Board Nominations Open Ahead of Annual Conference (AGM) 2026

19 Aug 2026

Nominations for Conference Executive and The Property Trust members have officially opened ahead of the annual Conference Convened meeting (AGM) on 3 November 2026.

Note: Churches can nominate now, using the forms available at the bottom of this page.

Upholding a key principle of our movement, “the priesthood of all believers”, the nomination process invites our churches to nominate members of the network to serve our churches through their pastoral, missional, or professional experience.

Conference President, Mike McGarrity said, “Serving on a CCNSWACT board is an opportunity to be connected to the larger story of what God is doing through our churches. As board members, it is a joy and privilege to come alongside and serve our churches, leaders, and the wider network, contributing to growth, stewardship, and flourishing.

Members of Conference Executive, The Property Trust, and boards of our entities and partners gathered at a networking dinner in 2025.

“I welcome our churches to prayerfully consider nominating spiritually mature members who are uniquely gifted to contribute to our network’s leadership as we continue building a legacy of hope and discipleship for future generations of our churches.”

Network members pray for Mike McGarrity at Collective Gathering 2025, as he was inducted as Conference President.

About Conference Executive Nominations

Conference Executive (ConfEx), our network’s governing body, is a board comprised of pastors and committed members of our churches in NSW. These ten individuals seek God together about the future of our network and act as a catalyst for our unity, champion our ethos, and make significant decisions regarding the network’s health and direction.

In all they do, ConfEx seeks to uphold our constitutional objective: “Under the direction of God, to be a Christ honouring, Biblical, relevant, vital, contemporary Australian Church which impacts the community by making disciples.”

Conference Executive members in prayer together as newly appointed members begin their terms with the board.

In line with this mission, ConfEx is seeking spiritually mature men and women who are passionate about seeing the Kingdom of God manifest through our network of churches.

Key to the board’s governance role is strategic oversight across all aspects of churches of Christ ministries and entities. This includes church-based mission, aged care and retirement living, conference and camping venues, and affordable housing. They are also responsible for developing culture and ethos, empowering leadership, and managing risk and compliance across the network.

The effectiveness of a team with such responsibility requires gifted individuals who can work collaboratively with a diverse range of skills and missional energy. The board particularly welcomes nominees with governance, legal, organisational expertise and pastoral or prophetic experience.

The constitution of Churches of Christ in NSW appoints nine voluntary positions (plus the Conference President) on the ConfEx board for three-year terms.

The board is currently comprised of Mike McGarrity (Conference President – Connect Church Engadine), Emily Drough (Mayfield Church of Christ), Jenni Gainer (Epping Church of Christ), Victor Tee (Kingsford Church of Christ), Rebecca Lee (Sydney Crystal Church Granville), Peter Chi (Epping Church of Christ), Steed Leonard (Restore Church Castle Hill), Stephen Smith (Pathways Community Church Pendle Hill), Cathy Kleemann (Pathways Community Church Pendle Hill), (Allan Vincent – Dubbo Church of Christ). To learn more about these members, head to our About Us page.

As Victor Tee and Peter Chi’s terms close this November, ConfEx is calling for nominations for two members for three-year terms (expiring at the AGM in 2029).

Note: In accordance with the constitution, ConfEx board members must be a member of one of our NSW-based churches. 

About The Property Trust Nominations

The Churches of Christ Property Trust is a board comprised of 9 members of our network who steward in trust our network’s shared assets, grown over 140 years of faithful church investment. The members bring their financial and property management experience and heart to steward resources on behalf of our network for the growth of the Church in future generations. The Trust supports and resources churches through grants, loans, investments, and property management for the purpose of Kingdom expansion through our churches.

Chairman Steven Martin says, “If you are a member of a Churches of Christ congregation and have a heart for stewarding resources for Kingdom purposes, we encourage you to prayerfully consider standing. Our board works best when it reflects the diversity, faith, and skill of our movement. You don’t need to be a finance expert, just someone who values wise stewardship and believes in the local church.”

As this work involves long-term stewardship of property and financial assets, the permanent positions on the Property Trust board require long-term commitments. This year, the board is taking nominations for three permanent positions for up to a nine-year term (expiring at the AGM in 2035) and one temporary position for a three-year term (expiring at the AGM in 2029).

The board is currently comprised of Steven Martin (Chair), Patricia Chan (Deputy Chair – Chatswood Church of Christ), Shamus Toomey (Registrar – Hurstville Church of Christ), Christopher Emmanuel (Harvest Indonesian Church Auburn), David Kelly (Epping Church of Christ), and Mark Speechly (Restore Church, Castle Hill).

Nomination and AGM Details

Nominations for both boards opened on 7 August and close on Friday 2 October at 5pm. Nominations will be presented for consideration to Conference Convened and voting will be conducted electronically prior to the AGM. This year’s AGM on Tuesday 3 November 2026 will be held online (details below).

To submit a nomination, follow the instructions and forms in the notice of Annual Conference below.

Notice of Annual Conference

Formal Notice of Annual Conference and Nominations 2026 – Click to View PDF

Nomination Forms

To nominate, the following forms can be accessed via the links below.

Nomination form – to be completed by a person who has the support of their church to nominate someone for appointment to a position.
Nomination endorsement form – to be completed by two church leaders who endorse the nomination.
Nomination consent form – to be completed by the person being nominated.

Once a nominee’s eligibility has been confirmed they will receive the following documents to be signed prior to the Annual Conference.

Confidentiality Agreement (Conference Executive only) – to be signed by the nominee.
Members Agreement (Conference Executive only) – to be signed by the nominee.