Hello,
My name is Kerry Evans (pictured, 2nd from right) and I am the Regional Manager for the Sunshine Coast Wide Bay (SCWB) region. I often joke to the rest of the team at SU that this region is the Premier Region of Queensland. Seriously though, it is!
The SCWB region takes in many beautiful places such as Agnes Waters in the north to Beerburrum to the south and west to Maleny, Kenilworth and Mary Valley and to the beautiful Scenic Rim of Kingaroy and Murgon. So I am sure that you will agree with me that, not only have I got the best Field Development Managers and chaplains, we live in a pretty magnificent place.
This region has 120 SU chaplains who serve in 139 state schools. There are also an amazing number of volunteers and churches who help to equip and support the school chaplaincy program to have the impact that it has, not only in the local school but also in the local community.
I have been privileged to live and work on the Sunshine Coast for the last 38 years and I celebrate working with SU QLD 11 years, next month in March. Before that, I was the Youth Pastor at Nambour Baptist for 19 years, and before that working in advertising for 12 years with the Sunshine Coast Newspaper Co., which took me to various locations in the early years.
I have been blessed to be married to Janelle for 36 years this May 3rd – see, I haven’t forgotten the date. We have three wonderful children – Chloe, Leetice and Kent and his wife Jasmine, who were married back in October 2015 (pictured). All of my children have taken up the profession of school teaching.
As I said earlier, not only do I live in one of the most beautiful regions in Queensland, I have a great field team that help serve, equip and support the chaplaincy service in their schools. Plus they do a whole lot more promotion of all things SU QLD.
The Field Development Managers in the SCWB region are Lisa Hardie (Bundaberg), her husband Adam Hardie (Wide Bay) and Steve Kilah (Sunshine Coast).
I am constantly amazed and encouraged at the support that the community offers when it comes to give a helping hand whenever school chaplaincy is mentioned.
People from all walks of life have given their time and finance when they recognise the emotional, spiritual and physical support that is given by the chaplaincy service. This is expressed in people volunteering to be a mentor at school, a camp leader or help in a lunch time program or a SUPA Club, or be available to serve on a Local Chaplaincy Committee or giving each month to help expand the chaplaincy service in the school.
I am excited by the ways that people, businesses and churches want to partner with the chaplaincy service in their local area which in turn opens up much more opportunities to connect with students and to be able to help families.
I love to connect with my local community and can often be spotted having a coffee with local supporters or community stakeholders to continue to share the stories of school chaplaincy and its impact with the local schools and communities, because chaplains and the ministry of SU is making a positive difference by changing lives and bringing hope.
It’s a privilege to be able to be a part of something much bigger than what I can do and to do it with so many other passionate, loving and caring colleagues.