Dr Jeff Parker has been appointed president of the Tasmanian Conference. The announcement was made on October 31.
He replaces Pastor Rick Hergenhan, who was appointed as youth director for the Australian Union Conference (AUC) in early October.
Dr Parker has served as AUC youth director since 2014 and brings nearly three decades of experience in ministry across Australia.
He said he and his family are looking forward to returning to Tasmania. “I am very honoured to be considered for the position of president of Tasmania,” he said. “My first six years of youth ministry were in Tasmania and we had such an awesome experience there. Our family loved the people of the Conference and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in their great state. We were blessed, and we are super excited to be working with them again.”
He and his wife, Robyn, have five children—three married—and seven grandchildren.
Before serving at the AUC, Dr Parker was youth and ADRA director for the Tasmanian Conference (1999–2004) and youth director for the North New South Wales Conference (2005–2013). He began his ministry in Bega, New South Wales, in 1996.
AUC president Pastor Brendan Pratt said Dr Parker’s leadership had been “very appreciated” across the Union. “Jeff has served as youth leader at the AUC in inspiring ways for 12 years,” Pastor Pratt said. “Both Jeff and Robyn are held in high regard in the Tasmanian Conference based on their previous ministry. When Jeff was called to the role, he expressed his love for the Tasmanian people. I’m looking forward to seeing this next chapter in Jeff’s ministry and the Tasmanian Church.”
Pastor Pratt also acknowledged Pastor Hergenhan’s contribution to the Tasmanian Conference. “Rick is an excellent leader and gifted in many areas—both he and [his wife] Libby have made a valuable contribution to God’s church in Tasmania, and I look forward to seeing how God works in and through him to lead youth ministry across the AUC,” he said.
