A Sydney Anglican’s new ministries in 2008 will take him from Melanesia to Melbourne.
The Rev Matthew Pickering and his family are responding to an invitation from the Anglican Church of Melanesia to assist the St Stephen’s School, Pamua in the Solomon Islands.
Matthew, who has been chaplain at Shore since 2001, and his wife Anne, who has taught drama and ancient history at St Andrew's Cathedral School, have tendered their resignations.
The Pickerings will leave for the Solomons in the next week and will spend three months there addressing issues of hygiene and education at the Pamua school.
Students at the school currently shower at free standing pipes and toilets are simply points at either end of the beach with waste flowing into the sea.
"This results in parasitic worm infestation in the community and a vicious cycle of illness," Matthew explains.
"The lack of medicines means that some students carry a heavy burden of infection and illness. The college has outbreaks of diarrhoea and occasionally dysentery."
Matthew will be working hard to assist the school's headmaster through the use of the "Toolkit for Hygiene, Sanitation and Water in Schools', advancing the plans for improving water supply, and exploring ways to provide toilets for the students.
Shore offers support
Matthew will also work on progressing the relationship between Shore and St Stephen's.
"Through Chapel offerings, Shore students have co-founded a water supply program, established two scholarships for Solomon Islands students to go to the Pamua school and supported the development of the school's library," he says.
Last month Shore's head librarian and two Shore mothers travelled to Pamua to assist in setting up the college library for cataloguing and loan records.
Matthew's family is also assisting in the work at Pamua.
Matthew's wife Anne will be teaching classes and their daughter Rachel will tutor students. Their other children, Lauren and Nathan, will attend classes at the school.
"I was keen to do this as an extension and expression of my work with the Solomons over the years as chaplain at Shore," Matthew says.
"I think of what we are doing as the Matthew 25:41-46 issues. I anticipated the horror of Jesus saying to me, ‘Pickering, you saw them, you knew what they needed and you stayed in your comfortable job " you’re a goat!’”
Matthew hopes to bring more Sydney Anglicans over with him as he takes six-monthly visits to the area in the years ahead.
"Educating boys has taught me that you learn what you do. I want to engage men especially in mission where the preaching of the sacrifice of Christ and his call to take up the cross is not metaphorical but practical," he says.
New endeavours continue
Matthew will become rector of St Mark’s, Camberwell Anglican Church in Melbourne Diocese from March next year.
"The church has grown over previous years under the leadership of Richard Trist. I have met a range of very fine Christian people there who are living out a lively gospel faith," he says.
"It is warm and energetic and is in a life-cycle phase that I believe I can contribute to. It also has a formal relationship with Camberwell Boy’s Grammar and Camberwell Girl’s Grammar " knowing a little about schools, I figure I can make a contribution there."
Matthew appreciates his new congregation's willingness to allow him his commitments to the Solomon Islands.
"The leaders at Camberwell are prepared to wait for us to conclude our time in the Solomons and are supportive of our desire to continue our relationships with our Aboriginal and Melanesian friends," he says.
However, Matthew says there are numerous things he will miss after his seven years as chaplain to Shore.
"I'll miss preaching in the chapel, being involved in the lives of the boys and watching them become men," he says.
