President - Rev. Gregor Henderson
Rev. Gregor Henderson became President at the Uniting Church’s 11th Assembly on 5 July 2006, succeeding Dean Drayton. Gregor is a Minister within the Canberra Central Parish, which includes the thriving Wesley Church in Forrest and the smaller St Aidan’s Church in Narrabundah.
Gregor was ordained as a Minister of the Word in 1971 and ministered previously in the parishes of Shepparton North (1971-1975), Wodonga (1975-1982) and Hobart City (1983-1988). He then served 12 years as General Secretary of the Assembly, from January 1989 to December 2000. For the three years of 2001-2003 he was the inaugural executive director of the Clergy Exchange International Foundation, an ecumenical agency which arranges short-term ministry exchanges across the world.
Gregor has wide ecumenical experience. He has been a member of the World Council of Churches Central Committee since 1998. He has served on committees and assemblies of the Christian Conference of Asia. He has been heavily involved in the National Council of Churches in Australia since its establishment in 1994. He has visited many of the Uniting Church’s overseas partner churches, particularly in Asia.
He currently holds national positions as chairperson of the Frontier Services Board and chairperson of the Commission for Christian World Service of the National Council of Churches in Australia. He has been a member of eight of the eleven Uniting Church Assemblies held to date - 1977, 1979, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006.
Gregor has three adult daughters, two sons-in-law and two grandchildren.
