Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Simon McLeay is the new Mission Resource Team Co-Director Northern.

Born in Morrinsville in 1970, the fifth Manse child of Bill and Tui McLeay, Simon's first parish was Waiheke Island from 1993 - 1995. Since then he has been at St John's and St Philip's, Papatoetoe. He is married to Karen and they have a one year old child.

Simon will be working alongside ministers, elders and members, helping them determine God's direction for their parishes, chaplaincies and ministries. He says he is excited about having the opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to the mission challenge facing our churches, of living and spreading the gospel in our time, in our place.

Mo Mansill has been appointed Mission Resource Team Co-Director, Youth Ministry. Her interest in youth ministry first developed through working for St Aidan's Anglican Church as their music worship leader and it was while working as youth leader for St Luke's Presbyterian Church in Auckland that Mo discovered she was hooked on working with youth.

Mo believes that the church can offer young people a place to feel comfortable sharing themselves and that one of the fundamental ways of doing this is by building relationships with them. The challenge is to find ways of doing this. A particular passion of hers is music. "Through music people can say something of where they have come from and where they are going ... I have found the expression of music to be a fundamental element in my work with youth and an important medium for building relationships with them."

Julia Stuart is the new staff member for the Churches' Agency on Social Issues, appointed to work part time as the Agency's Research and Liaison Officer. She has a wide experience of community organisations and a number of church bodies, including the Anglican Missions Board and the Anglican Care Network and was the media liaison person for the 1998 Hikoi of Hope.

"CASI is a great opportunity to work in an ecumenical context with a range of church communities at local and regional level" she said. "I'm looking forward to the research side of the Agency with its emphasis on drawing together work groups to focus on particular topics or fields."

Julia is in the CASI office at the National Assembly Office on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (ph (04) 381 8295) and can be found at other times on 027 4 442 244.

Bonnie Robinson has recently been appointed as the National Executive Officer of the National Council of Presbyterian Support. The role involves working with the seven regions of Presbyterian Support to develop and implement national initiatives, including research, policy, promotion and awareness raising.

Bonnie has spent over 10 years working in the social services and social policy for a range of not-for-profit and church-based organisations. She is a member of St Columba's Presbyterian Church Havelock North.