCA), spoke during the ordination service.

Rev Harris and the BCA are committed to supporting people living in remote and regional Australia, with Rev Klouth and Rev Daymond to be supported by the society.

"Because the BCA is helping us fund the ministers who will be in Cobar and West Wyalong, I asked him to preach at the ordination," Bishop Calder said.

"The society supports ministers in the bush, that's really their sole charter.

"They'll also be supporting the minister in Cowra [Ben Connelly]. He's coming from the Armidale diocese, but he's starting in January. We didn't have to ordain him because he's already ordained."

The Anglican Diocese of Bathurst currently has 12 vacancies across its parishes, so Bishop Calder is understandably keen to bring more ministers out to the region.

"We're still really keen to find more people to come out. We're also encouraged by the progress made," he said.

"We've got some people that are moving on, which is sad but that's life. We've gone forward quite a bit and backwards just a little bit."

Bishop Calder also confirmed that James Boardman would be appointed as an assistant minister in the Cathedral parish.

He would be supported by the BCA and, God-willing, will be made a deacon on March 4, 2023

"He's just finished his studies at Moore College and that role is one of those roles that is being supported by BCA, specifically as a training pathway, so that we can have people come straight from college to have training on the spot for a couple of years and then go onto parish ministry in the diocese," Bishop Calder said.

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