Rev Steve Francis, Ex-Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, is the new Chaplain of Tranby College, a Uniting Church school in Baldivis WA. Steve began the role in term 4, 2020, after he completed his role as Moderator in September.
Before serving a double, six-year term as Moderator, Steve served as the Minister of Nedlands Uniting Church, a large multicultural congregation, for twenty-three years. He has previously also worked as the State Youth Director for the Uniting Church WA.
Steve loves being with people of all ages. He enjoys the challenge of creatively communicating the love of Jesus Christ in both words and deeds. After high school, he studied Engineering and worked in a chocolate factory in the UK, a European airline in Germany and a mining company in the Pilbara.
Steve said it’s a great joy and a learning curve to be ‘Chaplain Steve’ at Tranby College.
“Everyday feels like an adventure, meeting new students and staff in this warm and generous learning community,” he said. “I especially love the interaction with the younger students. I asked the Year One class to guess how old I am and one very confident boy said he knew. ‘You are 23!’ he said… Not a bad guess.
“I am learning to listen, to love and to pray for this community.
“Hopefully Chapel Services, which I will lead, will be opportunities to shape creative, age-appropriate worship and faith.
“So many students have expressed to me how they missed Chapel during the COVID period.
“Chaplaincy has always been close to my heart, and investing the next few years of ministry in a school community is a wonderful God given opportunity. I am very grateful and hopefully up for the challenge.”
Top image: Rev Steve Francis, Chaplain at Tranby College, met with 2021 Chapel Captain Erica Meyering (left) and 2021 Service Captain Victoria Chitura to begin the planning to make Chapel services creative, stimulating and relevant next year.