Leading with a servant’s heart

By Petronella Lowies

Posted in Leadership

Peter Morton is someone who expresses his faith through a servant’s heart. His attitude toward leadership is moulded in the same way, or as he puts it, “was sewn into me from an early age”.

But while Peter may be humble about his leadership skills, he has now been formally recognised for them – he was recently awarded the Uniting College for Leadership & Theology’s inaugural award for excellence in leadership studies.

Peter is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Ministry through the Uniting College. He began the degree on a part-time basis in 2013, and has been enrolled as a full time student since 2015.

While undertaking his studies, Peter has been employed in two other ministry roles. He serves as the Christian Pastoral Support Worker (chaplain) at Annesley Junior School, and is the Children and Families Pastor (together with wife, Jo) at Seeds Uniting Church. They also have five children at home.

“Life is a bit of a juggling act right now, with sacrifices along the way,” says Peter. “But leadership is also about seeing a desired outcome, discerning the way to reach it, while remaining committed to the people in your care.”

While his own dedication to ministry accounts for some of Peter’s ability to juggle these commitments, he also credits the flexibility of his study. These studies help to inform his work and to continue shaping his leadership.

“The lecturers have broadened my perspective on leadership through a theological lens. While there is theory to be learned, it is in the context of everyday ministry that this leadership is practised,” says Peter.

A civil engineer by training, ministry was not Peter’s initial career choice. But he has always had the sense that he would be called into ministry.

“I had to reason with myself about whether the calling I felt was a ‘career thing’ or a ‘heart thing’. After my engineering studies I managed a Christian book store for about seven years. I guess it was part of me trying to figure out what it was that God was calling me to do,” Peter recalls.

“I went back to engineering, but I kept hearing the call… Deep within there was an unescapable whisper from God. He was calling me into pastoral ministry as a vocation. I knew this was where I needed to be.”

The award from Uniting College recognises Peter’s true call to ministry and leadership. According to Principal Rev Prof Andrew Dutney, the award for excellence in leadership studies was implemented because leadership is one of Uniting College’s most distinguishing factors.

“This focus on leadership is the distinctive thing that Uniting College offers to the Church nationally,” says Andrew. “We aim to prepare people to become effective leaders, empowered by the Spirit – lay people and people preparing for ordination or other specified ministries.”

Peter approaches ministry with a realisation that there is always more to learn. Every day brings lessons through which God reveals something.

“When you are 100 percent confident in your own abilities, you run the danger of trusting more in yourself, and less in God. I would rather be someone who trusts more in God, and less in myself,” says Peter.

“If I work to the best of my ability, partnering with God, it will be more than enough for the ministry task at hand.”

Peter Morton officially received the award for excellence in leadership studies at the November 2016 Presbytery and Synod meeting. This article was originally published in the October/November 2016 print edition of New Times.


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