St Mark's Welcomes Reverend Ann Edwards This month, St Mark’s The Gap welcomes their new Priest in Charge, The Reverend Ann Edwards. “St Mark’s is a great group of people, and The Gap is a great community,” says Ann. “I’m so excited to be part of what’s happening here.” Rev’d Ann is brand new to ministry, having previously worked as a speech pathologist and academic. She is putting the finishing touches on her PhD thesis, just in time for this new challenge. Rev’d Ann lands in The Gap as St Mark’s emerges from the COVID times of online worship and social events. “It is so good to be able to see people again. At its heart, the Anglican church is deeply immersed in its community. That’s our DNA. It feels like we’re reawakening, as we can start offering things in our community again, like our book club, our site is in use by lots of community groups again, and Christmas is the icing on the Christmas cake. I’m most excited to be a part of a committee looking at setting up a local Repair Café, which is a regular event where volunteers repair all sorts of things for the local community, which is one more way to reduce unnecessary landfill and live more sustainably” A key activity this month has been joining the other churches in The Gap, in collecting goods for the Hampers of Hope. As the economic impact of COVID continues, parcels of Christmas treats, necessities, and gifts will come as a relief to locals doing it tough. “I have met amazing locals in The Gap, both those that are donating to the hampers, and those
website: http://www.westernecho.com.au
Merv Probert, Alysha Milland, Kate Kasper, Ann Edwards, Di Norton, and Penny Probert - Photo by Mark Boltman
that are reaching out to us for this practical assistance. That is the real joy of this job.” Donations for Hampers of Hope will be finished by the time of publication, but the churches are collecting names of local people and families to receive a hamper. For more information about the Repair Café, please contact Rev’d Ann at ann.edwards@anglicanchurchsq.org.au You will find more information about what’s happening at St Mark’s on facebook and stmarksthegap.org.au
The Western Echo December 2021/January 2022 Page 21
