Tomorrow is Bishop Peter Tasker's 70th birthday.
On the eve of his retirement as Bishop of Georges River region, I spoke to him while he was visiting an exciting new work in Marrickville.
He explained the progress of mission in Sydney's most ethnically-diverse region - an area some Sydney Anglicans have dubbed a 'desert' because of the challenges facing churches from Marrickville to Liverpool.
Following is an edited version of our conversation:
Q: It seems to me - as an interested observer - that missional work in your region has really turned a corner in the last 18 months.
I don't know why I'm going now!
We have just got our first person on the ground in Marrickville - Ross Ciano - who is building relationships on the street with people who have had absolutely no link with us in the past.
We have young men and women putting their hand up to do this same work from here [Marrickville] to Liverpool… it’s exciting under God.
It's been quite exciting seeing what model will develop. We now see a model of independent church planters working beside the parishes but not under them.
People don't like the unknown and there is always a pressure to move to a known model. But we must resist that.
At the same time we need to continue to work hard and care for those who hung in all these years and are struggling with the change all around them… we need to work hard to ensure there are pastors for them as well.
I think we have worked hard to do both those things at the same time.
Q: So as you retire, you are positive about the future of this region.
Looking forward, I'm very positive. We have lots of new clergy who have come in the last seven years. These are people who believed under God that it was the right thing to do to come into this region.
Take for example, [the Rev] Denis Oliver whom we just welcomed into Mortdale this week. He didn't have to come here. He was in a comfortable parish on the north shore. But he really believes the Lord is in it. that's happening across our Diocese more and more.
It really is important to understand that we are missionaries. Even as we plant churches, we need to think and function as missionaries.
You must go there first and spend time with the people. You don't just walk in and start running a service.
Q: Connect09 has helped embed this mind-shift hasn't it?
Yes it has helped.
Marrickville is just the right model to try now. We are not just walking in and starting a service.
Ross Ciano has been building up relationships through coffee shops… in Marrickville that's where you go to meet the locals.
Everywhere we need to find where the bridge is into the main chunk of people, not just the fringe of people who will come into a church.
Connect09 is certainly the key part.
Q: Peter, I understand you'll be continuing in an honorary capacity as a roving 'diplomat' for the Diocese - is that accurate?
Yes, as you've heard, I'll be continuing in an honorary position as Bishop for International Relations.
I will continue to build on our relationships with dioceses around the world. a key component is developing the use of PTC.
Q: Setting up opportunities for PTC?
Setting up opportunities but also getting locals trained to be teachers. That is our goal.
For example, there are already well over 100 people in Mauritius doing PTC.
We are hoping and praying that one of their key people will come and do a year at MTC and go back and do the training in Mauritius.
Training up the locals - that is our ultimate goal.
Q: So building up PTC will be the focus?
There will also be an aim to build up our relationships with evangelicals who are under a lot of pressure. We want to support them in whatever way we can. some of that is just knowing that we are praying for them.
Further reflections from Bishop Tasker will printed in the upcoming edition of Southern Cross, along with a story about Ross Ciano's ministry at Marrickville.
