Tim Jeffries, Youth & Schools Co-ordinator

Tim joined the Youth and Schools Team in 2008 after having 4 different jobs in 2 years, he's been working for churches, labouring for a landscape construction business and running a work for the dole project. Tim is married to Jay and lives in Preston where he is part of a community called Loam. He spends as much time as he can there working in his veggie garden, playing soccer with the local kids and sharing life with his neighbours. He is most of the way through a theology degree but can't imagine not studying at least something part time so will probably just start something else when he finishes. Tim is soon to be a dad and isn't sure what's going to happen next.

 

Paul Toms

Paul is travelling in 2008

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Lacey, Edge & Praxis Co-ordinator

Having lived in as part of the residential community in 2001 Chris has continued to play an active role in Urban Seed. His current role is co-ordinating Urban Seed's Schools work, managing "the Den" urban classroom, and looking after the Praxis and Edge projects. He enjoys engaging young people with the issues of the street and believes passionately in equipping them for the future. He is married to the lovely Katherine and they live in West Footscray with their new son Xavier.

 

 

Marcus Curnow, Church Engagement Co-ordinator

In 1996 Marcus got involved with Urban Seed when the introduction of Crown Casino adversely affected Cambodian families he was living with. Marcus has worked as a youth worker in a variety of contexts including Footscray where he currently resides with Rachael and their two boys. The live close to lots of ex-Urban Seed ressies who hang together around an Organic Food Coop.  He has degrees in Nursing and Theology and is passionate about how young people form and express spirituality and identity. He believes that Bible study shouldn’t suck; that good liturgy requires risk and that Cornwall (the home of his forebears) is not England. It has oft been said that he could use a bit more sleep.

 

 

Brent Lyons Lee, Corporate Relations Co-ordinator

Brent is married to Belinda and lives in Geelong where he is the Minister at the Norlane Baptist Church. He has a Diploma in Theology and an Honours degree in Social Science with a focus on International Development and Politics. Brent’s honours thesis explored the failed policy of Safe Injecting Facilities in Victoria. He is currently undertaking a Master of Divinity through MCD part-time. He lived in the Urban Seed Residential Community for two years in 2000/01. Brent is passionate about education and works with the Youth and Schools team as well as doing broader education activities with community and corporate groups. He develops and maintains Urban Seed’s corporate relationships. He is also specifically focussed on the issue of gambling, sitting on the Inter-Church Gambling Taskforce.

 

 

Samara Pitt, Schools Co-ordinator

Samara joined the education team in 2003 after three years teaching in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. She lives in the "Indigenous Hospitality House" inNorth Carlton, hosting indigenous guests from the country. Samara has degrees in Arts and Teaching, and she also works with Vox Bandicoot in environmental education. She is interested in finding creative ways of exploring social issues with others.

 

 

Simon Moyle, Educator

Simon is an ordained Baptist minister working with the inspiral faith community in the inner north of Melbourne.  He is a peace activist, nonviolence educator and is trained in the facilitation of Open Space Technology.  Simon has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Monash and Master of Divinity from Whitley College. He is passionate about creating cultures of peace, cultivating intentional community, and developing practices that allow us to live deeply and simply in the Christian story.  He lives in Brunswick with his wife Julie and their two children.

 

 

Gordon Preece, Executive Director

Gordon Preece comes from a small business family in Sydney, has masters in arts, science & society & a doctorate on work ethics and is author, editor of ten books on work and ethics. He has led Anglican churches, Ridley College Residential College and Centre for Applied Christian Ethics, Macquarie Christian Studies Institute at Macquarie University. He is a visiting lecturer on Ethical Risk in Finance at Macquarie University School of Applied Finance and Ethical advisor to Christian Super. He was a board member of WorkVentures, a creative church-based job creation project in Sydney and also taught in the Education Program for Unemployed Youth. His experience with and passion for the unemployed, mentally ill and in community development have attracted him to Urban Seed’s outstanding community based work connecting homeless people, the marginalised and philanthropic and corporate partners. Gordon is married to Susan, an asthma educator and has three young adult children. He is fanatical about football (soccer) and enjoys all sports (including footy – supporting Geelong) reading, writing, movies and walks with his wife and dog.

