Who's Who

Pastoral

George Stonehouse – Priest in Charge
George and Janet have been married for 47 years and have three daughters and six grandchildren.

George gave his life to Jesus in his final year of school. After university George became a Physics teacher in Christchurch and after teaching for 8 years was appointed Lecturer in Science Education and Physics at the then Secondary Teachers College in Auckland. He trained teachers for 19 years and during that time became a Principal Lecturer in Professional Studies and then Schools Liaison.

George was ordained as a non-stipendary priest in 1980, became vicar of Blockhouse Bay in 1991, and retired 2008. He has a strong evangelical background, and both Janet and George have been greatly influenced by the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Both of them are involved with “New Wine” ministries.

George has a passion for God’s Word and the truth revealed through it, and a passion to see God worshipped in ways that He would rejoice in. George has a great concern for the church - especially when it strays from Biblical teaching, and begins to absorb false teachings, questionable spiritualities and distorts the truth revealed through Jesus.

Josh Jones – Priest Assistant, Worship & Creative Ministries (Full-time)

Josh spent 20 years as a professional musician in a band, before attending an Alpha course in 1999 with his wife Kim and the beginnings of a total transformation of their lives. In 2001, he joined the Worship band at St Martin in the Bullring Birmingham UK and then became a full time employee as the Director of Music and Worship. After 3 years Theology and Ministry training he became a ‘Reader’ (a Church of England term for a Lay Priest.)

After 8 incredibly blessed and God filled years at St Martin’s, in 2009 an unexpected opportunity came to explore a calling to New Zealand. One year later,( last August) he arrived on these shores at St George’s with Kim and their 2 children of 17 and 7 years and the journey continues as he was ordained last November, as a Deacon Priest.

Josh describes his role as working closely with George, in the oversight of all worship services development; including Sermon themes, Music, Liturgy and Service structure. His passion is to make all the elements of a service, a seamless journey of worship, where each speaks into the other and leads to a deeper expression of our relationship with God.

Stan Thorburn – Priest Assistant (Non-stipendary)
Stan had 18 years experience as a District Court judge before fulfilling a calling to ordained ministry in his ‘retirement’. He retains a passionate concern for social justice, and is actively involved in prison ministry through his deputy chairmanship of Prison Fellowship. At St George’s, Stan co-leads the 9 am and 10.45 am Sunday congregations. In his spare time he enjoys tramping. Stan and his wife Doreen have two adult children and three grand-children.

Colin Ruge – Priest Assistant & 10am Wednesday Service (Non-stipendary)

Colin is a retired Priest with 34years experience in ministry. He has served in a number of parishes including chaplain to Kings School Remuera. He holds the qualifications of BA (Education) Licentiate in Theology, Licentiate Trinity College London (Effective Speaking) Certificate ESOL Trinity College. For many years he was an examiner for the NZ Speech Board.

At St Georges he leads the Wednesday service and helps with duties at all services on Sundays.

He is married to Ruth, a Vestry member, and they have 3 adult children and 10 grandchildren. Colin is also a speaker for the Hearing Association Auckland, and a member of the Citizens Advice Bureau. His hobby is Photography.

Jeremy Sievers – Congregational & Community Care,

Operations & Development (Part-time)

Jeremy was raised in Auckland but moved to Wanganui for his first teaching post, which was fortunate as it was there that he met Lorraine! Following 12 years teaching Science and Biology, they and their family moved to Auckland for study at BCNZ (now Laidlaw College). The dream and goal was for them both to be able to work together in pastoral ministry. Jeremy completed a ‘Diploma for Graduates’ and then went on to complete an MEd in Counselling through the University of Auckland.

Jeremy then worked as a school Counsellor before taking up a variety of roles in school senior management. In 2010 the dream and call to pastoral ministry became a reality with the appointment to this job-share position at St George’s. Jeremy’s passion is best summarised by the passage from Isaiah 61 – his goal is to explore ways that the Kingdom can come in this place and people can receive the good news, be healed and released from captivity.

In spare time outside work, ongoing study and family, you will most likely find Jeremy somewhere in his workshop repairing some item from the family or working on his latest project of furniture or boat making.

Lorraine Sievers – Congregational & Community Care (Part-time)

Lorraine was born and raised in Wanganui. Following a twenty-year career teaching music, in 1998 she graduated with a Bachelor of Ministries from Bible College of New Zealand (now Laidlaw College) and then gained qualifications as a Family Therapist while working part-time for several years as Pastoral Minister at St Aidan’s, Remuera. In the last decade Lorraine has developed her family therapy, couple counselling and supervision practice alongside writing and facilitating parenting and therapeutic programmes (which continue to be facilitated by counsellors throughout the wider community) on behalf of The HEAL Trust.

With her passion to build God's Church and Kingdom on the earth where relationships are healed and people are released into their purpose and calling, Lorraine’s return to church ministry in 2010 has allowed her combined love of theology, scripture, social justice, and pastoral care to shape her work at St George’s.

Lorraine is married to Jeremy and they are blessed with four children, three awesome sons-in-law, and two delightful grandchildren. For relaxation Lorraine enjoys sewing, knitting, painting, music, time with family, and hospitality.

Judy Carey – 9am & Community Pastor (Part-time)

Judy Carey is a lay-pastor who has been worshipping at St Georges since 1991. Apart from sometimes introducing the 9.00 am service and preaching, Judy’s pastoral responsibilities include visiting in Epsom rest homes; Bible in Schools; taking funerals and church services; and community involvement with other Epsom churches.

