After 25 years in North West NSW, and six of those in Tamworth, Reverend Darrell Parker will leave for Western Australia in January next year.
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There he will take up the role of bishop for North Western Australia; an area of about 2 million square kilometres, or two and a half times the size of NSW.
As the senior minister at St Paul's Anglican Church, Reverend Parker said he's had a very close connection with the community and certainly feels grieved to be leaving.
"You really do invest in people and they invest in you ... it's hard to be torn away," he said.
"It's a great grief to us. This is not a job where I've ever gone looking for another job to leave.
"[the new job] is a job where you just get tapped on the shoulder and you have to consider it."
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Reverend Parker will finish up on Christmas day.
Until then, things will be run as usual at the church where Revered Parker said he still has some unfinished business.
"We're working on some courses to help people understand the good news about Jesus," he said.
"We're planning Christmas carol events, and we have many hundreds of people come to those.
"So we're in the throes of planning that."
However, he said he will be trying hard to meet with as many people as possible before he leaves.
"We've got many dear friends here who we work with very closely and have been through some very tough times together," he said.
"I got lots of those meetings. And it will be hard because I won't get around to everybody ... but I'll be busting a gut to try."
Despite leaving at the highpoint of the Christian calendar, during Christmas, Reverend Parker said he will still be focused on the community.
He said he doesn't want to make "too big a thing out of it" though, as it's the teachings he gives people that count more than his own role as a minister.
And with his departure so close, Reverend Parker reflected on his legacy in the region.
"We've worked very hard to help people grasp the significance of Jesus himself; who he was, what he did, and the significance of that for everyday life," he said.
The new role will be quite different, and definitely a big change according to Reverend Parker.
He said it will mean he will have the chance to be a "pastor for pastors".
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Mark Kriedemann
I take a particular interest in industry, environment, science, and technology subjects. Besides studies in media, my tertiary education covers genetics, as well as International Relations. I therefore strive to draw links between these varying disciplines to give a comprehensive analysis of developments in industry, agriculture, and the associated politics.
I take a particular interest in industry, environment, science, and technology subjects. Besides studies in media, my tertiary education covers genetics, as well as International Relations. I therefore strive to draw links between these varying disciplines to give a comprehensive analysis of developments in industry, agriculture, and the associated politics.
