Reverend ANDREW COOPER
- Parish Priest
Most of my working life prior to ordination was in education and faith formation. I’ve taught primary and secondary school, worked in the community sector in Youth and Education programs and spent some time exploring life in intentional religious communities – the Passionists and the Anglican Benedictine community in Camperdown, Victoria.
I like exploring back roads, staring at the sea, mooching on moors and mountainsides and I’ve watched way too many home renovation programs. I will be deeply distracted if you have a dog handy and will expect a pat.
I have a deep faith that the Holy Spirit is moving and working in our world and at St Luke’s and St John’s. I am confident that we have a treasure of faithfulness to share for many years to come. I am excited by the possibilities God has in store for us.
Rev PHILIP MORRIS – Our Honorary Assistant Priest
I was born and raised in New Lambton, the third child of Thomas and Lorna Morris. I married Sandra in 1978 and we have two sons and four grandchildren. I worked at BHP, MMI and GIO before leaving full time employment to undertake my training as an Ordinand.
My faith journey:
I felt the calling of God in my late teens and like many, tried to ignore it and live my life as I saw fit. But God kept calling me and in my mid-twenties I started to assist around St Luke’s in various small ways outside the Sanctuary. I was a welcomer and reader at the Family Service that my family attended. God kept calling me to do more. I then joined the Sanctuary Team and assisted in all the duties of a server, from acolyte to thurifer, liturgical assistant to lay reader. My parish and successive priests saw me in a more senior role and asked if I was prepared to be “put forward” to the Bishop as a candidate for ordination.
I was ordained priest in the church of God on 1 December 2018.