Dr John McClean (Committee Convenor)

John McClean has been working for churches in various ministry roles for more than twenty years. He was the ministry of the Presbyterian Church in Cowra in NSW for seven years and is now lecturer in Systematic Theology at the Presbyterian Theological Centre (PTC).

Elizabeth, his wife, is the Director of the Child Protection Unit for the Presbyterian Church of NSW. They have two children.

John loves teaching theology, and especially helping people see how understanding the Bible at depth helps us live well. He has just recently completed PhD in theology.

Andrea Pryde (QLD)

Andrea is married to Geoff – a physicist and is mum to Tom, Sam and Maddie. She is the Ministry Co-ordinator at Creek Road Presbyterian Church in Brisbane, where her major focus is working with people as they serve. Andrea’s previous professional experience includes Clinical Data Management, Medical Records Management, Hospital Administration & Board Member for her professional association. She has lived in Brisbane the majority of her life, but also spent 2 years in Canberra & 2 years in Montana USA. Her experience in church life includes Sunday School Teacher, Committee of Management, Mission Committee, Youth Leadership and 3 years with Women’s Ministries PCQ. Her spiritual gifts are encouragement, enthusiasm, problem solving, administration & management.

Cecelia Orford (QLD)

Hi, I am Cecelia and I live on a hobby farm on the northside of Brisbane with my husband (an engineer) and three children. I am a registered nurse and love caring for people. My hobbies are reading, studying, traveling and the outdoors. I am terrible at crafts, sewing and ironing. :)

I grew up in a Christian family of five children, my dad is and has been an Elder most of his Christian life, was a Pastor for a few years during the 80's, and a missionary for a couple of years in PNG in the 70's and my mum a nurse, florist and wonderful lady.

I have a great passion to see women encouraged and supported to serve God in their daily lives and live life to their full potential (thanks mum for the encouragement). I am involved nationally in this committee and in women's ministry in QLD.

Every day we are here is a blessing so let's enjoy it and make it count. If I haven't met you already, I look forward to doing so.

Mairi Girgis (VIC)

I am a married mother of 3 from Victoria. I grew up in a Presbyterian manse. Over the past 15 years as we have travelled from Victoria to NSW and back I have been involved in setting up a number of women's ministries, running playgroup, leading women's bible studies, and encouraging women to find their gifts and use them for God's glory. I believe as women we have a very significant role within our church. I manage the blog located in the resources web page and hope it will provide much food for thought as you figure out where your gifts and abilities lie and how you can best use them.

Margaret Thatcher (WA)

I am Margaret Thatcher (yes, that really is my name and no, my husband is not called Dennis! Its Darrell). Darrell and I have 4 children. Currently my main official role is PWA Federal President. Western Australia has taken over the executive which is meant to rotate around participating States. This is the first time WA has taken its turn since 1979-1982 so the role is all new to us!

I became a Christian as a 10 year old after growing up within a Christian family - it was then I realised that this was what I believed rather than just taking on my parent's thinking. Since that time I have always been active within a congregation though they have not always been Presbyterian churches. My husband Darrell and I joined the Pressy church in 1994 and then spent 1995-2000 working within the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu at the Talua Ministry Training Centre. Since then Darrell has been the minister of Living Hope Presbyterian Church here in the northern suburbs of Perth until it closed late 2009. In that time I have been involved in the PWA (at a State level as we had no branch within Living Hope) and in various other ministries including Sunday School, Bible Studies and meeting people 1 to 1. I have also been involved in co-ordinating a prayer group for our local public school. Currently we are attending the Henderson Memorial Presbyterian Church in West Leederville where I was giving Bible talks to the Japanese Ladies Playgroup (now that was an interesting experience given that many struggled with English and I speak no Japanese - still managed to communicate ....)

Darrell and I are now the regional co-ordinators for Western Australia with Wycliffe Bible Translators. the importance of having access to the Bible in a language you understand best was brought home to us in our years in Vanuatu when we saw people's trust in Jesus deepen and mature when they had that benefit - one we English speakers take for granted. This is a new form of ministry for us and one we are still getting used to but we are enjoying the challenges.

Rachel Bain (Tasmania)

I am married to Alistair (who is a Minister) and we have 3 young children. I am an early childhood teacher and have been working on and off for some years since our children were born. I was born in Canberra and started school there but have lived in TAS, QLD and NSW and now back in Tasmania. After attending the inaugural Flourish (being sponsored by the Tasmanian PWA ) I have been particularly interested in facilitating and organising inter-generational Women's gatherings in our local church. I also have a passion for connecting women of different ages, as I have the happy position of being "in between" Gen Y and everyone else. I would love to see young women in our churches being encouraged and supported by the older women in our denomination.