Clergy at Holy Trinity
Reverend Robert Newton KSJ, Vicar
Robert Keith Newton was born in Cardiff, Wales, the youngest of five children and was educated at the Bishop of Llandaff School before going to university. In his home parish of St Paul's Grangetown, Robert was a chorister (also singing with the Welsh National Opera on two occasions- St Matthews Passion Cardiff 1974 and Billy Budd the Opera touring Spain 1975) and server, later to be a member of parish council. After school he went to Manchester University where he gained a 2 (1) Honours degree in Politics and Modern History in 1983 writing his primary source thesis on the Jesuit Missions in Matabeleland 1880-1920. Following his studies at University he went to work as a USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) missionary teacher in Zimbabwe at St James Anglican Mission Nyamandhlovu, 100 kms northwest of Bulawayo.
On returning to the UK in 1986 he was selected for ordination training by the Church of England under the auspices of the Diocese of Hereford and studied at St Stephen's House Oxford where he met such luminaries as JND Kelly (Early Christian Creeds), Archbishop Michael Ramsay, Rowan Williams Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity (later to be Archbishop of Canterbury) and Dennis E. Nineham (Gospel of St Mark). He was ordained Deacon and Priest in 1989 and 1990 at Hereford Cathedral and served as assistant curate in the parish of Ludlow. For the first year of his ministry he toured around the parish in his cassock on a moped, eventually learning to drive a car to avoid getting soaking wet. He has served as an assistant priest (Ludlow) and a school chaplain (Malvern College) before coming to Australia and has worked in independent church schools in South Australia (Trinity College Gawler) and New South Wales (Newington College Sydney).
Since 2000 he has served as Assistant Priest at Christ Church Warrnambool and Chaplain at Deakin University, Rector of Glenelg-Wannon (Coleraine/Casterton) and as Archdeacon of Ballarat. Robert has also served as Vicar of Christ Church Brunswick 2007-2014 and as Archdeacon of La Trobe 2011-2014. Since being in the Diocese of Melbourne Robert has been on Archbishop in Council, the Building Committee of the Diocese, the legislation committee that wrote the 2013 Parish Governance Act and served for ten years on the Melbourne Anglican Diocesan Schools Commission plus Director at Hume Anglican Grammar 2011-2021. He is currently a Stakeholder Member of Trinity Grammar School. In 2023 he was awarded the honour of a Knight of St John.
Robert's interests include travel, fishing, gardening, model trains, watching Rugby Union and supporting the Geelong AFL team. Some of his lifetime achievements have been to sing in an opera, to tie his own fishing flies, educate and help some of the world’s poorest people, build an indoor and outdoor model railway and successfully plant a 3-acre vineyard in the Barossa Valley. He has a wife, Jane who teaches prep at Hume Anglican Grammar and daughter Darcey who, after completing her schooling on a state dance scholarship at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, has now completed a nursing degree at Deakin University and is currently undertaking training at the University of Melbourne to be a Doctor of Physiotherapy.
Robert Keith Newton was born in Cardiff, Wales, the youngest of five children and was educated at the Bishop of Llandaff School before going to university. In his home parish of St Paul's Grangetown, Robert was a chorister (also singing with the Welsh National Opera on two occasions- St Matthews Passion Cardiff 1974 and Billy Budd the Opera touring Spain 1975) and server, later to be a member of parish council. After school he went to Manchester University where he gained a 2 (1) Honours degree in Politics and Modern History in 1983 writing his primary source thesis on the Jesuit Missions in Matabeleland 1880-1920. Following his studies at University he went to work as a USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) missionary teacher in Zimbabwe at St James Anglican Mission Nyamandhlovu, 100 kms northwest of Bulawayo.
