Ministry and governance

CMS Victoria Inc. is an incorporated association and as such has members and a board which we call Branch Council.

The Council makes policy decisions about the direction of the branch and guides the branch staff as to goals and objectives.

The Branch Council is made up of 15 people, chosen for their maturity in the faith, knowledge of mission and association with CMS.

If you feel you need to speak to someone on Branch Council, you can do this by emailing or phoning the office and a member of Branch Council will respond to you inquiry.

Members of Branch Council

Pam Thyer - Chairperson

Pam is the National Director of Mission Interlink, Chaplaincy Manager from the Council of Christian Education in Schools, spent 10 years in Tanzania with CMS with her husband David.

Paul Arnott

Paul Arnott has been the State Director of CMS Victoria since February 2002. Prior to that he served in parish ministry in Tasmania for 15 years and before that worked in current affairs radio with the ABC and tourism. He is married with three adult daughters and has written two books. He is also the chair of Acorn Press.

Revd Peter Ayor Alier Jongroor

Youth Minister to the Sudanese community.
Rev’d Peter Alier Jongroor’s has been working with young Sudanese refugees since his arrival from Sudan 2008. Peter works with individuals as well as small groups, to assist in integration of Sudanese in an Australian context. His work often takes him from his home parish, in Noble Park, to Melton and other Sudanese congregations in the Diocese. He is currently identifying potential
leaders in this group, and has plans to develop a leadership program within the community. Peter has also provided invaluable insight on Sudanese culture, protocols and etiquette to non-Sudanese clergy.

Bob Browne

Bob Browne occupies part of his retirement as the Honorary Treasurer CMS Victoria. He is a member of St Philip’s Deep Creek Anglican Church.

Graeme Chiswell

Graeme Chiswell has been a staffworker with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students for many years and has a keen interest in seeing students consider cross-cultural gospel ministry as a possibility for their future. He grew up in a family who prayed regularly for CMS missionaries and has been attending CMS summer conferences for over 40 years! He is presently serving students with the Christian Union at the Clayton campus of Monash University.

David Clift

Dr David Clift (and Cathryn his wife) became CMS members 25 years ago because friends from their small church were going out as CMS missionaries. As their understanding of the importance of cross-cultural mission grew so did their involvement and commitment. For several years in the 1990's they served on the Geelong CMS taskforce before David joined Branch Council. David is keen to see smaller
churches, typical of regional Victoria, having an active role in the life of CMS.

Tanya Costello

Tanya is the newest member of Branch Council. She is a director of CMS Australia Ltd , of the Anglican Evangelic Trust and of Converge International. She is a member of General Synod. She is the Executive Officer of a large Victorian philanthropic foundation. Tanya is married to Peter. They have three grown children - Seb, Maddy and Phoebe. St Columb's Hawthorn is the family's church base.

Len Firth

Len Firth was formerly principal of St Andrew’s Hall and is currently on faculty of Ridley Melbourne where he lectures in Bible and theology to students from a non-English speaking background. He also is vicar of St Augustine's Moreland.

He has served churches in WA, Groote Eylandt, Hongkong and Melbourne, and was Archdeacon for Multi-cultural Ministry from 2008-2011.

Len is married to Jill (who is also ordained and works with him in St Augustine's). They were CMS missionaries from 1988-2000. Len and Jill have 3 adult children.

Mark Hanson

Mark Hanson is Associate Minister at St John's Anglican Church Diamond Creek and also Chaplain to a primary school in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs. Mark first joined CMS Victoria branch council in 1997. Mark was appointed to the Executive Committee of CMS Australia in 2000-2004, and served on its Policy sub-committee. As a former accountant, Mark has also served as member of CMS Vitoria Finance Committee. In 2006, Mark undertook a study visit to India. Mark exercises his strong interest in wholisitic mission (enablement of the ministry of the word by the ministry of good works) through his membership of associated development charities.

Fiona McLean

Fiona has a long history with CMS, having been a CMS MK in Tanzania for most of her childhood. She is married to Gus and they have four primary school-aged children. Fiona has worked as a social worker, teacher and pastoral worker, and is currently a full-time mother who is engaged in some voluntary work, including teaching CRE and involvement in CMS. She is interested in what it means to live counter-culturally as Jesus’ disciple in our context. She and her family attend St Augustine’s Anglican Church, Mont Albert North.

David Nettelbeck

David Nettelbeck originally from the Barossa Valley in SA was with Rosalie a missionary of CMS SA in 3 locations in Tanzania between 1964 and 1976. His continuing involvement with CMS has included membership of the Branch Candidates Committee since he moved to Melbourne in 1978. He is currently doing some occasional Year 12 exam marking and works as a volunteer with English classes for migrants through Anglicare. He also mentors overseas students at his church, All Saints Clayton.

Tim Patrick

Rev Tim Patrick is the minister of St Jude’s in Parkville. He was Adjunct Lecturer in Evangelism at Ridley Melbourne from 2006 to 2009 and is now working on a PhD in Anglican doctrinal history through Macquarie University. Tim has been connected with CMS for over ten years and has visited our missionaries on the field. He is married to Catriona and they have one daughter.

Lynn Pryor

Lynn Pryor is a professional Librarian and has been involved in theological libraries for past 25 years, now retired. Member of Glen Waverley Anglican Church, she is involved in Nurture & Growth Support ministry and ministry to aged care facilities. Served with CMS in India 1973-76; Tanzania 2010 & 2011; independent missionary service Fiji 1979-81, Darwin 2009. Lynn is keen to use my professional skills wherever the Lord wants to send me.

Barry Rainsford

Following an engineering background he served as an Anglican minister in seven parishes in four dioceses in SE Australia, before retiring. He is married to Jenny and they have three married children and five grandchildren. His membership of Branch Council began in 2010, having taught CRE for 45 years and supported 22 of the CMS Autumn Weekends held in Echuca, Bendigo and Eaglehawk.