Our Team
Our vision is to create a world where people with disability are safe and known, connected and growing, celebrated and loved.
Our Staff Team
Rev Dr Kirk Patston: CEO and Ministry Leader
Kirk is the Director of the Centre for Preaching and Pastoral Ministry and Lecturer in Old Testament and Practical Theology at Sydney Missionary & Bible College. His research degrees include the interaction of disability studies with the theme of otherness in Job. He has lived experience of disability as a father and professional experience as a former speech pathologist.
Daniel Molteno: Chaplain and Church Connections
Dan has a deep love for food, faith, and people! His work in ministry over the past few years has nurtured a growing passion for walking alongside others through life’s ups and downs. Our Place enables him to bring his years of experience in diverse fields and his personal insights as a friend and brother to those with disability into new and meaningful ways of serving.
Fiona Dewhurst: Communications and Administration
Fiona has worked in various roles over the years including youth ministry, administration, tourism blogging and debating adjudication to name a few. She has formally studied history, communication and biblical studies. She currently also works as a high school scripture teacher. In her role at OPCC, Fiona hopes to raise awareness of the current challenges facing people with disability in our churches and their choices for residential accommodation that supports their faith.
Our Executive Committee
Jenny Bawden: Chairperson
Jenny trained and worked as an occupational therapist, in health promotion, and years ago was involved in the Blue Mountains Disability Access Committee. She sees her primary role in Our Place as creating and holding together a trellis (involving meetings, policies, and organisation structures) to enable the wider team to flourish in ministry. She also serves as an elder at Blackheath Baptist, and with mission agency Langham Partnership Australia.
Ian McGilvray: Secretary
Ian was a director at Cox Architecture for many years, and is a now a visual artist. He lives with his wife Jill in Wentworth Falls and is active in encouraging Christian engagement in the arts. Ian has grown to love the way that God draws his people from a wide background. Ian first worked closely with people with disabilities in 2010 when assisting in an art class. Ian cherishes these relationships which enrich the life of the whole church. He longs for more people with disabilities to know the love and grace of God.
Paul Dickens: Treasurer
Paul has degrees in physics and chemistry and currently works in technology development in healthcare. He believes the Christian church is truest to its calling when creating and caring for culture. For Paul, Our Place is about nurturing a culture where everyone is recognised and loved – theology embodied in a community engaged in the often messy work of caring for one another.
Lisa Patston
Lisa brings a passion for inclusive churches, discipleship for all and person-centred approaches to disability to her role with Our Place. She has qualifications in education and ministry and lived experience as a parent. Professionally, she supports students with learning and previously worked in pastoral ministry. She has also been a community visitor with the ombudsman’s office, giving her firsthand experience of life for people with disability in institutions and group homes.
Renee Dickens
Renee’s background and training is in primary education. As an Our Place committee member, she seeks to be part of a change that transforms the way people with disability experience community.
Caitlin Bakon
Caitlin brings to Our Place a passion for people of all abilities to be connected with
and reached with the gospel. She also desires for every Christian to be deeply
known and loved within their local church. Caitlin has a background working as a
paediatric Occupational Therapist and as a Disability Support Worker in a group
home context. She has also studied theology and worked in university and children’s
ministry in recent years.
Olivia Oleksyn
Olivia is passionate about people of all abilities knowing God’s love for them both through His word and through church community. She has a strong conviction that people with disabilities are crucial to the wholeness of the body of Christ. Olivia works as a speech pathologist and has lived experience of disability as a sister and friend. Olivia has been involved in ministries providing inclusive teaching and one-on-one support to church members living with a disability. She deeply cherishes the relationships she has with people of all abilities and appreciates the way that people with disability deeply enrich the church.
Our Ambassador
Jerrah Patston
Jerrah is a musician and songwriter, an Ambassador for Our Place Christian Communities, and the life of the party at every workshop. With his supportive community, he loves contributing to music, welcoming and hospitality at church. He lives with intellectual impairment and autism—and all the unique challenges, abilities and opportunities that has given him.
