Our Clergy

Our Rector, Father Robert Happer, is available to visit parishioners in their home, whatever their situation.  All of St. John’s clergy maintain appropriate vaccination status for flu and COVID-19.

RECTOR

Father Robert Happer, ThDip ACTh, Dip Min ACTh and BTh ACTh (Ridley)

Father Robert was formally installed as Rector of St. John’s by Bishop Chris Edwards on 13 February 2021.

After leaving the Royal Australian Air Force to take up ministry, Father Robert was ordained in the Diocese of Gippsland in 1993, having graduated from Ridley College in Melbourne the year before.  He has served as an Assistant in the parishes of Warragul, Bairnsdale, Sale (Cathedral) and has been the Rector of the parishes of Westernport (Gippsland Diocese), Minto (Sydney Diocese) and Traralgon (Gippsland Diocese).  Prior to coming to St. John’s, since 2009, he was Rector of St. Paul’s, Wahroonga.

He is married to Melinda, they have three adult sons and three grandchildren.

Father Robert’s email is rector@stjohnsgordon.org.au

ASSISTANT PRIEST

Father Ernest Chau, BATh ACTh (Moore), MA (Macquarie), CertTh (Oxford), BSc (Hons, Durham)

Father Ernest was deaconed in 1982 and priested in 1983.  He was the Rector of St. Basil’s, Artarmon from 2007 to 2016, when he retired.  He has been Honorary Assistant Priest at St. John’s, Gordon since his retirement.  In September 2019, he accepted the post of Interim Rector upon the elevation of then-Rector Father Keith Dalby to Bishop of the Diocese of The Murray.  He served in this position until Father Robert Happer accepted the position of Rector.

Prior to Artarmon, he served in parishes in Neutral Bay and Kirribilli.

Father Ernest and his wife, May, have one grown child, Nicola, our Assistant Director of Music.

PARISH MISSIONER

Bishop Michael Hough

Bishop Michael has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and has done post graduate studies in Biblical studies at the Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained a priest in 1977 in the Franciscan Order.

He served in Papua New Guinea as a missionary –  in the West Sepik; as lecturer in Biblical Studies at the Newton Theological College and then as Principal of the College;  as Bishop of the New Guinea Islands and then Bishop of Port Moresby.

Bishop Michael has served in parishes in Cooktown, Camperdown, Creswick and as Dean of Thursday Island.

He was also Bishop of Ballarat.

Bishop Michael was married to the late Bennita Hough, a nurse, mother of his three grown children.  He lives in Linton, west of Ballarat in Victoria.

He served as a volunteer firefighter with the CFA.

His interests are biblical languages, studying the Church’s use of the Bible, reading the story of the growth and development of the Bible, communicating the Bible to lay people and developing Christian resources for remote and rural communities and opening the Bible up and making it accessible for those who are searching for what it has to offer.

PASTORAL CHAPLAIN

Jennifer (Jen) Lum, BTH (Moore) BA LLB (Sydney)

Prior to graduating from Moore Theological College in 2019, Jen was a lawyer for many years, working in private practice, government (local and state) and the community sector. One of her favourite roles was as in-house lawyer for Anglicare.  In her part-time role as Pastoral Chaplain for St. John’s, she visits parishioners in homes and hospitals, leads women’s Bible study group, teaches Scripture at Gordon East Public school and preaches occasionally at Sunday services.  She is an active member of the parish.  She has been an integral part of St. John’s Warrior Welcome Home ministry since its inception.  Jen is actively involved in the Cursillo movement and the Kairos prison ministry.  She formerly served as the Episcopal Standards Director for the Anglican Church of Australia.

Jen holds a Lay Minister’s License from the Archbishop of Sydney. Her great joy is sharing the Word of God. She is married to Steve and they have two adult children, Imogene and Ethan.