Read our summer newsletter and chair’s letter (also here) below –
Dear Supporters,
I am glad to have this chance of writing to you just a few weeks after being brought back as Chair of the PNGCP Trustees. Bishop Peter has been such a good Chair over the last five years, when I stood down to concentrate on other aspects of my then-widening ministry. It was mean of us to grab him so swiftly after his retirement as Bishop of Port Moresby, but he rose to the challenge instantly and with great assurance. His own knowledge of the Anglican Church there was a huge boon for us, and we thank him for all he has given us through these years.
Years that have seen us move to a new legal status as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. As this edition of the Newsletter notes, there are seven Trustees, of whom Peter remains one, and we are the body charged with the responsibility of making decisions for PNGCP. We do so following meetings with the wider group to spread the expertise and interest input, and each of the five others who join us have particular responsibilities in our life and mission. John mentions most of them in his piece about these changes; I would just add that we are also joined by Barry Slatter, a non-stipendiary priest from Bury St Edmunds Diocese who has, over recent years, put so much energy and expertise into successfully furthering a number of church-building projects, so far mostly in Aipo Rongo Diocese; by David Robin, son of Peter a missionary priest in PNG last century, who is helping our Treasurer with the Gift Aid administration; and Sue Martin, a non-stipendiary priest with an interest in education, who has taken over as our link representative from Norwich Diocese.
Sue has replaced my former PA, Ann Whittet, who stood in for me whenever I was not able to get to meetings and who has been a Minute Taker over the last few years since Gill Wilkinson retired. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ann for that; she had a keen interest in our work, and it’s only stopping now because of her role in the Diocese is increasing and she will no longer have the time. I am grateful to all my Trustees and Committee colleagues, and not least to John Rea, who works assiduously with this Newsletter and has supported successive Chairmen in their roles through his competent and dedicated holding of the Vice-Chairman role.
As always he has given us an interesting and stimulating edition: I join him in congratulating Bishop Reginald of New Guinea Islands Diocese on his recent consecration. I remember meeting him on several of my visits. Any Bishop must be amazed by the thought of confirming 527 teenagers in one village confirmation. I thought Bishop Lindsley had done me a great honour in asking me to lead the confirmation we shared of 300 or so back in 2012. I see now he was merely limbering up for his own marathon this June! There is so much more – enjoy and read, and thank you for your support for ACPNG.
Bishop Jonathan Meyrick
PNGCP Chairman