On returning to the UK in 1986 he was selected for ordination training by the Church of England under the auspices of the Diocese of Hereford and studied at St Stephen's House Oxford where he met such luminaries as JND Kelly (Early Christian Creeds), Archbishop Michael Ramsay, Rowan Williams Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity (later to be Archbishop of Canterbury) and Dennis E. Nineham (Gospel of St Mark). He was ordained Deacon and Priest in 1989 and 1990 at Hereford Cathedral and served as assistant curate in the parish of Ludlow. For the first year of his ministry he toured around the parish in his cassock on a moped, eventually learning to drive a car to avoid getting soaking wet. He has served as an assistant priest (Ludlow) and a school chaplain (Malvern College) before coming to Australia and has worked in independent church schools in South Australia (Trinity College Gawler) and New South Wales (Newington College Sydney).
Since 2000 he has served as Assistant Priest at Christ Church Warrnambool and Chaplain at Deakin University, Rector of Glenelg-Wannon (Coleraine/Casterton) and as Archdeacon of Ballarat. Robert has also served as Vicar of Christ Church Brunswick 2007-2014 and as Archdeacon of La Trobe 2011-2014. Since being in the Diocese of Melbourne Robert has been on Archbishop in Council, the Building Committee of the Diocese, the legislation committee that wrote the 2013 Parish Governance Act and served for ten years on the Melbourne Anglican Diocesan Schools Commission plus Director at Hume Anglican Grammar 2011-2021. He is currently a Stakeholder Member of Trinity Grammar School. In 2023 he was awarded the honour of a Knight of St John.
Robert's interests include travel, fishing, gardening, model trains, watching Rugby Union and supporting the Geelong AFL team. Some of his lifetime achievements have been to sing in an opera, to tie his own fishing flies, educate and help some of the world’s poorest people, build an indoor and outdoor model railway and successfully plant a 3-acre vineyard in the Barossa Valley. He has a wife, Jane who teaches prep at Hume Anglican Grammar and daughter Darcey who, after completing her schooling on a state dance scholarship at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, has now completed a nursing degree at Deakin University and is currently undertaking training at the University of Melbourne to be a Doctor of Physiotherapy.
Reverend Zhuhong (Ruth) Li DSJ, Parish Priest
Ruth Li was ordained priest on the 25th November 2023 at St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne. She holds the degrees of the Master of Theology and Bachelor of Theology after five years of full-time studying at Trinity College Theological School from 2017-2021. She studied CPE at the Banyule Network of Uniting Churches CPE Centre and gained the Diploma in Counselling and Family Therapy (Christian) after studying at the Australian Institute of Family Counselling.
She and her son, Paul, migrated to Australia on 29, December 2006, after marrying Alfred Fisher in March 2006 in China, who was an Australian citizen and a China-born child to the British Pioneer Missionaries couple, Harry and Victoria Fisher. She studied the English Language for four years full-time at Ballarat University and trained for Full-time Ministry Worker Program in the Chinese Language online with Cedar Training Centre, USA. A choir member from 2009-2016 and an organ player in 2012 at St John’s Soldiers Hill Ballarat, and a member of the Ballarat Choral Society.
Ruth was baptized in Jinsiweiliulu Church, China, by Pastor Hongwei Zhang, and confirmed in Ballarat Grammar School by Bishop Michael Hough.
Ruth worked for 17 years as a music class teacher and the Art Music Group leader at Shandong Jinan Huiwen Experimental School, China, and for five years as a Holy Music lecturer at Shandong Theological Seminary after her full-time schoolwork. She also was the music director for four years in the Shanlizhuang Church, Jinan City, China. She graduated from the Music Specialties Faculty of Arts and School Education at the Shandong Normal University, China.
Ruth has a son, Paul, who is married to Rebeca. And Ruth is the grandma of Nova, who is the first-born baby of Paul and Rebeca.
Ruth’s interests include witnessing, singing praise to the Lord, playing the organ, piano, and violin, gardening, sewing, weaving, cooking, reading, and most sports activities. Ruth was awarded the honour of a Dame of St John in 2024.
