On the 24 February, Frontier Services will launch Victoria’s first remote ministries service in East Gippsland. In partnership with the Gippsland Presbytery, two Patrol Ministers from the Uniting Church’s Frontier Services will travel throughout East Gippsland offering pastoral support to property owners, small communities and isolated workers.

Many people in regional Victoria live a life of isolation and endure drought and flood ravaged conditions. Many maintain properties, live in small communities or work in isolated professions in the mining industry. Not surprisingly, living under such demanding conditions can engender feelings of loneliness, depression, helplessness and isolation. Whether someone is suffering the crippling effects of depression, or they just want to have a chat and a cup of tea with a friendly companion, the people of East Gippsland will now be assisted by the launch of two new Patrol Ministers.

Frontier Services Associate National Director, the Rev. David Thiem said “this is the first time Frontier Services has been in a partnership in Victoria and we are delighted to be able to offer the special experience we have in serving Australians in remote areas.”

Some of 22 Frontier Service’s Patrol Ministers travel up to 40,000 km a year visiting families and people, predominantly in the Outback but also in remote Tasmania. While they perform weddings, baptisms and funerals, the majority of their work involves being available for a chat or to help out with a range of problems.

A ceremony will take place on February 24th to celebrate the launch of the East Gippsland Patrol Ministries. The celebration will be in Buchan, where Frontier Services’ founder John Flynn was a Home Missioner in 1905 and 1906.

The Rev Bruce Gallacher is the new Snowy River Patrol Minister and will be based out of Orbost and the Rev Alison McRae will be based out of Omeo/Swifts Creek.

Frontier Services, a charity and agency of the Uniting Church’s National Assembly, was established in 1912 by the Rev. John Flynn (“Flynn of the Inland”). The Rev. Flynn saw that life in the Outback was lonely and that the environment was one of the harshest on earth. He became inspired to create a network of travelling padres who travelled on camels to visit and “extend the hand of friendship” to the lonely and disadvantaged.

The Moderator of the Uniting Church, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, the Rev. Jason Kioa will meet with the Rev. Gallacher and the Rev. McRae during his visit to Buchan, Orbost, Mallacoota, Gelantipy and Wulgulmerang in March.