By Madeleine Collins

Dean Phillip Jensen has written to all rectors in Sydney urging them to consider employing a graduate from Moore College in 2006.
The Dean’s call to the Diocese has coincided with the flood of graduating Candidates for ordination. Up to 40 people, compared with 21 in 2003, will be on the hunt for jobs in local parishes from mid-next year.
    And while the outlook for church growth is positive, Dean Jensen, who is also the diocesan Director for Ministry Training and Development, believes it is important that parishes – small, medium and large – start to give serious consideration now to employing one of the graduates in 18 months.
“During 2003 we saw an unprecedented growth in the number of Sydney Candidates,” he said. “This growth has been another demonstration of God’s rich generosity towards us as a Diocese. We have the wonderful opportunity of locating positions for more graduating Sydney candidates…than ever before. We anticipate significant numbers in the years to come.”
The college has swelled in recent years, but the growth is being felt most acutely in the current crop of first year students, which includes the largest number of candidates for ordination in Sydney in history. Those who have indicated they want to work in the Diocese have increased by 33 per cent on the previous year.
Senior Assistant to the Dean, the Rev Mark Charleston, says rather than be alarmed, he is confident rectors and parish councils will rise to the challenge.
“They all need jobs. It’s a big mark up on this year, which does sound daunting, but I think it’s well within the reach of our Diocese,” he said.  “I would encourage small parishes that might think ‘we can’t possibly do it by 2006’,  to do it by 2007 or 2008.”
Mr Charleston said there is a danger in parishes getting too comfortable with their current staffing levels.
“It’s a proven fact of church growth that the more full time staff you have, the greater likelihood you have of expanding your congregations.
“It’s not just simply putting together the funds to give a person a job, but it’s about parishes recognising this as God sending out more full time ministers into the great harvest field in Sydney.”