Overview
Stu was welcomed as CEO and Superintendent of Wesley Mission in January 2021, having served for almost 15 years as Lead Minister for Newlife Church, the largest church in the Uniting Church in Australia. Based on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Newlife has an extensive community services ministry including emergency relief, counseling, recovery and homelessness services, and support for people experiencing domestic and family violence.
A qualified accountant, Stu worked in a chartered accounting firm upon graduation, and later as a Systems Analyst for Mitsubishi Motors in Adelaide. He was ordained as a Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in May 2004.
Stu served as General Secretary for the Uniting Church – South Australian Synod from 2000–2005 and has served on numerous Uniting Church boards and committees. From 2012–2019 he served as Board Member and Chair for the Global Leadership Network Australia.
Stu was a founding member and inaugural Chair of the Gold Coast Pastors Roundtable which, in partnership with the Gold Coast City Mayor’s Office, hosted large annual events and pioneered a new city-wide domestic and family violence initiative. He is a founding Board member for Propel Network Inc and the co-convenor of the End Street Sleeping Collaboration, a multiagency and government collaboration formed with the aim to end street sleeping across NSW by 2030.
Stu is a purpose-driven entrepreneur, a collaborative leader and is passionate about advocacy and stewardship. An experienced preacher and communicator, Stu has spoken at numerous churches and leadership events across Australia.