Ruth Li was ordained priest on the 25th November 2023 at St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne. She holds the degrees of the Master of Theology and Bachelor of Theology after five years of full-time studying at Trinity College Theological School from 2017-2021. She studied CPE at the Banyule Network of Uniting Churches CPE Centre and gained the Diploma in Counselling and Family Therapy (Christian) after studying at the Australian Institute of Family Counselling.
She and her son, Paul, migrated to Australia on 29, December 2006, after marrying Alfred Fisher in March 2006 in China, who was an Australian citizen and a China-born child to the British Pioneer Missionaries couple, Harry and Victoria Fisher. She studied the English Language for four years full-time at Ballarat University and trained for Full-time Ministry Worker Program in the Chinese Language online with Cedar Training Centre, USA. A choir member from 2009-2016 and an organ player in 2012 at St John’s Soldiers Hill Ballarat, and a member of the Ballarat Choral Society.
Ruth was baptized in Jinsiweiliulu Church, China, by Pastor Hongwei Zhang, and confirmed in Ballarat Grammar School by Bishop Michael Hough.
Ruth worked for 17 years as a music class teacher and the Art Music Group leader at Shandong Jinan Huiwen Experimental School, China, and for five years as a Holy Music lecturer at Shandong Theological Seminary after her full-time schoolwork. She also was the music director for four years in the Shanlizhuang Church, Jinan City, China. She graduated from the Music Specialties Faculty of Arts and School Education at the Shandong Normal University, China.
Ruth has a son, Paul, who is married to Rebeca. And Ruth is the grandma of Nova, who is the first-born baby of Paul and Rebeca.
Ruth’s interests include witnessing, singing praise to the Lord, playing the organ, piano, and violin, gardening, sewing, weaving, cooking, reading, and most sports activities. Ruth was awarded the honour of a Dame of St John in 2024.
Reverend Lesley Dixon DSJ, Honorary Parish Deacon
On 28th of February 1999, I was ordained to the permanent Diaconate at St.David's Cathedral, Hobart, Tasmania.
For many years before this, our home had been used for Home Groups, Bible Study and prayer. These Home groups were a result of our being involved with the Church and Life Movement which we had participated, whilst living in Box Hill, just before moving back to Tasmania. We had many people attend these small groups, from different denominations. One result from this was our involvement with Christian Education in the State Schools, particularly the local schools which our Children attended (four of them). I participated in the State Working Committee with the Catholic Education Centre, Hobart, Tasmania,
Another outcome was that I realized we had people attending with significant personal needs, so I applied for entrance to the Clinical Pastoral Education Course (C.P.E) at the Royal Hobart Hospital. We were assigned to various wards for our internship and I was allowed to participate in both the General and Psychiatric Wards.
The latter was very unusual as Psychiatry was not very open to Chaplaincy personnel at that time. My "mentor" was most encouraging and I was admitted to the College of Chaplains, having studied to Advance level. There was no possibility of my being able to attend Theological Institutions because of family commitments, until courses were set up in Hobart. Two of us who participated were subsequently ordained by the Anglican Church of Aust.
Eventually I was able to take Pastoral Care groups and ended up on the payroll as Art Therapist/ Diversional Therapist at St. Helens Hospital and the Royal. There was an understanding that Pastoral Care was the underlining motivation of all that I undertook. With the latter position, the Nurse Manager and myself wrote the job description together, which even included my little dog Oscar, who was called " the best therapist on the ward".
Our home was also used to accommodate some children who were living with stress and under Anglicare supervision. We became the first Homesharers for Anglicare Tasmania. Some adults also found shelter. It was a large house and we were so grateful to be able to use it in these different circumstances.
My husband became unwell and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and eventually Kidney failure. He was very stoic and brave during this time and found his faith in God a great comfort. We nursed him at home with the help of some very good friends until he passed peacefully into his eternal rest.