 

 

Kate Allen, Philanthropic Relations & Special Projects

Kate was a resident in Central House during 2005, and has since continued her involvement with Urban Seed co-ordinating philanthropic relationships and special projects. She also conducts educational programs for school, corporate and community groups as part of the Youth and Schools Team. She has a Master of Social Science (International Development) from RMIT and a passion for exploring connections between the work for justice on the global and local levels. She’s involved in a faltering but dedicated Christian community called Loam in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and believes that vegetable gardens and shared meals can bridge all manner of gaps.

 

 

Virgina Moebus-Nelson, Residential Support

Virginia was attracted to Urban Seed as a resident in 2003, and lived in Central House for two years. After completing studies in welfare, she realised how much she didn’t know, and decided that hanging out with people in the Credo community might be a good way of learning! It was also an important way of further exploring the relationship between her discipleship journey and her work. The ‘non-professional’ ethos that Urban Seed generally, and residency in particular, takes on, has been an important foundation for her. Virginia still enjoys learning from those who are part of the Credo community, and spends some of her time supporting the residents along with Paul. She now lives in Brunswick with her legendary husband, Jeff.

 

 

Sue Hogan, Partnerships and Links Co-ordinator

In the 90’s Sue taught in primary schools in Craigieburn and Epping. Twice she took time off to travel overseas, working during 1997 as a volunteer at Central Methodist Mission in South Africa, through the Uniting Church’s Volunteers in Mission program. After a challenging and deeply rewarding year in Africa Sue could no longer ignore the call to go beyond the school fence. She undertook some study in international development and worked in disability and mental health. At the end of 2002 Sue’s worshipping community, Wild Duck, went on an Urban Seed city walk. Soon after she found herself working with the Street and Hospitality Team with a focus on referral, welfare sector engagement and local advocacy. Sue feels very privileged to work with in a place of passionate people, hopeful vision and faith-filled conversations.

 

 

 

Michael Chambers, Financial Administrator

Mike Chambers joined Urban Seed in 2004 and became a Board Member in 2006. He is a qualified chartered accountant in both Australia and Scotland from where he emigrated some twenty years ago. He has worked in the not for profit sector for the past ten years and when not at Urban Seed he works with asylum seekers and immigrants seeking legal assistance. He has a BSc honours degree from the University of St Andrews and Certificate in Secondary Education. He lives close to the city with his two school-aged children and wife Maree, a community health practitioner.

 

 

 

Luke Wilkinson , Credo Cafe Co-ordinator

Luke first found out about Urban Seed in 2000 during a city walk as part of a school Religious Education program.  He moved into Collins St in 2005 as a Residential Intern, and now works 2 days a week co-ordinating Credo Team. Credo Team is a group of core volunteers committed to the upkeep and operation of Credo Café, and organising and running activities such as the annual retreat and Christmas party.  Luke has recently married Kylie and they are expecting their first child soon.

 

 

Raylene Frantz , Credo Cafe Co-ordinator

Raylene (Ray) has been "hanging out" at Credo for quite a while now (about four or five years). She first "seeked out" Urban Seed upon arriving home to Aus, (from Canada) where she had worked in a homeless shelter for a time and realised she knew nothing about what Melbourne had to offer to "The homeless and those in need". She remembers her first "lunch" at Credo and the confusion she felt at being "waited upon" and "welcomed to simply share lunch" instead of "helping out " those "in need". She is continually reminded and amazed by how much she realises that she is in just as much need as those that she not only "shares lunch" with but shares "life" with and how incredible it is to be invited to "journey along" in the everyday lives of "the people who make up her world".

 

 

Naomi Williams, Mission Exposure Co-ordinator

 

 

 

David Sprigg, Resident

 

Gemma Hayes , Resident

 

Andy Lee , Resident

 

Christopher Booth, Resident

I grew up around Dandenong. Before I came here I was in Ballarat for a few years studying arts, mostly media and literature. I do a bit of writing and photography. In 2004, in South Melbourne, I had my suitcase confiscated because someone thought it was a bomb. I enjoy. I am indeed. I do. I most definitely think so, and would like to try it one day. I have a number. It is called 'six'.

 

To hear more about the life of a Resident check our Christop's blog spot.