Dean Drayton
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Rev Dr Dean Drayton B.Sc.(Hons), B.D., Ph.D. was appointed as the President of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) at the 10th Assembly held in Melbourne in July 2003.
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Official UCA resume
Rodney Dean Drayton was born in Whyalla, South Australia in 1941. Dean spent his childhood growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide. Dean has received a B.Sc(Hons) at the University of Adelaide, B.D. at the Melbourne College of Divinity, and the Ph.D. at the Chicago Theological Seminary.
A former geophysicist, Dean was ordained as a Minister of the Word in 1969 in Kent Town, South Australia. He served as a Minister in three congregations, two in South Australia and one in the United States. He then worked as a Consultant for Evangelism for the South Australian Synod for five years followed by 16 years as the Executive Director of the Board of Mission in the New South Wales Synod. Dean was the Moderator of the New South Wales Synod Oct 1995 – Oct 1996 and had Pilgrims of the Cosmos published in 1996. During 1997 Dean spent time as a visiting Professor in Evanglism at theSouthern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas. In 1999 he was appointed Lecturer in Theology: Missiology and Evangelism, at the United Theological College in Sydney.
Dean has been a member of the Assembly National Mission and Evangelism Committee from 1985 to 1998, and a member of the Standing Committee since 1991. He has traveled widely in Australia practicing evangelism and mission, worked extensively with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Congress and, with the NSW Synod Pacific Island Council and Synod Korean Advisory Council.
Dean believes a first priority is to call congregations and church councils to reaffirm their first love to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and by the power of the Holy Spirit find new ways to serve, witness and worship in today and tomorrow’s Australia and beyond. He is convinced that it is vital to realise the gift that Aboriginal people bring to the mission of the church, as well as those whose heritage is from other continents and cultures. He plans to continue a dialogue on sexuality within the church to which the Uniting Church has committed itself. He also plans to affirm a series of projects that will support the continuing development of a new generation of leaders with a vision for the mission of the Church.
Dean believes that the Uniting Church has a unique role as part of the world-wide church, looking forward to further Unions, and depending upon the Holy Spirit to shape its life as a witness to Christ for a new millennium.
Dean and his wife Sandra, have a married daughter and a son and four grandchildren. In his spare time Dean visits his children and grandchildren, reads Science and Biographies, and visits plant nurseries with cafes tucked away in side. Dean became President-Elect in 2000, and President of the Uniting Church in 2003.
Hobbies
Reading biography, science fiction, collecting maps.
Research Interests
The distinctiveness of evangelism, the importance of the missio dei, the emergence of a new paradigm for the church in the world, and leadership in mission congregations.
PUBLICATIONS
Laherrere & Drayton, Some Geophysical Results Across the Simpson Desert. Australian Petroleum Exploration Association Journal, 1965, p48-58
The following study books, and books were written and published for the South Australian Evangelism Committee of the South Australian Synod.
Hope it Helps; 1981, a compendium of creative initiatives by congregations in S.A.
Encouragement for Elders; 1981, a study book of four studies for council of Elders
God’s Message; 1981, a six study Lenten Study Book for UCA in S.A..
God’s New Age; 1982, A follow on study book for small groups, especially for those outside the life of the Church.
God’s People; 1982, The third in the series.
Five Generations; 1982, The history of the Methodist Church in South Australia from a socio-cultural perspective.
A Revolution in the Understanding of Evangelism; 1982. A Copernican revolution in evangelism which focuses first on the gospel as prior to personal experience.
30 Day Manual for New Christians; 1983. A manual designed for use by Elders and other leaders for new Christians, used widely since throughout the Uniting Church, including NCYC. It was prepared to help incorporate new christians into the Uniting Church.
Conversation for Christians; 1983. Four Group sessions to give an emphasis on the importance of real conversation as a way of witnessing
Other Publications
The Australian Male: Roadblock to Revival; 1981, Zadok Papers. Reprinted in 1992 by Zadok.
The Workbook on Mission; 1983. Board Of Mission. A workbook to help congregations discover their mission.
Beyond the Death Cycle: The Saga of Dajarra Park; 1985. An article in the book Green Shoots In The Concrete sponsored by the Board Of Mission with Scaffolding, Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church, Scripture Union and Fusion
Growing An Everyday Faith; Robinson, Drayton, and Kaldor, ANZEA. 1988 How to help leaders discover the “life cycle” for their congregations.
Mission for Elders; 1986 A Joint Board of Christian Education booklet in the series for Elders.
John Wesley. 1988. A reflection in The Aldersgate Experience of John Wesley by A. Harold Wood.
Worship and Proclamation; 1990, Drayton and Twelftree, JBCE. A festschrift for Arthur Jackson on the occasion of his seventieth birthday.
Pilgrim In The Cosmos; 1996, Drayton, Open Book.
In addition, part of the team involved in the publication of the following titles. Green Shoots in the Concrete, Who Goes Where, Where The River Flows, Winds of Change, Views from the Pews, and Mission Under the Microscope, and Shaping a Future.
The author of Mission Planning Day: Preparing for 1988, and the NSW Synod Study Book: Mission in the Nineties in consultation with the Synod Committee involved.