A Message from the Minister
Life can be confusing. Life is beautiful, but it's also brutal and ugly. Things we put our hope in can reward us greatly or prove to be a great disappointment. In all this we try to piece together a perspective to see us through life.
But the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ breaks through all our speculations. It helps us to realise the whole dimension of God in our lives. A dimension of forgiveness, purpose. peace, the Holy Spirit and eternal life. A dimension that helps us with the confusing things of life. A dimension that invites us to realise God didn't just create the universe, but made it in a way that He could enter and participate in it.
Jesus' death and resurrection enables us to participate in life fully. Because we realise in Jesus' death: the confusion and anger of humanity is greeted with the love and forgiveness of God. The harshness and violence of human beings is met with the mercy and patience of God. The disappointment and despair of life can be transformed to the hope and life of God.
This is the traditional Christian message of John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
A Christian is someone who has put their faith in God's provision of Jesus and entered into a life in relationship with God.
Rev. Owen Goddard.
About the Minister
Owen attended St Alban's Lindfield Anglican Church as a child and into his 20's, where he led youth groups, adult fellowship groups, taught Sunday School, sang in the Choir and served on Parish Council. He obtained an Arts degree from Macquarie University in Communications, English and History. He worked in the insurance industry for 3 years and at that time married Christine. Christine works at Tara Anglican School for Girls as a learning support teacher, year 7 tutor and teacher responsible for the Student Representative Council.
Owen studied at Moore Theological College from 1984-87. While studying he worked at St. Thomas' Kingsgrove and then in the Parish of Pitt Town. He has served as assistant minister at both St. Matthew's Merrylands and in the parish of Shellharbour. Owen worked as minister in charge at Stephen's Lugarno, where he served for almost 13 years. He has been the minister in charge of the parish of All Saints since February 2005. Owen and Christine have 2 daughters Meredith 16 years old and Sarah 11 years old.