Our Team

Meet the staff at St Jude's

THE team

MINISTRY TEAM

At St Jude’s we are blessed with a dedicated and faithful ministry team.  
Please contact any one of us should you have an enquiry or need.

Senior Minister / Rector

Gavin Perkins

Doctor of Ministry (TEDS Chicago), MA Theol (MTC), BD (Hons 1) (MTC), BA (UNSW)

Gavin commenced his ministry with us in February 2018. Previous to the role at St Jude’s, he was a minister at St Thomas’ North Sydney for six years and Course Director of Cornhill Sydney (training people in preaching). He is married to Amy and they have three grown-up children. Gavin leads the ministry team, has primary responsibility for our preaching and teaching, and delights to spend as much time as possible in spiritual conversation with believers and non-believers alike. 

Alongside his responsibilities in the parish Gavin also has a range of roles in the wider Sydney Diocese, including being a member of the Standing Committee of the Synod, a member of the Diocesan Doctrine Commission, and in Anglican school governance.

Gavin’s doctoral studies led him to an investigation of how we best prepare Christian believers to interact with the community and speak up for Christ in an increasingly contested context. It is deeply on his heart that we at St Jude’s continue to grow in maturity in Christ and grow in confidence to speak up for Christ in our beautiful Southern Highlands. 

Assistant Minister

Graham Schultz

BFA, Grad Dip Ed, BTh, Grad Dip Div

Graham began serving at St Jude’s in 2016. Prior to this he was a minister in Wagga Wagga and Canberra where he was ordained. Before ministry Graham was a Highschool Visual Arts Teacher with some broader experience in education.

Graham preaches regularly and leads various services on Sunday. Alongside Sarah, he serves in pastoral care visitation in Aged Care Facilities with home and hospital visits. With Gavin, he conducts funerals and weddings as required.

Specifically Graham’s responsibility is Christian maturity. The focus is on our Connect Group’s (Bible Studies) Ensuring everyone is in regular fellowship and encouragement. With Kate, they train and encourage our Connect Group leaders throughout the year. Graham also serves the men of St Jude’s with fellowship events and in the occasional seminar with guest speaker for the whole church. Recently Graham has focused on discipleship across each congregation.

Graham is married to Naomi and together they parent four children. As a family they will use any spare time to get outdoors. It’s a great privilege to grow in faith and share the gospel with our St Jude’s church family.

Assistant Minister / Youth

Matt Jacobs

BTh, Adv Dip Min

Matt has been a youth minister for over 20 years, joining St Jude's in 2016. As Assistant and Youth minister, a typical week of ministry can see Matt go from teaching Primary School SRE, to fun times at Youth on Friday nights, to robed communion services at 8am on Sundays. He loves teaching the Bible, training teenagers and young adults for youth ministry, and talking with people about Jesus. He is married to Keren, and they have three high school aged kids, and a big dopey dog called Lando. 

Matt has completed studies at Youthworks College in Sydney, and Ridley College in Melbourne. Alongside his ministries at St Jude's, Matt is a member of the Diocesan Regional Council, which supports ministries throughout the Wollongong Region. He also serves on the committee for Youthworks' Leaders in Training camp, which works to grow year 9-12 students in their faith in Jesus, as well as their mindset and skills for serving in youth and children's ministries in their churches. This camp captures what Matt finds most exciting about youth ministry: seeing young people come to know Jesus, grow to maturity in Christ, and whole-heartedly serve him for the rest of their lives.

Lay Minister

Kate Pearse

Dip Ed, Dip Th, Cert 4 TAE

Kate is a lay minister who steers our 9:30 auditorium service, leads Connect Groups, coordinates social events and is involved in Christian Care. She also helps facilitate programs offered at St Jude's eg. GriefShare  

Kate has a background in education, both children and adult, has completed the Anglicare Counselling Course and has authored a parenting program that is offered in the Sydney Diocese.

She is married to Ian and they have 3 adult children and one grandchild – Emily (Nathan and Lilli), Jake (and Ineke) and Sophia (and Logan). For downtime the family enjoys board games, beach, snowy mountains, camping under a thousand stars with limited facilities or staying in a 5 star hotel!

Children's Minister

Jaryd Hoffman

BCA Mus, M-teach, Adv Dip Min.

Jaryd is our Children’s Minister and 5:30 Music Coordinator, married to Erica, with children Alice and John. Jaryd works towards the growth of faith and love in our children by managing and supporting the teams of our regular Sunday children’s programs at our 9:30am and 5:30pm Sunday services, Arvo Club on Friday afternoons and other children’s events throughout the year like our BIG DAY IN holiday clubs and Square 1 Camp. Jaryd studied Music and a Master of Primary Teaching at UOW and Ministry at Youthworks College. When he can, Jaryd enjoys spending time with extended family, producing Christian music and playing video games.

Lay Minister

Sarah Bull

Bach Ed, Dip Div, CPE, Grad Cert Professional Supervision (Pastoral)

As a Lay Minister, Sarah's particular focus is on offering spiritual encouragement to our St Jude’s members who live in residential aged care or who are home-based, as well as caring for those in our traditional morning congregations. This role flows naturally out of a number of years in various pastoral ministries within school & hospital chaplaincy, & caring for her own parents as they became unwell & spent time in aged care facilities. Sarah loves offering a listening ear and going ‘deep’ in conversation about matters of faith and how God’s words of life can sustain us in whatever we are facing. Sarah also loves a swim at Jervis Bay, birdwatching at dawn, and time with her husband Pete, their boys, and their daughter & son-in-law.

Organist & Director of Classical Music Program

Dr Allan Beavis

OAM, BSc, Dip Ed (UNSW), MEd Admin, PhD (UNE), ARCM, AMusA.

Before retiring in 2001, Allan had been Headmaster of St Andrews Cathedral Choir School in Sydney and Master of New College at the University of NSW.

Allan is the Public Officer of St Jude’s Music Association Inc, Principal Organist at St Jude’s and the director of the classical music program.

Administration

Ashleigh McAulay

Ashleigh moved to Bowral with her husband Hugh and three young children in 2022. Prior to working in the church office, Ashleigh was a high school teacher primarily in the areas of Food Technology and Hospitality. In her spare time, Ashleigh loves spending time with her family and friends, running to stay fit, baking and cake decorating, and enjoying a weekend away camping or at the beach.

Administration

Catherine Nelson

Catherine lives in Bowral with her husband Michael and three children. She enjoys going for walks, knitting and spending time at the beach with her family.

Contact

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