The Rev Joanne Smalbil was recently inducted as the new minister of the Armidale Uniting Church.
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She grew up in Adelaide, moved to Broken Hill with Lou, her husband, before taking on the ministerial responsibilities in Cobar and Nyngan for the past four years.
Now she has moved to Armidale to take up a new calling.
She was warmly welcomed by locals, including the Mayor, Simon Murray, and has already begun to explore the breadth of activities and groups available in town.
She is looking forward to the joys and challenges that this new ministry brings and working with the other ministers in town to explore ways they can serve the community together.
Love overflows
As church services concluded on Sunday, November 12 and the day warmed up, around 270 people from Armidale churches gathered in Central Park to have and share their lunch and enjoy a barbecue to celebrate the first ‘Love Overflows’ gathering in Armidale. It was a great success.
The aim of the gathering, organised by Armidale Ministers Fellowship, was to celebrate our unity in Christ, as St Paul put it, “we are all one in Christ Jesus”.
The Armidale City Band provided great entertainment while the Rev Jo-anne Smalbil was introduced as the new minister for the Armidale Uniting Church.
Lance McNamarra then outlined what will be happening as 300 Yazidis refugees from Northern Syria begin coming to Armidale next February in groups of around 50. They will need our support.
Finally, the new combined churches website, developed by the Rev Andrew Coburn, was launched.
The Rev Andrew East cut the tape to declare the website was officially open for all to access. This will keep all the churches better informed and able to share and work together in new ways.
Planning for gatherings in 2018 has already begun.