By Garry Sanossian
Mike McGarrity, lead pastor at Connect Church (Engadine) and Conference Executive member, was elected as Conference President for churches of Christ in NSW & ACT at our Annual Conference (AGM) held on Tuesday night, 4 November. Four other Conference Executive (ConfEx) positions were also filled.
Mike has served on Conference Executive since 2020 and brings extensive experience in church and missional leadership and holds unity in the Body of Christ as a core value. He steps into the role that Emily Drough (Mayfield Church of Christ) has held for the past two years.
Mike McGarrity the newly elected Conference President.
“It’s an honour and privilege to serve this movement of churches, and I am thankful to those who have nominated to serve, those who are successful, and those 113 delegates who voted,” Mike said. “For this movement to work, it will take all of us working together.”
Conference delegates celebrate as Michael McGarrity is announced as the new Conference President
As he accepted his responsibility as Conference President, Mike shared a prayer for unity with the AGM delegates.
“It’s my prayer that the Conference Executive in the next couple of years can work together in unity with all of our entities, to support and empower our churches to be all that churches of Christ in NSW and ACT are called to be, to build on a foundation that sees this movement flourish and build a platform for the generations to come – that God’s Kingdom would come on the earth as it is in heaven through the ministry of the churches of Christ.”
Allan Vincent (Dubbo Church of Christ) and Catherine Kleemann (Pathways Community Church) were elected as new Conference Executive members, while Emily Drough (Mayfield Church of Christ) and Jenni Gainer (Epping Church of Christ) were re-elected. They will join current board members Stephen Smith, Victor Tee, Peter Chi, Rebecca Lee and Steed Leonard.
Catherine Kleemann
Allan Vincent
During the evening, Emily Drough thanked Tom Altobelli and Viera Tan for their contribution, as they concluded their terms on ConfEx.
Emily said, “Viera, you have been a gift to the Board, offering your time and wisdom with generosity. Tom has been a steady and wise presence, at times taking on the Acting Chair role in my absence and Chairing a Joint Working Group with Fresh Hope Communities. We are grateful that you are going to continue to serve Conference through the Joint Working Group role for a little longer.”
Emily Drough, President since November 2023, led ConfEx through a period of significant transition and strategic development, including the development of the Future Vision and Realignment Project whose ‘working’ vision was announced in October 2024.
As part of her President’s Address, Emily reflected on some of the highlights of the past year. “It was a sacred privilege to serve churches of Christ in New South Wales and the ACT, and to serve the Kingdom in this way,” she said.
Emily Drough
Reflecting on Emily’s tenure, Anne Simpson, Interim Executive Leader, said “I just want to thank you for your leadership, for your courage, for your resilience, and for your continued persistence, love, and commitment to this network. We appreciate you, and all that you’ve done.”
Emily said her leadership centred on three priorities: strengthening ConfEx as a governance board, putting strong structures in place for the future and helping the movement navigate complex questions and challenges.
“It has not been an easy two years. It has required courage and conviction, just as it does for you in our churches when God calls us into His work,” Emily said.
“But it is worth it. It is worth it for the flourishing of healthy churches in our network and for the church. It is worth it for future generations that they too will know the work of God and set their hope on him.”
The board continues its strategic work on the 2024 “Working” Vision, forming a working group to oversee governance, legal and mission alignment with Fresh Hope Communities.
Anne Simpson, reported to Conference Convened on the feedback from the regional engagement process with churches this year around the “Working” Vision. “These were questions that I observed Conference Executive wrestling with in that 18-month period. Very similar questions to what our local churches were also thinking about,” Anne said. “I found that really encouraging, that actually we’re all in this story together, wrestling about what the future looks like and how we be faithful in that future.”
Emily Drough and Anne Simpson at the AGM.
In her closing address, Emily read from Psalm 78, calling the network to remember, proclaim and pass on the life found in Jesus. “In a world that is chaotic, uncertain, ever shifting, may we be people who remain anchored in Jesus. May we be people of courage and conviction, not for our own sake, but for the sake of the kingdom.”
Conference Executive continues to serve the network as it partners with Jesus in bringing unity, restoration and life across NSW and the ACT.
A digital copy of our Annual Report FY24-25 is available here.
