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.
Rod Thompson: Chaplaincy Coordinator
Rod has been married to Rosanne for some 49 years. They have four adult children and
eight grandchildren. In 2003 Rod completed a PhD at Macquarie University exploring the
foundational impact of the Bible on Christian schooling in Australia. Rod served as the
National Principal/CEO of Laidlaw College in Auckland, New Zealand from 2010-2015. In
2016 Rod and Rosanne returned to Sydney to be closer again to family. Since then, Rod
has worked in various capacities with Hope Christian Homes and Our Place Christian Communities, and as part of the ministry team at Springwood Presbyterian Churches.
Fergus O’Shea: Community Chaplain
Fueled by the experience of all types of churches and the deep value of every person, Fergus dreams of seeing local churches ever more faithfully following Jesus’ distinctive way of life. Having known, worked with and ministered to a number of adults who live with intellectual disabilities, he has seen the immense value of inclusion in church communities and works to equip and strengthen churches in this area. Fergus completed a Bachelor of Theology at SMBC before four wonderful years working part time in youth ministry in Sydney’s Inner West and as a disability support worker.
Grace Dandie: Community Chaplain
Grace is currently studying a Bachelor of Theology at Sydney Missionary and Bible College. She is passionate about creating spaces of belonging and genuine connection for all within everyday church life. Before stepping into her current role, Grace worked with OPCC to help churches become more inclusive of people living with disabilities. Grace is deeply committed to this ministry because she believes every person deserves to be safe, loved, and known. As Community Chaplain, she is excited to walk alongside individuals, families, and communities to help nurture connection and belonging for all.
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 serves as an elder at Blackheath Baptist. Currently, Jenny is studying Chaplaincy and hopes to work in this capacity in the future.
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.
Tara McCartney: Treasurer
Tara has a background in financial management and administration across both corporate and not-for-profit sectors. She is passionate about seeing the church become a loving, welcoming place for people of all abilities, and about recognising the richness and value that people with disability bring to communities.
Paul Dickens
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 creatingand 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.
Rev Dr Elliot Ku
Elliot Ku is the Lead Pastor of The Well Church. He also serves as a Lecturer of Church History at Christ College. Elliot is married to Sherilyn and they’ve together wrestled through the challenges of infertility and disability. They are parents to their beautiful daughter, Anastasia, who has a rare genetic condition. In the midst of all this, they are learning about what it means to trust in God, live in light of the Gospel, and hope for the resurrection. Elliot is actively involved in disability theology research as a PhD student at the Australian Catholic University and an Honorary Research Associate at the Brisbane School of Theology (Centre for Asian Christianity).
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. Lisa is currently a Community Chaplain with Anglicare.
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.
Su Lowe
Su is a retired occupational therapist who has worked in mental health and with children and adolescents who experience learning difficulties across academic, social, emotional and physical contexts. She is enthusiastic about enabling accessibility and belonging for everyone within everyday church life through strong partnerships between ministry teams, carers and individuals. Su is keen to explore how as church families we build belonging relationships, how are we serving each other well to better reflect God’s love and grace?
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.