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The Rev’d Giles Motisi nominated as Priest-in-Charge of Moe / Newborough.

The Clergy Appointments Advisory Board for Moe / Newborough has unanimously recommended that The Revd Giles Motisi be invited to serve as Priest-in-Charge of the Parish.

We are delighted that Fr Giles has accepted this invitation, and that – subject to immigration approvals and clearance requirements – he will be formally appointed to that position in the new year.

Fr Giles is the Deputy Principal of what has long been known to us as Newton Theological College in Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, and which has recently become the Modawa Institute, where our diocesan missionary, Jeffrey Driver, is the Acting Principal. When Fr Giles visited the Diocese in September it was a joy for him to meet a number of Gippsland Anglicans who have supported Modawa and who knew some of his students by name.

During that visit Giles attended a fund-raising event for the Institute at Bishopscourt in Melbourne, and also met with the Dean of Theology at Trinity College Theological School, through which he will undertake postgraduate studies at the University of Divinity. Fr Giles introduces himself a little further as follows:

"I am from Dogura Diocese, Milne Bay Province. I am 55 years old and have worked for seven years at what is now the Modawa Institute. I came to the Institute around the same time as Bishop Jeffrey Driver whom you all know. When the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea appointed him as the Principal of (then) Newton College he asked me to be his Deputy Principal.

I hold a degree in Theology and another degree in Agricultural Science, and worked as a Plantation Manager before studying for ministry at the Catholic Theological Institute and being ordained. Most of my ministry has been in Theological Education and I also enjoyed serving briefly as a Parish Priest, which is something I am looking forward to experiencing again.

I am married to Julia and have four children. The two older boys are adults and are working while the third boy and a girl are at School."

We look forward to welcoming Fr Giles and members of his family to Gippsland just as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made. We anticipate him starting as Priest-in-Charge at 0.7 to enable him to devote time to his studies. As well as being a dedicated pastor, Giles’ ministry with us will further strengthen the bonds between Gippsland and the Modawa Institute.

Please pray for him and his family, for their community at Popondetta, and for the clergy and people of Moe / Newborough at a time of significant change and exciting new directions.