Pastoral Relations Committee

Meetings

PRC currently meets once a month via Zoom. Contact the Secretary for meeting dates and deadlines. 

Members

Chair: Rev. Richard Harris
Terrigal UC | CC Zone

 

Rev Punam Bent
Presbytery Minister: Ministry Wellbeing 

 Mrs Michelle Lombard
Minute Secretary
     

 

Rev Martin Levine
Presbytery Minister: Growth and Mission

 Mrs Elizabeth (Liz) Dabbs
Normanhurst UC | B2B Zone		 Rev Tammy Holland
Normanhurst UC | B2B Zone
     
Rev Leon Kruger
Thomas Bowden / Arrunga		 Rev Michael Thomas
Crows Nest UC | LNS Zone		 Rev Peter Chung
Cherrybrook UC | B2B Zone
     
Rev Phil Swain
Turramurra UC | UNS Zone		 Mrs Robyn Harvey
Boronia Park UC | COR Zone		 Rev Shin Goo Lee
St David's Dee Why UC | FAB Zone
       
Mrs Tina Palmer
St David's UC, Dee Why | FAB		 Rev. Gielie Loubser  Pastor Gray Knight    
Rev Trish Rooney    
     

Charter

Pastoral Relations Committee Charter: 
Mandate and Responsibilities

Ministry Committee

is a sub-committee of the PRC, supporting applicants and candidates for the specified ministries of the Uniting Church. 

Policies

Most policies and resources of the PRC are linked in the SCCP website through Mission Centres (including Congregations, Schools, Faith Communities, etc.) or Ministry Resources (for people in ministry positions). However some other policies are below: 

Part-time Placements

There are circumstances in which a part-time ministry placement can be a good opportunity for both enriching the mission of the congregation and also enabling a ministry agent to exercise their vocation within restricted hours.
But there are some special considerations surrounding a request for a part-time placement which go beyond a desire for maintenance ministry.

Lay Presidency at the Sacraments

Generally, requests for a person who is not an ordained minister to conduct the sacraments come from the ministry centre (Church Council or Uniting, etc.) to the PRC. Strict conditions apply to the authorisation of Lay Presidents, including: 

  • The person must be a member of the Uniting Church in some recognised leadership role in a congregation or ministry centre, eg. Elder, Pastor, Chaplain. 
  • The person must have completed the Sacraments course offered through UME. 
  • Authorisation will apply only within their specified place(s) of ministry (eg. a Chaplain serving several facilities). Different places of ministry will require a request from the leadership of each place (eg. for a Uniting Chaplain also to preside in a local congregation, the CC will need to request authorisation for their setting.)
  • In Uniting placements, authorisation will usually be given only for people exercising the ministry of Chaplain or Chaplain Coordinator. Pastoral Practitioners will not usually be authorised. 
  • In Church schools, the lay minister will be a Chaplain or Pastor commissioned by the Presbytery and School. 
  • In accordance with the Regulations, authorisations will be renewed annually on request of the placement. 

PRC Supply Policy