Tuesday 28 June, 2011

Dear Friends

As you would be aware, over the past six months the Annesley College Council has worked tirelessly to find a way forward for Annesley College.

We believe that this new model provides the best opportunity to secure the long term future of the College – even though it has immediate painful consequences for some people. However, along with Annesley, the Uniting Church expresses sincere regret to the students, staff and families who will be unable to continue at Annesley College in 2012.

A key aspect of this new model is the involvement of a tertiary institution. The Council’s preferred model is to work with the Uniting College for Leadership & Theology (UCLT) and, as such, the Council has offered an invitation for discussions about a possible co-location of the UCLT on the Annesley site.

We stress that no final decisions have been made about any co-location at this juncture. We want to be clear that, while there is considerable goodwill towards Annesley, our goodwill as a Church will not compromise our vision for UCLT, nor will it use money from the Mission and Services Fund or put the Uniting Church’s assets at risk to support Annesley. We are simply commencing negotiations about these possibilities as we discern what we believe is God’s way forward for us as a Church.

Please pray for our ongoing wisdom in these matters. And please pray especially for the Annesley community at this time.

A community statement and press release from Annesley College explaining the way forward are available online at  www.annesley.sa.edu.au/news.



Rev Rob Williams                    Rev Dr Graham Humphris
Moderator                              Chief Executive Officer/General Secretary
Uniting Church SA                   Uniting Church SA