Reverend Gareth Thomas-Burchell was inducted as the new Marranbilla Cluster minister during a service at Dubbo Uniting Church on November 16.

The cluster covers the towns of Dubbo, Wellington, Yeoval and Trangie.

Gareth will be based at Dubbo. He will work in team ministry with Reverend Kerrie Needham who lives at Wellington.

Gareth's wife, Reverend Karyn Burchell-Thomas, has been appointed resource minister with the Uniting Church Macquarie Darling Presbytery. Her work will involve travel throughout the presbytery which covers half of NSW, extending from Queensland, across to South Australia and down to Victoria.

The couple come to Dubbo from Sydney, where Gareth was a minister with Jannali Uniting Church and Karyn was the ministry growth co-ordinator for the Uniting Church Georges River Presbytery.

Gareth was born in Uganda and moved to Australia in 1963, at age 13.

After completing his secondary education he trained as a cartographic draftsman and drew maps for National Mapping in Canberra.

He applied for ministry candidature in 1992 and started theological training at Parramatta in 1992. Karyn was in the same student cohort.

Gareth worked as a minister around central Victoria. He has considerable involvement in prison ministry.

Karyn was born in the Georges River area of Sydney. Prior to entering the ministry she worked in administration. She was previously a police training officer and a staff development officer with the Department of Community Services.

After becoming a minister she worked at Katingal (near Tamworth), Charleston (in the Newcastle area) and Bathurst before moving to the Georges River Presbytery.

Gareth and Karen married in 2007. They have a wide range of personal interests and enjoy country life.

"We were fortunate to be called to two positions in Dubbo,'' Gareth said.

"It was one of those serendipity moments. We are really looking forward to being part of the Dubbo community. This will be our last placement before we retire.''

Gareth, aged in his late 60s, recently revisited a boyhood hobby of making model aeroplanes.

He enjoys golf, swimming and calligraphy, a skill he acquired while working with National Mapping.

"I have a passion for social justice in ministry and empowering people,'' he said.

"I am not a taker-away of people's functions. I am looking forward to resourcing people to well work. From what I have seen, people in Dubbo are doing a really good job at the moment.''

Gareth has a keen interest in Aboriginal reconciliation and hopes to work with the Aboriginal Resource Centre at Dubbo.

Karyn, aged in her late 50s, enjoys sewing her own clothes, cooking, gardening and performing in and watching theatre.

She too has an interest in Aboriginal reconciliation.

"I love working with and helping people,'' Karyn said.

"In my previous placement I helped congregations find new directions and self awareness.

"In my role with the Macquarie Darling Presbytery I will be part of a resourcing team working with 45 congregations across the presbytery.

"I will be developing resources and conducting ongoing staff development and training for lay teams.

"I really enjoyed working in the central west region during my time in Bathurst. I am looking forward to picking up those links while working in the Macquarie Darling region.''

heather.crosby@ruralpress.com