Moderator Niall Reid
The Rev. Niall Reid (pictured) is Moderator of the New South Wales Synod of the Uniting Church.
He commenced his full-time position as Moderator in October 2007 and will offer the church visionary and prophetic leadership until September/October 2011.
For each Synod meeting during his term Mr Reid will take one of the three action words (courage, inclusive, generous) in the Synod’s Vision statement and explore the word in the context of grace — which he believed was central to God’s character and had the power to transform.
Mr Reid said he wanted to do this because it would challenge members and congregations of the Uniting Church New South Wales Synod to reach out from their comfort zones and to build bridges as Jesus did.
The theme for Synod in 2008 is “Called to be Inclusive”.
“Inclusive is probably the most difficult of these three words,” Mr Reid said, “for it challenges us to see others with God’s gracious imagination as reflections of the divine.”
Niall Reid writes of his life and history . . .
Born during a family summer holiday in a hunting lodge on the Island of Jura, Scotland, I was brought up for the first nine years in Greenock attending St Marks Greenbank Church of Scotland (where I was baptised) and Greenock Academy to year 5.
My family (parents, four siblings and au pair) emigrated to Australia in 1966 and settled in Canberra where we became members of St Columba’s Presbyterian (later Uniting) Church where I was confirmed in 1974.
I went to Campbell Primary and High Schools and then went on to complete an LLB at the University of Sydney, residing at St Paul’s College.
I returned to Canberra to practise law for just over a year and co-lead, with my sister, Nicola, the St Columba’s youth fellowship before responding to a call to ministry and commencing studies at UTC in 1981.
During my theological studies I worked as a salesperson in Fletcher Jones, Parramatta, and was a student minister in Burwood, Epping and at the Counselling Centre, Strathfield.
In my third year I was married to Paula Arrigo, a solicitor, a Baptist and a Sicilian who would teach me much about cross-cultural relationships and dialogue across different expressions of faith as well as being a partner in ministry.
After graduating I worked for eight months as a Research Officer for the Law Society of NSW prior to being ordained by the Presbytery of Canberra (as it then was) on June 23, 1984 to serve as an Assistant Minister in St Paul’s Church of Scotland, Milngavie.
The minister was absent for most of my time there as he was the Moderator that year, which meant I had greater independence in my role as well as the opportunity to participate in some of the activities surrounding the Church’s General Assembly at the invitation of the Moderator.
I returned to Australia and served for five years in the Mortdale Parish from October 1985. In that time I became a member of the Synod Board of Finance and Property and in 1989 its chairperson.
In the course of this placement our two sons, Jonathan and Robert, came into the world and changed our lives. I then spent just over six years as Minister of the Word in the Parish of North Belconnen and Wattle Park.
In that time I was pleased to be part of the establishment of a new congregation at Murrumbateman and for nearly two years I served as Chairperson of the Canberra Region Presbytery.
I have been Minister of Gordon Uniting Church since February, 1997 (the longest serving minister of its 104 year history).
During this time I was Chairperson of the Synod Board of Education for three years, served on the Presbytery Standing Committee and as Deputy Chairperson of Presbytery for three years, Chairperson of the Ravenswood School for six years and co-leader of four mission trips to build houses for people living in poverty in Tijuana, Mexico.
I have also acted the part of a tour guide in the Garden of Gethsemane over 12 years in an interactive Easter production for primary school children both in North Belconnen and Gordon.
Role as Moderator
His primary responsibility as Moderator is “to hear and articulate a vision for the future of the Church”.
His other roles include:
- Chairperson of the Synod and its Council and the Executive Committee
- Pastor and leader
- Represent the Synod ecumenically
- Encourage the membership, including visiting, preaching and writing.
Church involvement at a glance
Baptised into the church at an early age, Niall Reid was ordained as a Uniting Church minister in 1984.
He has held many other positions in The Uniting Church over more than 20 years, including:
- Serving in congregational ministry at St Paul’s Church of Scotland, Milngavie and at Mortdale, North Belconnen and Wattle Park, Murrumbateman and Gordon Uniting Churches in New South Wales and the ACT.
- Chairperson, Board of Finance and Property
- Chairperson of the Canberra Region Presbytery
- Chairperson of the Synod Board of Education
- Member of Ku-Ring-Gai Presbytery Standing Committee
- Deputy Chairperson of Ku-Ring-Gai Presbytery
- Chairperson of the Ravenswood School
Mr Reid has also been co-leader of four mission trips to build houses for people living in poverty in Tijuana, Mexico.
He is partnered in life and ministry by his wife, Paula who is a solicitor. They have two sons, Jonathan and Robert. |
|