A few years later, Oscar at 15 years of age, also left this earthly realm. With the sadness of losing the two loves of my earthly attachments I knew it was time to move on. Selling up the home and moving to Melbourne went miraculously smoothly, without any dramas, for which I was most grateful. Thus I arrived to be with my daughter and family, two other grandchildren and Holy Trinity Church.
My daughter, also involved with Mental Health as well as ordained Deacon in the Uniting Church and responsible for the Boroondara Community Outreach centre, invited me to continue working in this area. On Mondays and Thursdays supervise two groups of courageous and caring people.
Attending Holy Trinity and being able to participate wherever I am able, has been both a challenge and very rewarding. The challenge has been trying to remember everyone's name. Name tags are a wonderful thing! The rewarding part is getting to know the congregation and the many stories that can be shared. Retirement is not an option just yet. I would like to thank everyone for their love and most of all the encouragement that you give.
May God continue to bless us all as we walk together as one in the love of Christ. Lesley was awarded the honour of a Dame of St John in 2023.
On 28th of February 1999, I was ordained to the permanent Diaconate at St.David's Cathedral, Hobart, Tasmania.
For many years before this, our home had been used for Home Groups, Bible Study and prayer. These Home groups were a result of our being involved with the Church and Life Movement which we had participated, whilst living in Box Hill, just before moving back to Tasmania. We had many people attend these small groups, from different denominations. One result from this was our involvement with Christian Education in the State Schools, particularly the local schools which our Children attended (four of them). I participated in the State Working Committee with the Catholic Education Centre, Hobart, Tasmania,
Another outcome was that I realized we had people attending with significant personal needs, so I applied for entrance to the Clinical Pastoral Education Course (C.P.E) at the Royal Hobart Hospital. We were assigned to various wards for our internship and I was allowed to participate in both the General and Psychiatric Wards.
The latter was very unusual as Psychiatry was not very open to Chaplaincy personnel at that time. My "mentor" was most encouraging and I was admitted to the College of Chaplains, having studied to Advance level. There was no possibility of my being able to attend Theological Institutions because of family commitments, until courses were set up in Hobart. Two of us who participated were subsequently ordained by the Anglican Church of Aust.
Eventually I was able to take Pastoral Care groups and ended up on the payroll as Art Therapist/ Diversional Therapist at St. Helens Hospital and the Royal. There was an understanding that Pastoral Care was the underlining motivation of all that I undertook. With the latter position, the Nurse Manager and myself wrote the job description together, which even included my little dog Oscar, who was called " the best therapist on the ward".
Our home was also used to accommodate some children who were living with stress and under Anglicare supervision. We became the first Homesharers for Anglicare Tasmania. Some adults also found shelter. It was a large house and we were so grateful to be able to use it in these different circumstances.
My husband became unwell and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and eventually Kidney failure. He was very stoic and brave during this time and found his faith in God a great comfort. We nursed him at home with the help of some very good friends until he passed peacefully into his eternal rest.
A few years later, Oscar at 15 years of age, also left this earthly realm. With the sadness of losing the two loves of my earthly attachments I knew it was time to move on. Selling up the home and moving to Melbourne went miraculously smoothly, without any dramas, for which I was most grateful. Thus I arrived to be with my daughter and family, two other grandchildren and Holy Trinity Church.
My daughter, also involved with Mental Health as well as ordained Deacon in the Uniting Church and responsible for the Boroondara Community Outreach centre, invited me to continue working in this area. On Mondays and Thursdays supervise two groups of courageous and caring people.
Attending Holy Trinity and being able to participate wherever I am able, has been both a challenge and very rewarding. The challenge has been trying to remember everyone's name. Name tags are a wonderful thing! The rewarding part is getting to know the congregation and the many stories that can be shared. Retirement is not an option just yet. I would like to thank everyone for their love and most of all the encouragement that you give.
May God continue to bless us all as we walk together as one in the love of Christ. Lesley was awarded the honour of a Dame of St John in 2023.