He may be a North Queenslander through and through, but Ian Cumming has just embarked on his second tour of duty with SU QLD a long way from home. He’s filling the shoes of outgoing Central West Queensland Field Development Manager (FDM), Angela May.
A former school chaplain, turned SU QLD District Coordinator, turned Area Manager (under the old SU QLD structure), Ian and his family have moved over 600 kilometres southwest from Townsville to the jewel in Queensland’s interior, Emerald.
Stepping into the new role Ian says he is excited to link well-resourced coastal churches and organisations with battling communities in Queensland’s rural heartland.
“In my role I want to look at what SU can do for the bush. What can we specifically do for communities that don’t have the churches and the level of community support that we have on the coast? My heart is to connect big churches and organisations all up and down the coast and partner with them to help support those small towns out west, where we’ve currently got one or two faithful people who are doing what they can for their school community.
“You go out to these towns, and the people just love their community. But the resources are limited. So if I can play a small part in facilitating that through my role in SU QLD, then I’ve done my job,” Ian says.
Prior to working with SU QLD, Ian had worked for some time out in the mines in Mt Isa, and during his time travelling across the state, he got a glimpse of the heart and passion that outback Queenslanders have for the local communities – a trait he says is inspiring.
It’s a big part of why he’s so excited about the new role.
“Some city people think, why would you live out there?” You don’t have this or you don’t have that. But these people bleed and cry for their community. It’s like Jesus weeping for Jerusalem. They want the help. They want to bring people in. So that’s what I hope to help facilitate,” he says.
While Ian is keen to see support come from far afield, he is also excited about working closely with the LCCs and both the school and wider community.
“In these smaller towns, the school is the focus of the community. So if we can work together and think bigger by partnering with people not just in the school community, but with people from the wider community who have the capacity to support, then great. So it’s more than just the ‘sausage sizzle’ or ‘cake bake’.
“I’m talking about getting grandmas and grandads that may be sitting at home, wondering if there’s something they can do to help, we get them in to mentor young people and build that cross-generational connection. Or just getting people from the community to help run events and fundraisers,” he says.
Ian has a big heart for school chaplaincy, which is a role he has never viewed as being solely about helping children and young people. Of course it’s a very significant part of the role, but it’s about supporting the people who are building into the lives of our next generation too.
“I believe firmly in servant leadership. So when I was a chaplain it was about making a teacher a cup of coffee after they’d had a tough class or leaving a small packet of chocolate in their pigeon hole after a tough day. They were small gestures that made a big difference in their day,” he says.
It’s this side of chaplaincy that makes him feel immensely privileged to be working in this space, and he’s keen to work closely with his chaplains, the LCCs and the school communities in Central West Queensland to support this vital work going forward.