Nomination and Election Process to Synod Standing Committee
By nominating for the Synod Standing Committee, the nominee is offering to serve the Synod in a significant leadership role of governance for, and oversight of, the conciliar life of the Synod for a three-year period. (Please note: if a proposal to the 2025 Synod meeting is resolved to hold in person Synod meetings every two (2) years, then nominations to be an elected Standing Committee member will be for four (4) years.) If elected this commitment involves, but is not limited to:
- attending regular in-person (usually about eight each year, including one overnight retreat) Standing Committee meetings, including one joint meeting with the Ministry & Mission and the Property & Operations Committees.
- membership of a Standing Committee sub-committee: Ministry & Mission (M&M); or Property & Operations (P&O);
- 2024 and 2025 meeting dates for these meetings are typically: M&M – third Thursday of the month; P&O – fourth Thursday of the month; and
- preparing for each meeting by reading papers for the meeting along with general reflection and discernment on opportunities and challenges impacting the Church across Victoria and Tasmania.
The By-Laws of the Synod Standing Committee were amended at the September 2017 Synod meeting, reducing the size of the Committee from sixteen elected members of the Synod meeting to 12, and increasing the number of members elected for consecutive terms as part of governance best practice. This change required an exemption from the UCA Regulations, which was granted to the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania by the Assembly Standing Committee (ASC 17.39.02).
To be elected, nominees must receive the support of a majority of those participating in the ballot. The elected members will serve a term that will cover the period between the 2025 Synod meeting and the start of the 2029 Synod meeting (presuming the Synod resolves to hold in person meetings every two (2) years), provided that they attend the 2027 ordinary Synod meeting.
Skills Matrix
The Standing Committee skills matrix must be filled out as part of the Standing Committee nominations process. While the skills matrix outlines a range of gifts that are required on the Committee overall, it is not necessary for each member to possess all the gifts and graces listed. In fact, nominators are urged to think carefully and use the Guide for Skills/Experience rating to select the appropriate level (0-3) for each of the skills listed in the matrix.
Guidelines for those preparing profiles are as follows:
- Nominees for Standing Committee are asked to provide a brief profile, and to complete the skills matrix found on the Synod meeting’s nominations web page;
- In order to assist members of Synod in their choices it is important that profile information is accurate;
- Nominees are invited to discuss the profile and skills matrix with the nominator to ensure that the assessments made are realistic and reflect demonstrated skills;
- The brief profile should assist Synod members to understand the background, experience and qualifications of the nominee, but should not simply repeat information in the skills matrix;
- Profiles should comprise more than a simple list of positions held, and should preferably be written by the nominator, rather than the nominee;
- In completing the skills matrix, each area should be completed to indicate the skill level, using the rating 0-3 as per the Guidelines for Skills/Experience rating;
- Please note: A photograph is required to accompany the nomination.
Dates for ordinary Standing Committee meetings post-Synod for 2025 & 2026 (all meetings are 10am – 4.30pm unless specified) are:
- 6.00pm Friday 10 October – 3.00pm Saturday 11 October 2025 Standing Committee retreat (to be held at Wesley Place)
- Saturday 13 December
- 14 February
- 18 April
- 13 June
- 8 August
- 10 October
- 12 December.
Current Standing Committee Membership
Term to conclude at Synod 2025
Lisa Carey
John Diprose OAM
Helen Geard AM
Lindsay Oates (casual vacancy appointed by SSC following the resignation of Matthew Julius)
Rev Ikani Vaitohi
Jacob Westley
Term to conclude at Synod 2027
Fiona Ensor
Rev Anneke Oppewal
Rev Lucas Taylor
Assoc Prof Paul Chandler
Cameron Shields
Cathie Halliwell
