The Illawarra Uniting Church presbytery yesterday held peace talks with Reverend Gordon Bradbery in a bid to resolve the bitter dispute over his future, which has shattered the Wollongong congregation.
The presbytery is hoping the Christian faith will help heal the wounds opened when it refused to extend Rev Bradbery's contract as minister of the Wesley Uniting Church on the Mall.
A meeting between presbytery chair David Jones, presbytery Minister Mark Greenless and Rev Bradbery yesterday discussed possible options when the contract expires at the end of 2010.
Uniting Church statement regarding Gordon Bradbery [PDF]
Reaction to the dispute: your comments
Mr Jones refused to say whether reversing the presbytery's August decision not to retain Rev Bradbery as minister was on the table.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the presbytery and Rev Bradbery acknowledged the grief the decision had caused to the minister and his congregation, but said they would draw strength from their faith.
"One of the hallmarks of the Christian church is the call to be communities of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation in an all too often 'broken' world," the statement said.
"We want to stand together to say that we will seek to work to find appropriate ways forward that will be an expression of the amazing grace of God, the power of forgiving hurts and the healing that comes from acknowledging our flaws and faults and seeking to restore broken relationships."
The decision to terminate Rev Bradbery as minister angered not only the entire church congregation but also many in the broader community.
The Mercury website has been inundated with letters of support for the popular minister, and police officers and the fire brigade, whom he has supported over the past 15 years as their chaplain, have rallied behind him.
On Sunday, Rev Bradbery's wife Pilar Helmers entered the fray, raising concerns she could be forced to give up her career if her husband was moved to a new position outside the Illawarra.
Further talks are to be held before a report is presented at the presbytery's meeting in November.
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