Paul Cohen

City to Surf

Quiz time, Carols @ Lawson December 2019

St Simon’s 40th Anniversary

Paul completed the Mental Health First Aid Certificate course in April 2019 – he learned a lot, and he highly recommends the course!

Paul & Sue (a workforce planner) were married in 1987; they have a daughter 27, and two sons 24 and 22, & Sue’s mum Judy has been an integral part of their family life for the past 25 years.

After growing up and then ministering in Sydney (Camden Parish 4yrs & Malabar Parish 8yrs) we ministered in Cooma Parish (NSW) from 2005 to April 2013, when Paul then joined the energetic folk at St Simon’s in May 2013 – & he is thoroughly enjoying his time with them! Paul considers himself very blessed by the Lord to be ministering amongst and alongside mature, energetic & godly people.

Paul was diagnosed with CLL (chronic leukaemia) in Sept 2018, & after 6 months of chemotherapy to March ’19, & a graduated return to work to June ’19, is back full-time and fit as a Mallee bull and harder to kill than a brown dog!

Paul is very grateful to all those who have prayed for him & continue to pray for him – and also very grateful to our Lord!

Paul was appointed Archdeacon of North Canberra in mid-2018. 

(For more info about Paul’s history and interests, check out Rev Paul Cohen on linkedin.com).

We welcomed Susan as our Deacon (honorary) as she began her ministry with us in 2016.

Susan is highly experienced in parish ministry.

Susan, with her husband Graeme, moved from ‘up north’ to Canberra to be closer to their family.

Tim at Kaleen Shops collecting food for Anglicare’s Pantry Appeal 2019

We welcomed Tim, Kylie & their daughter Emily into our church family in Dec 2017.

We farewelled Tim on Sunday 29th December 2019!

Tim was with us for two years to gain parish ministry experience as part of his training for Defence Force Chaplaincy in the Air Force from 2020.

Tim was posted to Edinburgh Air Base in South Australia in January 2020.

(it took a very large post-parcel!)

While on Sunday 17th September 2017 we farewelled Rev Tracey Matthews after two years as our Assistant Minister, we also sent her out to begin a pioneering ministry in the community.

We continued to partner with Tracey in her role as Pioneer Priest, both financially and as her church family.

Tracey was the Locum for 6 months (October ’18 to March ’19) while Paul was on sick leave.

Tracey returned to Canberra in 2022 after being the Rector of the Parish of Charlestown, NSW.

Reconciliation Sunday 3.6.18

Tracey commissioned local indigenous artist Leah Brideson to paint her vision for pioneer ministry (unveiled at her farewell, with Paul)

Tracey, with folk from St Simon’s who attended her Ordination as Priest on 26 November 2016