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 has just become a Dad to Tuscan.

Paul Toms, Residential Co-ordinator

Paul is a man you may overlook in the street except for the unruly sideburns which have established themselves on the sides of his face.

In 2002 after finishing his degree in visual arts at ANU Paul moved to Melbourne and became a resident at Urban Seed. He enjoyed it so much he thought it might be a good idea to stay for 2003. When he eventually moved out he would find odd jobs to do around the place including running Pain in the Arts.

Having proved his ability, he was given the joint task of looking after the residents, which he did until leaving for a year long adventure in 2008 (the details of which we are not able to go into here). On his return he moved to Coburg with his wife and two housemates and was honoured with the title (for bravery I believe) of Residential Co-ordinator at Urban Seed.

A title which he still holds to this day.

 

Sarah Scott Webb, Educator

Originally from New Zealand, Sarah is part of the Youth and Schools team at Urban Seed. Sarah worked as a secondary music teacher, before moving into youth pastoring and youth work. She has also worked for several years at World Vision New Zealand and is passionate about advocating on behalf of the disadvantaged and marginalized, both globally and locally. She has degrees in music, teaching and theology and is currently studying towards her Masters in International Relations (Human Rights Law). Sarah is married to Kieran and lives in the heart of St Kilda, where they enjoy hanging out at the beach, drinking coffee, and community gardening at Veg Out.

 

 

Chris Lacey, Executive Officer

Having lived in as part of the residential community in 2001 Chris has continued to play an active role in Urban Seed. His previous roles included 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 son Xavier.

 

 

Marcus Curnow, Executive Officer

In 1996 Marcus got involved with Urban Seed when the introduction of Crown Casino adversely affected Cambodian families he was living with. Marcus has been a youth worker in a variety of contexts including Footscray where he currently resides with Rachael and their three children. They live close to lots of ex-Urban Seed residents who hang together around an Organic Food Co-op. 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, Executive Officer

Brent is married to Belinda and has recently become a Dad to little Thomas. He 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. He is also specifically focussed on the issue of gambling, sitting on the Inter-Church Gambling Taskforce.

 

 

 

Samara Pitt, Youth & Schools Co-ordinator

Samara joined the Youth and Schools team in 2003 after three years teaching in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. She is also involved in a number of other vibrant communities including Gembrook Retreat, and the Indigenous Hospitality House in Wurundjeri country (North Carlton) where she lives and hosts Indigenous guests who are in town on hospital business. She finds life and energy in growing the connections between groups of people seeking to live well on this land.

 

 

Simon Moyle, Public Engagement Co-ordinator

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 three children.

 

 

Kate Allen, Communications & Fundraising Co-ordinator

Kate was a resident in Central House during 2005 and now lives in Melbourne's north where she is is part of a Christian community called Loam. Life in this rather diverse neighbourhood is teaching her the value of shared meals and walks to the shops. Currently in her work for Urban Seed she gets to talk to various groups, including our funders, about all kinds of urban issues - including the issue of money in an unequal society. 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.

 

 

Rohan Goffin , Credo Cafe Coordinator

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Hogan, Writer

In the 1990s 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. In 2003 she found herself working with Urban Seed's Street and Hospitality Team with a focus on referral, welfare sector engagement and local advocacy. Sue now lives by the beach and contributes regular, thoughtful pieces of writing that connect with our advocacy work. She feels very privileged to work with in a place of passionate people, hopeful vision and faith-filled conversations.

 

 

Talitha Fraser , Administration Coordinator

Talitha 'exported' herself in July 2006 from Wellington, NZ and hunted out work in the non-profit sector in Melbourne.  Feeling a bit homeless herself, she hung around the fringe at Urban Seed, through Seedy connections, and eventually was offered work in May 2008. She trained in computer applications in 2001 and has been employed in administration ever since. Talitha lives and work in the city and loves being engaged with the community on her doorstep and being a part of the Urban Seed mob.

 

 

 

 

Luke Wilkinson, Norlane Community Development 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 Central House in 2005 as a Residential Intern, and then spent a few years working as the Credo Team Co-ordinator. Now living at 'Seedy Abbey' in Norlane, Geelong, Luke looks after community development work there. Luke is married to Kylie and they have a gorgeous daughter called Charlotte.

 

 

 

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 amazed by how much she realises she is just as much in 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".

 

 

Virgina Moebus-Nelson, Resident

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 is now back living at Central House with her legendary husband, Jeff.

 

 

 

Dave Spriggs , Resident

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gemma Hayes , Resident

 

Andreana Reale , Resident

Andreana has been a resident at Urban Seed since mid-2008. Since then she has quit her stable job as a researcher to see if she can be a writer. She has gotten herself a busking license just in case. Andreana plays the flute and occasionally has other creative endeavours, like redecorating Level 8. She has been going to the 5pm service at Collins Street Baptist Church since 2004, when she started hanging out on Sunday nights at Credo Café. Andreana is onto her seventh year of university. She doesn’t like finishing things in part because it reminds her of death.

 

Christopher Booth, Resident & Church Engagement Co-ordinator

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.