The Eremos Council
The work of Eremos is guided by Council members elected every two years at the Eremos Annual General Meeting. They meet 4- 6 times per year on Zoom, coordinating the teams who oversee various Eremos projects such as the magazine, events, retreats, regional groups, website and membership. Eremos Council members live in various parts of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
The following members were nominated and unanimously elected at the October 2022 AGM. We especially welcome Glenda, Neil, and Kim our newest members who joined the Council in 2022.
Meet the current Eremos Council members
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Glenda BlakefieldCouncil Chairperson Glenda is a new to the Eremos Council and has been connected to Eremos over a few years. She values the diverse and thoughtful approaches that Eremos brings to the deeper questions of life. Glenda is a recently retired Uniting Church Minister and brings experience of leading teams of people both inside and outside of the church, including various retreat settings and ecumenical networks. She has experience in interfaith friendships and would like to engage with our common threads and the rich interfaith hospitality those connections bring to the Australian community. Glenda lives with her partner John and our two dogs in the lower blue mountains of NSW and loves to garden. |
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Bethany South Retreat Team Bethany has been involved with Eremos for a number of years and joined the Eremos Council in 2016 as Chairperson. Bethany has been an active member of the Eremos Retreat team and co-hosted on-line Contemplative Book Groups during COVID lockdown. Bethany works near-full-time, is actively involved in the UCA and lives in suburban Sydney with her husband and has 2 adult children. Bethany enjoys reading, journalling, drinking tea, coastal walks and watching the tides change.
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Kate Scholl Events and Communications Coordinator Kate has been involved in Eremos since becoming its executive director in 1996, a role she served in part time for 8 years. She values the collaboration, the diversity, and the depth of perspectives members share.She is currently the Communications and Events coordinator (Voluntary) and offers numerous Intensive Journal workshops for Eremos. She lives in the Western suburbs of Sydney with her husband, Alex, and has 2 adult children.
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Elaine Alinta Council Vice Chairperson Elaine joined Eremos in 1997 after walking past a faded sign outside a church in Newtown that mentioned Australian spirituality. The 15th anniversary was the first event she attended. At the 30th anniversary event in Bathurst she took on the coordination of Books for Groups and also was elected to Eremos Council. She is a member of the Blue Mountains Eremos group. |
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Joe Janssen Treasurer Joe has been involved with Eremos for over 20 years and has been a Council member for over 10 years, firstly as Secretary and more recently as Treasurer. He enjoys chess, bridge and scrabble and is also involved as a volunteer on several community projects. |
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John Foulcher EREMOS Magazine Editor John was a foundational member of Eremos but wandered away into the wilderness for the next few decades. He returned, like the prodigal son, to edit the EREMOS magazine in 2018, a position he still holds. He lives just out of Braidwood on the NSW southern tablelands in an old Catholic church he has renovated with his wife, Jane, who is an Anglican priest. He has two delightful adult children, both of whom have wandered away, like the prodigal son, one to London and one to Melbourne. |
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Lindy Frazer Council Secretary Lindy has been a member of Eremos since 2007 and joined Eremos Council in 2014, currently serving as Minutes Secretary. She values the company of other authentic seekers of the Spirit of Love and Life. Lindy is passionate about environmental protection. She enjoys tending her small patch on the Central Coast of NSW, along with reading, crafting, music and yoga practice. |
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Louise DobsonEREMOS Editorial Team Louise has been involved with Eremos, after her aunt gave a gift subscription to Louise and her husband, in 2015. After providing feedback on a retreat weekend, Louise was asked to join the Eremos Council, in about 2017. Louise was on the Editing Team with Frances Mackay. Louise works as a hospital chaplain, and teaches Scripture, as well as being committed to her local Anglican Church. Louise is married with 4 (nearly) adult children.
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Neil MillarEvents and Communications Team Neil is new to the Eremos council and its Communications and Events committee. He values that Eremos is an inclusive association with its roots in Christianity, offering a forum and support for people to explore and deepen their spirituality in the Australian context. His passions include climate, country, contemplation, Camino-walking, music making and reflective learning. Neil lives in Canberra with Sarah. He has two adult sons and two cricket-mad grandsons. |
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Kim SamiMembership Communications Team Kim first came across Eremos in the late 1980’s when she attended an AGM at North Ryde and reconnected in 2021, via the magazine, registering for one of the Intensive Journal Workshops and attended the 40th anniversary event. Kim has been very active in local Catholic parishes and completed a Certificate in Pastoral Liturgy a few years ago.Kim regards herself as a liberal Catholic, open to all faith perspectives and none, as the Spirit, which is love and gives life meaning and purpose, dwells in everyone.Kim lives in Campbelltown in the Macarthur region with her husband and two rescue dogs. |
