Meet Our Mission and Ministry Teams

Eastwood Uniting Church includes leaders with a lot of faith experience.

Our Ministers all love Jesus Christ! Their role is to help people understand the love of God.

Our Office Team support us. Their role is to help with communication and information.

Our volunteer leaders come from many backgrounds. Their roles vary. They are led by our Church Council.
Church Council has our Ministers and some of our volunteer leaders. 

Our Church community also includes people who do not claim to have a 'faith'.
Some people come to be part of our Christian community.
Some people come to learn more about God.
Some people are not sure why they come.
We believe God loves all of the people all of the time.
​
People are able to participate according to their gifts and interests.

Our Ministers

Rev Dr AMELIA
​Koh-Butler
美莉牧師
Minister / Team Leader
​English  -  French

About Amelia:
I'm a Chinese-Scottish-Aussie, with connections to Adnyamathanha country in the Ikara-Flinders. I blend worship, service, education, storying and hospitality. As World Methodist Council’s Worship and Liturgy Convenor, I have been teaching in North and Central America, Italy, France and Spain, Korea, Thailand and Singapore. Previous graduate studies in music, creative arts, theology and education, led me to complete intercultural doctoral research through Fuller (Pasadena) in integrated Missiology, Ethnomusicology and Fresh Expressions of Church.
I have been part of teams introducing ministry innovations to Australia: the Walk to Emmaus Movement, Godly Play and Mission-shaped Ministry (Fresh Expressions). I previously served as Executive Director of UC Mission Resourcing in South Australia, Multi-faith Chaplain at Western Sydney University (Parramatta and Westmead), and Minister at Wesley Hamilton, Newcastle. I was also Director of Lay Education in the Uniting Church in NSW-ACT.
Publications include: Must have experience (with Ross Neville, 2004), Peacemaking and discipleship (with Chris Walker, MediaCom), Wide and deep (liturgical resources, 2016, Mediacom), Sisters in scripture (evocations, 2017, MediaCom). I also contributed to the 2020 collection from Stephen Burns and Robert Gribben, “When we pray”. Amelia also coauthored (with Rev Dr Tony Floyd) the Space for Grace process (2011-2019) for intercultural theological discernment, used by the Uniting Church and being explored by members of the World Methodist Church and World Council of Churches.
I have teaching and supervision connections with Sydney University (Conservatorium), Charles Sturt and Flinders Universities, Wesley institute (now Excelsior), Hillsong and Tabor Colleges. I am a foundation member of Scriptural Reasoning (Muslim-Christian scholars in Interfaith dialogue about sacred texts) and National Advocate for Ecumenical and Interfaith relations.

My favourite verse: 
Micah 6:8b   And what does the LORD require of you?
  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
My favourite bible character:
(apart from Jesus)  Rahab 
My favourite colour:
BLUE

BRENDON Lukin

​Student Minister

About Brendon:
On Easter Sunday, I commence my Field Education Placement at Eastwood Uniting Church.  I am a Third Year Ministry Candidate in Formation at United Theological College, North Parramatta.  Although I am originally from Western Sydney, it has been 17 years since I last lived here.  I am 51 years old and married to Cath who is a music teacher.  Our 20 year old son Dominic is also a musician and is studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music on tuba. 
 
In my free time I enjoy playing organ, weaving, bread making and spending time on our alpaca farm.  
 ​
I am looking forward to meeting everyone at Eastwood Uniting Church and getting to know you all.  
 
​My favourite verse:
My favourite Bible passage is is Ezekiel 37 "The Valley of Dry Bones".  I first heard it in church when I was 15 years old, not long after I had become a Christian.  It still speaks to me to share the joy and hope of the Gospel. 

Rev KIDUK Hwang

Minister-in-Association

About Kiduk Hwang:
I came to Australia in 1989, I was ordained in Presbyterian church of Korean.
I am married and my wife is a counselor and we have two daughters.
I have studied in Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Seoul (B. Th, M Div.) and complete a research title “A study on the renewal on the diaspora Korean ethnic churches according to the missional ecclesiology“ (Th. D. in min.)
I am interested in worship and Christian worship and especially missional church.
I have worked for the Korean Uniting Church since 1990. With my experience of working for the UCA Synod and presbytery committee, I have much interest in the multicultural church.
I have a multicultural vision in Eastwood community with Eastwood Uniting church. 
​My favourite verse:
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many “, Mark 10;45
​My favourite bible character:
John the apostle
My favourite colour:
Green
​

Rev TENNYSON
​Chan
​Community Minister
陳志偉牧師（社區牧師）
​Cantonese - Mandarin - English

About Tennyson:
I was born and raised in Hong Kong, I came to live in Sydney in 2005. I worked with Central Baptist Church before coming into Aged Care ministry. I currently work at Normanhurst part-time at Bowden Brae with Uniting. 
I am married. I have three grown-up children. They are grown-up, but our youngest still lives at home. She is engaged!
I have ministered in a variety of settings in Hong Kong and in Australia. I currently also work part time with Uniting as a pastoral carer.
I am at Eastwood Uniting Church on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I like to chat in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

My favourite verse:
Romans 12:1-2  - A Living Sacrifice
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The above verse is my divine calling into full time ministry,
from when I was 21 years old. 

