By Emily Ferguson
Emily Drough, from Mayfield Church of Christ, was elected as President of Conference Executive (ConfEx), the churches of Christ in NSW & ACT representative board, at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 31 October.
Emily served on ConfEx from 2021-2022 and on the Fresh Hope Mission & Ministry Board and Grants Committee. She steps into the role Victor Tee (Kingsford Church of Christ) has held for the past three years.
“I feel truly honoured to take up the role of Conference President and to return to working alongside the other members of Conference Executive,” Emily said. “During the induction earlier this week, I was deeply moved by receiving the President’s Bible and humbled to be joining the line of other leaders who have served before me. I gladly offer myself, through Jesus’ enabling, as they did, in service to this network of churches.”
Peter Chi (Epping Church of Christ) and Nathan Green (Lifegate Church) were elected as new ConfEx members, while Victor Tee (Kingsford Church of Christ) and Mike McGarrity (Connect Church) were re-elected to the board. They will join current board members Tom Altobelli (Kingsway Community Church), Colette Harrison (Bowral Church of Christ), Ian Phillips (Tweed Church of Christ), Jenni Gainer (Epping Church of Christ) and Viera Tan (Wesley Mission).
Victor Tee, President from November 2020 to October 2023, led ConfEx through much of the COVID-19 pandemic, onboarding a new Executive Ministry Director (Daz Farrell) for the first time in 18 years, and structural organisation changes (Conference Executive, Community Care, ACOM and Property Trust).
“During that time, I have been honoured to witness increased participation through sub-committees, Zoom groups, elders training and local churches offering training opportunities for the network, as well as a growing awareness of our interdependence and of spiritual formation being the gift our network can offer to the greater body of Christ,” he said.
ConfEx member Ian Phillips said of Victor’s leadership: “Victor has been an inspiration to me. Apart from the fact that he lives near the airport – very beneficial for us ‘out of towners!’ – his calm, measured, listening, and godly responses have been of immense benefit to me, and I think to all of us who have served together. The complex and enigmatic demands of the larger picture of ConfEx could be overwhelming, and Victor is also a local church pastor – which can also be complex. It is a credit to Vic that he has carried the calling with such grace, dignity, and persistence.”
Daz Farrell brought the AGM to a close, praying for the flourishing of the network and for the incoming members. He also thanked outgoing board member Stephen Toomey for his contribution to ConfEx.
“Thank you for the phenomenal work that you have done and continue to do in this network, for your leadership over many years, your wisdom and your insight. This network has been strengthened through your service over many years, some of it seen and some of it unseen. Thank you, Stephen, for that.”
ConfEx looks forward to continuing to serve the network as it partners with Jesus in bringing unity, restoration and life across NSW and the ACT.
Read more stories from churches of Christ in NSW & ACT HERE
