Placements Commission

The Placements Commission (PC) reports to the Synod Standing Committee.

The primary role of the commission is to:

• Determine the full list of approved placements within the bounds of the Synod (including the number and designation).
• Exercise an overview of placements having regard to the interests of the whole Church.
• Take initiative towards the deployment of available ministry to fill approved vacancies and ensure that ministry agents with particular needs are suitably placed.
• Initiate action to provide a minister for a priority placement.
• Supply relevant information to persons or bodies concerned with calling a minister
• Negotiate with other synods regarding the transfer of ministers between synods
• Oversee the work of the Ministerial Benefits Committee
• Oversee admission of ministers from other denominations and immigration inquiries.

Membership

The commission consists of the General Secretary (or nominee), three (3) Synod and five (5) Presbytery voting members who are appointed by their respective bodies.  The Moderator also serves as a non-voting member.  

A Synod through its Standing Committee shall provide for the co-option of such additional persons as may be necessary to:

(i) ensure that the number of lay members is not fewer than the number of ministerial members; and
(ii) make available to the Synod the participation of persons whose gifts and experience would be of special value and not otherwise available to the Synod; or
(iii) achieve a better proportion of age group, gender balance and cross-cultural representation.

The Placements Commission membership appointed by Synod and Presbytery currently include:

Voting Members:

• General Secretary – Rev Dr Andrew Williams
• Chair – Rev Mark Illingworth
• Synod Member – Rev Andrew Broadbent
• Synod Member – Margaret Martin
• Presbytery Member – Rev Bev Fabb
• Presbytery Member – Chris Bundell
• Presbytery Member – Helen MacMillan
• Presbytery Member – Sue Strutt
• Presbytery Member – Yuko Tonai-Moore

Non-Voting Members:

• Moderator – Rev Dr Ian Tozer
• Presbytery Minister Pastoral – Rev Lorraine Stokes

Meeting Dates

The Placement Commission will be meeting on the following dates:

• 25 January 2024
• 22 February 2024
• 21 March 2024
• 25 April 2024 (tbc)
• 23 May 2024
• 27 June 2024
• 25 July 2024
• 22 August 2024
• 26 September 2024
• 24 October 2024
• 28 November 2024
• 19 December 2024

Placement Resources

• Placements Commission Bylaw (Uploaded June 2021)
• Congregational Profile template (Word)
• Ministry Leadership Profile template (Word)
• Marriage Regulations 2017

Special Services

For special services such as Ordinations, Inductions, Commissioning, etc, visit our Events, E-Newsletters or contact the Uniting Church Centre at (08) 9260 9800 and we will be pleased to help.

Ministry Agents

Should you have any queries regarding stipends, allowances, relocation, travel and other ministry entitlements, please refer to the Ministry Handbook.

If you have any queries regarding your current placement and your status of applying to become a Minister of the Uniting Church, please contact the General Secretary, Rev Dr Andrew Williams.

Ministry Vacancies

Please visit our “Work with Us” page for current vacancies.

Contact Us

If you would like to find out more about the Placements Commission or have a related enquiry, please contact: