Presbytery Transition Commission Leaders Announced

A landmark proposal was passed by agreement on Day 3 of Synod 2025 to reshape the life and structure of the Uniting Church in NSW and ACT. The proposal recommended dissolving the current 12 Presbyteries and forming three new regional Presbyteries: Northern, Central, and Southern.

Recognising the size of this shift, a proposal was accepted that set out a careful transition process with a dedicated Transition Commission and Principles which will guide its work, supported by Synod staff and leaders, and by staff teams from each new Presbytery.

The Synod took a bold step to simplify structures, strengthen mission, and better support congregations by moving toward a new three-Presbytery model.

In August 2025, Synod Standing Committee (SSC) established a panel to discern with Presbyteries who will join the Presbytery Transition Commission in its four full time roles. The panel members were the Moderator, Rev Mata Havea-Hiliau, Mrs Sue Duncan, Rev Andrew Smith, Rev Dr Jason Kioa, and myself.

Discernment about the three Presbytery Leader roles was shared between Presbyteries and the SSC Panel, with Presbyteries nominating two people from each new cluster and the panel meeting with both before recommending one to the Standing Committee. Discernment for the role of Commission Chair was solely in the hands of the SSC panel.

This task was both a tremendous privilege and challenge. Who to recommend when everyone before us is gifted, experienced, and highly recommendable? To help our discernment, we realised a key question when listening to each person was: Who do we believe God has been preparing for this task? 

Lots of time was spent in prayer and at its October 10 meeting, Synod Standing Committee supported the recommendations of the panel and appointed the following people to full time roles on the Presbytery Transition Commission: Ms Sharon Flynn as Chair, Rev Graham Perry as Northern Presbytery Leader, Rev Ann Perrin as Central Presbytery Leader, and Ms Amy Junor as Southern Presbytery Leader.

We give thanks to God for all those who expressed interest in serving the Church through the Transition Commission, and we pray for Sharon, Graham, Ann and Amy, who will begin their work with each other and the wider church in November.

We give thanks to God for all those who expressed interest in serving the Church through the Transition Commission, and we pray for Sharon, Graham, Ann and Amy, who will begin their work with each other and the wider church in November.