New Vicar for St. George’s

We are pleased to announce that The Reverend Stuart Comrie Gardiner has accepted appointment as Incumbent to the Parish of St. George, Ivanhoe East and Bishop Philip Huggins will induct him on Wednesday 13th May 2015 at 7pm.

Father Stuart writes:

The growing years for me were lived in the bayside suburbs of Melbourne.

Sent off to Mentone Grammar School as a four year old only to emerge at 17. My early knowledge of Ivanhoe was about Saturday morning adventures on the bus to be delivered at the Ivanhoe Grammar School to engage in deadly combat in cricket or football matches.

My first awareness of a call to the priesthood came as a 12 year old almost dying of boredom at the school chapel service. I heard and responded very powerfully to the reading from Ezekiel, chapter 37 which is the dramatic vision of the ‘valley of the dry bones’, when God says: ‘ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live’.

At 15 years old I found my way to my local parish church of St Aidan’s Parkdale and became very involved in the youth group there. It was at St Aidan’s that Gail and I met and started our relationship. We have been together since then and have been married for 36 years. We have 3 adult offspring, Evelyn, Robert and Lachlan.

After leaving school and before I offered as a candidate for the Diocese of Melbourne I was engaged with youth work with disaffected and hostile young people in and around the prisons system.

I have been assistant curate in Templestowe and Werribee. Priest in charge at Fairfield. Incumbent at Fairfield with Norhcote, South Darebin, Glenroy with Merlynston and Bundoora.

I have been Area Dean of Preston, Coburg and currently serve as Area Dean for Yarra/ Plenty.

Father Stuart Gardiner