Meet Our Team
Karen
Rev. Karen Mitchell - Lambert is our Minister. Karen is an ordained Deacon (ask her what that means) in the Uniting Church and has been in ministry for 30 years. Her specialty is community engagement and working with Children and families but she also loves our Oldies just as much. Karen is our Team Leader, she takes the vision set by the congregation and helps make that a reality with the Church Council. Karen is married to Boo, has 2 kids, Jeramie who lives in Tassie and Leah. She loves to be creative and try new things. She has a particular interest and passion for art and craft as spiritual practice. She understands that sport is important to a lot of people but doesn’t follow a code. You can contact here through email Karen@gpuc.org.au.
Courtney
Nicola
Nicola Robinson is our Ministry Co-ordinator. Nicola runs our playgroups on Tuesday and Wednesdays. She is a trained teacher having taught all ages, from kindergarten to Year 12. She is a Mother and grandmother of three. She has been involved in ministry at Gordon and then Gordon-Pymble Uniting church in various and very diverse roles over the last 20 years. Like Karen, Nicola understands that sport is important to a lot of people, which includes her. She loves her Rugby- Go Brumbies and Wallabies, and AFL, Go Geelong and cricket- go Australia You can contact her through email Nicola@gpuc.org.au or text her. Nicola works Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Sonja
Courtney is our Community Networking Pastor. She has worked at GPUC for 8 years, initially running playgroups. Her varied roles over the years have included running community projects with young people and their families, and doing meaningful projects that support not-for-profit organisations. Her speciality is connecting community members and other like-minded community organisations. In her Community Coordinator role, she helps provide an avenue for community to build through finding volunteers to convene various groups. Courtney and her family live locally. She has two daughters (primary and high school) and has a gorgeous GSP puppy dog who they all adore. Her family loves the great outdoors, running, and are sport fanatics. Courtney can’t live without a perfect sunrise and keeping life simple.
Sonja Paterson is our Admin and Facilities Coordinator. Sonja is GPUC "family" - she began volunteering at our Gordon office in 2005 when her youngest child started school and became a member of staff in 2021. Based at our Pymble office, Sonja works Wednesdays through Fridays looking after reception, accounts and invoicing, room booking enquiries and regular hirers for both our sites; as well as providing administrative support to our Minister, Treasurer, Business Team and other internal groups. Sonja also produces our weekly congregational newsletter.
Larissa
Larissa looks after all things around reaching & empowering people within their first third of life. She has a passion for working with those in the local community and hopes to meet people wherever they are at through care and discipleship. Growing up in church communities, she has been apart of ministry within places of all shapes & sizes since she was young, and has a degree in theological studies. Larissa is a creative and loves to be fixing & creating things with her hands. She loves a good swim, to make homemade pasta & has often got her head stuck in a book.