It has been just four years since Roger and Sally Phelps moved to Forbes, but the town has quickly become home.

On Saturday, 6 December, they took another step into our community being ordained - together - as priests to serve in St John’s Anglican Church.

The ordination service was led by the Bishop of Bathurst, the Right Reverend Mark Calder, and attended by clergy from across the diocese, visiting priests from Sydney, as well as local parishioners, friends and community members.

The Phelpses moved to Forbes from Sydney in March 2021 to serve the Anglican parish as lay ministers.

They were ordained as deacons in February 2022 and content in that, so the step into priesthood has come with the encouragement of the church leadership - and their wonderful congregation.

“It’s an encouragement from the Bishop - and an encouragement of the church - that we continue to serve God faithfully in our new ordained role in the same way we were seeking to do that previously,” Roger said.

Day to day, they hope to continue to serve and connect with our community just as they have since their arrival.

And they will continue to serve together - sharing the vision and commitment to their community that has been so important as they walk alongside people through some of life’s most significant moments.

Bishop Mark Calder, who leads the diocese which covers central and western NSW, said it was a joy to ordain Roger and Sally together as priests in the church of God.

“Their work as deacons in Forbes, has demonstrated how well they work together as a team,” he said.

“They perfectly compliment one another in skills and gifts and their ministry over the last four years, has led both to numerical and spiritual growth in the church. We are so thankful to God for them.”

The Phelpses’ early months in Forbes were quickly shaped by challenges beyond their control.

NSW entered another COVID-19 lockdown in 2021, forcing the pair to rethink how they supported their congregation and community.

They stepped outside traditional church roles, delivering supplies to people isolating at home and finding new ways to maintain connection during an uncertain time - and so get to know people in different ways than they perhaps would have under normal circumstances.

The devastating floods of 2022 further tested the region, and one of the ways the church helped was working alongside Thread Together to host a free pop-up clothing hub for residents who had lost belongings.

Beyond crisis response, St John’s Anglican Church has focused on building everyday connections within the community. The church has taken part in local events including the Forbes Show and the Teddy Bears Picnic, while also launching regular activities such as a weekday playgroup and Sunday night table tennis.

Village Play runs at 9.30am on Monday mornings during school terms, while table tennis is held at the church each Sunday at 6.30pm.

“In all of it, we hope we can connect with people and get to know them,” Roger said.

“Through that we hope to help them get a sense of the value of knowing God and his care for people, because God is a loving God.”

The couple say they have been encouraged by the growth of the church and by the support they have received from the Forbes community.

Their move from Sydney was made with the blessing of their four adult children, and that support continues.

Three of them will give up part of their summer holidays to travel to Forbes and help run the church’s Summerfest program and its activities in January.

The sense of community and connection continues to be rewarding and they hope to meet more people through the program (see separate story for details).

“I love the size and the community of Forbes - I think it’s incredibly friendly,” Sally said.

This Christmas, they would love to welcome people to the church with both a Christmas eve service and Christmas morning service.

“As we celebrate Christmas we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus and we want people to see who Jesus is, that the Bible teaches and tells us that Jesus is the Saviour of the world,” Roger said.

“We want to encourage people to consider Him and trust him to save them. And it’s good news. God is a good God and He wants us to know Him.”