New minister feels at peace
Kwinana All Saints Anglican Church has welcomed a vibrant and vivacious minister to its humble congregation.
Minister Linda Flewker-Barker joined the Bickner Way parish from the UK nearly a month ago and was commissioned by the Archbishop of Perth and the parish’s local bishop on September 16.
Although still finding her feet in her first few weeks in the job, Miss Flewker-Barker said she had been welcomed into the parish which had been without a permanent minister for a year.
She told the Telegraph she found the parishioners to be hospitable, welcoming, friendly and very capable in their current roles.
“Since the church had been without a full-time minister for so long, the congregation really pulled together,” she said.
“They are very sprightly, younghearted and open to change.”
Working as a chaplain for the Royal Airforce in the UK, Miss Flewker-Barker said she always had a heart for chaplaincy and reaching out to the community.
“We are open to all and very focused on community involvement and emergency relief,” she said.
“We are looking to build on our connections with the wider community, as that is where our hearts are.”
Miss Flewker-Barker said the church was not about forcing the bible on people or excluding anyone just because they did not wish to attend services.
“We will help them regardless and if they want to talk then we will listen — that’s the gospel in action,” she said.
Miss Flewker-Barker said being a woman had never been an issue and it was her personality people responded to, not her gender.
“I want to encourage, lead, discern and enable people, encourage them in their gifts and give back where I can,” she said.
The new minister said she had complete peace coming to WA for the position even though she had only once before visited the western State.
“I lived and worked all over the world but knowing I’m in the place that God’s called me to, gave me certainty,” she said.
“We may be a traditional church in some ways but my focus is how we can make the gospel reachable and to grow and develop in our faith without losing our Anglican identity.”
