Our Pastors

Pastors are people whom the church believes to have been called and gifted by the Lord of the Church to exercise a ministry of spiritual leadership and pastoral oversight of the congregation and its life, prayer and ministry. They exercise this ministry in consultation and cooperation with one another, and each place themselves in relationships of professional supervision and voluntary accountability outside the congregation. They carry the primary responsibility for the preaching and teaching ministries of the church, for the ordering of it's worship and prayer, and for the provision of pastoral care and counsel to people who are regular participants in the life of the church or who contact the church in search of care and counsel.

Our Pastor is Nathan Nettleton and he is assisted by our Music Director, Jennifer Gillan.

To find out more about who they are, scroll down.

Nathan Nettleton

 

Nathan Nettleton grew up in the suburbs and attended one of Melbourne's most prestigious private schools and a nice local church. This naturally led on to dropping out of University, being kicked out of Bible College, becoming a truck driver, and having a failed marriage. After such an idyllic preparation for Christian ministry, he began working in a mission among the street people of St Kilda in 1990, and took a second shot at a theological education. He continued his work at the "House of Hope" for nearly five years before becoming pastor of this church in May 1994.

He was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1994 and completed an honours degree in theology at Whitley College in 1995. He later undertook a Master of Theology degree in Liturgical Studies from the Melbourne College of Divinity , completing it in 2001.

Nathan is only employed part time here (0.7EFT) and also does some sessional work at Whitley College, teaching the study of worship and tutoring various other subjects. He writes for and manages the Laughing Bird Liturgical Resources website.

Nathan is married to Margaret Welsford, and they have a 13.y.o daughter named Acacia and two dogs, Jaz & Dusty. His other interests include dog training, cross-country skiing, baking and brewing.

Jennifer Gillan

Jenny accepted a call to serve among us as a music director commencing in February 2008.

She was first inspired to a life of music teaching when she joined the Young Voices of Melbourne at twelve years of age.  Since then she completed her Bachelor of Music and Diploma of Education in Melbourne, the Kodály Australia Certificate, a Master of Music Studies at the University of Queensland and Diploma of Advanced Conducting and Kodály Methods at the Kodály Institute, Kecskemet, Hungary.  Jennifer has taught at all levels of education from Prep to Primary school, Secondary, Tertiary and teacher education. She is particularly passionate about choral music and believes in the importance of music literacy.  Jennifer has presented at conferences in Australia and America and has taught in East London.  She currently works at Melba Conservatorium and the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, teaching musicianship and conducting choirs and small vocal ensembles.

Jennifer has always been involved in the life of the church and has experienced several different denominations and forms of worship. She has lead music for different styles for worship and is particularly fond of the Taize tradition.

Jennifer is married to Tony, whom she loves very much, and they have newborn baby boy named Oliver, and a big boisterous Golden Retriever dog named Baroque.

Jennifer can be contacted by email

Photography by James Burke

of the Baptist Witness