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Barnabas Ministries |
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His understanding of the special needs of church leaders arises from his 14 years rural and city parish experience in both the Methodist and the Uniting Church, which includes his three years as pastor to the pastors while Chairperson of the Presbytery of the Canberra Region (UCA). Ross qualified initially as a teacher, and after two years in NSW primary schools, he trained at the Sydney Missionary and Bible College. He then completed a BA at the University of Sydney and a BD (Hons), L.Th. and Dip RE at Melbourne College of Divinity in preparation for the Methodist ministry. From 1981-86 Ross participated in the Doctor of Ministry program, conducted by the Advanced Pastoral Studies Unit, San Francisco Theological College (Presbyterian) His course of studies took him to England and to the USA. In 1985 he completed his doctoral thesis ' An Ecumenical Ministry of Renewal for Clergypersons in Australia'. Ross owes a great deal to Morton Kelsey from California, for insights into retreat ministry, gained while attending Kelsey's retreat 'Companions on the Inner Way', in San Francisco. Additionally, in 1992 he attended a 'Spiritual Workshop' in Wales doing further training in retreat leadership. The insights of Gerald Hughes, Mary-Rose Fitzsimmons and Bishop Graham Chadwick were of great value, and provided an array of resources material for his retreat ministry. Subsequently, he has been able to assist the Salvation Army in a planning Seminar in London as well as in retreat leadership in New York. Ross commenced a series of visits to lead retreats in Estonia in 1998 with Pentecostal and Methodist pastors, and again in 2001. Since June 2004, Ross has been working with the Pastoral Relations Committee of the UCA Presbytery of Canberra Region on a contract basis, offering strategies of spiritual formation to leaders in the Presbytery. |
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