My favourite bible character:
Moses - One of the bible figures that I admired. 
​My favourite colour:
RED - meaning I am passionate about life!

Rev MARION
Gledhill
(Deacon, retired)
Co-ordinator of English language classes

Minister-in-Association

About Marion:
​xx
​My favourite verse:
Matthew 25:38-40 (Sheep and Goat Story)
‘If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand hold me fast’ Psalm 139: 9,10
My favourite bible character:
Deborah, also spelled Debbora, prophet and heroine in the Old Testament
Phoebe is the only woman named as deacon in the bible
My favourite colour:
BLUE [YELLOW]
​

Our Office Team

Office Entrance

We are here to serve!

Michelle Loxton
​Office Team  (Mon, Tues, Wednesday)

My favourite verse:
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
My favourite bible character:
The Woman
-unnamed but she makes many appearances!
Of the 90+ women in the Bible only about half are named.  Many go through huge trauma and pain with much resilience.
For the gender associated with 'loving to chat' the women in the Bible collectively contribute roughly 1% of the words recorded.
My favourite colour:
Anything but beige

Nilukshi (Nilu) Thambimuttu
Office Team  (Wed, Thur, Friday)

My favourite quote:
Preach the Gospel at all times and,
if necessary, use words.
My favourite bible character:
Mother Mary
My favourite colour:
Purple and Rose-gold
​

Wynne Wen Chen  郑韻
Chinese language Support (Mon, Fri)

My favourite verse:
Psalm 23:1-3
Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honours him the most.
My favourite bible character:
​King David
My favourite colour:
Violet

Our Congregation Leaders

These are our community's leaders. 

EMMA Jarvis

Church Council Chairperson

​My favourite quote/verse:
Too many too choose! 
I LOVE the saying 'There are 2 types of people, the quick, and the dead'!
​
My favourite bible character:
(other than Jesus): maybe Job. Because I admire his ability to stay positive in spite so many setbacks!

My favourite colour:
My dear Dad who just recently passed away, would never answer this question, saying "favourite colour for what? Favourite colour for grass is green, etc." This used to annoy me when I was young. Now I get it! 
I guess I would say I love pretty much all colour, but I like black best?

LINDA Brunton

Congregation Chairperson

My Favourite quote/verse:  
Mathew 22:36-40 
……a lawyer asked him a question to test him "Teacher,  which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

My favourite bible character:
(other than Jesus) 
The Good Samaritan. ….from the parable told by Jesus to explain who is our neighbour whom we should love. (Luke 10:29-37

My favourite colour:
GREEN

JANELLE Dodd

Treasurer, Church councillor

CHRIS Wakefield

COVID Coordinator

About Chris:
I also sail close to the edge and am  always in need of guidance and support from Jesus and my fellow Christians.

​My favourite verse:
1 Corinthians 10:13

My favourite bible character:
Jesus (of course) Noah, Moses, David, Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene 
​
My favourite colour:
​BLUE

LESLEY Bradbury

Church councillor 

JOHN Brunton
​Church Councillor 

My favourite bible verses: 
Hebrew Bible - Proverbs 16:3 & 9
“Turn over your deeds to the LORD , that your plans may be firm-founded... A man’s heart may plan his way, but the LORD will make his step firm.”
 New Testament - Ephesians 2:10
“For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

My favourite bible character:
Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. His descendants became the dominant tribe of Israel and they produced the Hebrew Bible. Matthew 1 and Mark 3, explain that Jesus was Jewish as he was a descendant of Judah.

Wang Bin [Ben]

Leadership Team
​

Zhou Haiyang [Richard]

Leadership Team

Haini Wang

Leadership Team

JANINE Joannou
Sunday School, Youth and Women's Bible Study

Jermaine Yan  ​甄頌文
Lay Preacher

My favourite bible verse: 
– many, but Romans 8 v 38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And Philippians 4 v4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
My favourite bible character:
Samuel and Lydia

My favourite colour:
Purple

About Jermaine:
Born and raised in Hong Kong, father of two, can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. Currently a part-time student at United Theological College, enjoy learning and thinking about theology in our daily lives.

My favourite verse:
Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
 
My favourite bible character:
Abraham - he has full faith in God which I am still learning.
 
My favourite colour:
Orange