Rev Dr Dean Drayton B.Sc (Hons), B.D., Ph.D.

Rodney Dean Drayton was born in Whyalla, South Australia in 1941. Dean spent his childhood growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide. Dean has received a B.Sc(Hons) at the University of Adelaide, B.D. at the Melbourne College of Divinity, and the Ph.D. at the Chicago Theological Seminary

A former Geophysicist, Dean was ordained as a Minister of the Word in 1969 in Kent Town, South Australia. He served as a Minister in three congregations, two in South Australia and one in the United States. He then worked as a Consultant for Evangelism for the South Australian Synod for five years followed by 16 years as the Executive Director of the Board of Mission in the New South Wales Synod. Dean was the Moderator of the New South Wales Synod Oct 1995 – Oct 1996 and had Pilgrims of the Cosmos published in 1996. During 1997 Dean spent time as a visiting Professor at the Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas. In 1999 he was appointed Lecturer in Theology: Missiology and Evangelism, at the United Theological College in Sydney.

Dean has been a member of the Assembly National Mission and Evangelism Committee from 1985 to 1998, and a member of the Standing Committee since 1991. He have traveled widely in Australia exercising his gifts of evangelism and mission, worked extensively with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Congress and, with the NSW Synod Pacific Island Council and Synod Korean Advisory Council.

Dean believes a first priority is to call congregations and church councils to reaffirm their first love to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and by the power of the Holy Spirit find new ways to serve, witness and worship in today and tomorrow’s Australia and beyond. He is convinced that it is vital to realise the gift that Aboriginal people bring to the mission of the church, as well as those whose heritage from other continents and cultures. He will continue the dialogue on sexuality within the church to which the Uniting Church has committed itself. He will affirm a series of Projects which will support the continuing development of a new generation of leaders with a vision for the mission of the Church

Dean believes that the Uniting Church has a unique role, seeing itself as part of the world wide church, looking forward to further Unions, and depending upon the Holy Spirit to shape its life as a witness to Christ for a new millenium.

Dean and his wife Sandra, have a married daughter and a son and four grandchildren. In his spare time Dean loves to visit his children and grandchildren, read Science and Biographies, and visit plant nurseries with cafes tucked away in side. Dean became President-Elect in 2000, and President of the Uniting Church in 2003.