She would have to be the most outrageous synod representative St George’s has ever had, due to her ever-changing hair colours and general exuberance. Judy is married to Maurice, an accountant, and they have four children.

Leah Williams – Youth Coordinator (Part-time)

Leah became a Christian in the very pews of St Georges six years ago and in 2007 joined the staff team as a Youth Intern.

Over the years Leah has been on Staff she has worked with the Youth, Alpha, 7pm Service and as a worship leader over the services. Originally from Christchurch, Leah moved to Auckland to study Opera at University of Auckland - where she obtained a degree in Music.

Leah is extremely passionate about Jesus and the transformation He can bring to people’s lives. Her goal is to see young people come into the presence of God and know their full potential in Christ and to understand what it means to be free.

Recently married to Josh, Leah enjoys singing, (especially worship music), running, and baking.

Fergus Candy – Youth Communicator (Part-time)

Gayle Thornton – Coordinator of Kids & Young Families (Part-time)

Having moved to Auckland from Brisbane, Australia with her husband and two young children, Gayle has been a parishioner at St George's since 2008. Combining her background in early childhood education and a love of entertaining children and helping them discover the Lord, Gayle works and volunteers her time contributing to children's ministry.

Nikki Rackham – Kidschurch Leader (Part-time)

Nikki moved to New Zealand from England in January 2010. She is a French teacher and married to Nigel, also a teacher, and they have 3 young children. Nikki is passionate about children understanding how awesome God is and how much He cares for each individual. She aims for the kids to have a fun, positive experience in Kidschurch. For relaxation, Nikki enjoys playing and watching netball, reading novels and spending time with family.

Seti Afoa – 7.45am Service Coordinator

Passions: Life, faith and family.

Ministries: Service leader/ coordinator for the 7.45 am congregation.

Experience/ qualifications: Fulltime ministry with Shiloh Community Church, Mangere, for 13 years; on staff at St George’s in 2006 and from 2008 to the present (non-stipendiary); Post Graduate Business Diploma; currently undergoing Anglican ordination training and completing an Honours degree in Theology.

  

Malcolm Taylor – Operations & Finance (Part-time)

Passions: Serving the people of God; mission and evangelism; the Word of God.

Ministries: Parish treasurer; oversight of church administration and finance; vestry member; missions support; home group leader.

Family: Married to Rennae.

Experience/ qualifications: Extensive business interests including importing/ exporting and manufacturing; treasurer for International Needs and the Churches Education Commission; board member of a number of local and international mission organisations, including chaplaincy, aid agency and evangelistic groups; voluntary community work.

Lisa Greatbatch – Vicar's PA (Part-time)  

Passions: Being part of a team that is listening to the Holy Spirit; Bringing people into environments where they can be nourished and inspired by God’s love and spurred outward; Encouraging and Connecting people; Reading with my family; The great outdoors.

Ministries: Vicar’s PA, Available to encourage, support and inform the vicar primarily, also staff, parishioners and newcomers. Communications, Mainly Music support, Children’s Church parent helper.

Family: Married to Rowen, with three children aged 10, 13 and 18 years; four adult step-children; large extended family.

Experience/ qualifications: General Manager’s PA; Front line receptionist, Data processing secretary, Sales coordinator, Maitre d’ in a French provincial restaurant; Four years as a widowed mother of three children; Various part-time roles; International travel and tourism course 2006; Active parishioner at St Matthias’, Panmure, 1995-2004; Parishoner for a year, prior to on staff at St George’s. Three-quarter time staff member at St George’s 2007-09, half-time on staff currently.

Chris Chung – Verger (Part-time)

Chris and Susan have been married for 40 years. They have one son and a daughter with 3 grandchildren.

Chris had his secondary education in Malaysia and after his tertiary education in Australia he joined the Sabah (Malaysia) Agricultural department working as lecturer, agricultural Officer and then the principal of the Agricultural Institute.

Chris had a quiet and simple Christian life of trying to serve the Lord and fellow Christians. His leap of faith was to migrate to NZ in 1998 to fulfil a commitment. After their daughter brought them to St. George’s Church, Chris and Susan found that they can dedicate themselves here. Chris accepted the position as the verger (caretaking and weddings). Attending to an average of 50 weddings a year is not a simple task.

Chris believes that the Church is getting more spiritual and the members of St. George’s can serve one another so that God will be glorified.

Rebekah Sewell – Assistant Verger (Part-time)

Becky grew up in Hong Kong as a missionary kid for four years with her parents and then her parents worked in Hong Kong as professionals for 8 years. Becky is a trained Beauty Therapist and Makeup Artist and part time Actress. Becky went to Exel School of preforming arts. She majored in Drama and Minored in Vocals. Becky has been studying Health Science part time as well as working at St George’s and plans to continue studying in the near future.

Becky enjoys music, knitting, sewing and doing makeup for weddings and special occasions in her spare time.

Shami Chand – Secretary (Full-time Parish Office)  

Shami’s is the voice at the end of the church office. As secretary she is responsible for reception, hall bookings, wedding liaison, and rosters for the morning Sunday services.

For general enquiries about the church or staff, ask Shami. She’ll make sure you find the information, resources and people you need. 

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