Meet the Executive Officer, Rev (Deacon) Sandy Boyce
Sandy commenced in the role of Executive Officer of the Victorian Council of Churches on 19th April, 2022.
In reflecting on her new role, Sandy recalls the statement by Konrad Raiser (2003), former General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, who said that “ecumenism – the fellowship of Christian churches as a sign of hope for the world – is not a building project whose state we can describe in a neutral and objective way, but a living process with which we must engage if we want to understand and appreciate it.”
Sandy is looking forward to being part of the vital work of the churches finding their unity in Christ with an openness and appreciation of each other, and discerning with intentionality what God is up to in the world and joining in as part of the praxis of living ecumenism.
Sandy reflects, “In a fractured, conflicted world with all its challenges and divisions, the churches have an important leadership role to play in valuing what we share in common and building towards visible unity, as well as speaking into the public space through the lens of justice, compassionate care, peacebuilding initiatives, and reconciliation”.
Sandy is a Minister in the Uniting Church in Australia, ordained to the Ministry of Deacon in 2006. Sandy is co-convenor of the network of Deacons in the Uniting Church, and is the President of DIAKONIA World Federation. She coordinated the 2021 online Deacon Intensive for Deacon candidates.
Sandy has recently concluded a placement of 12+ years at Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide. She was also actively engaged in a number of church and community networks including – Convenor: Community Connections, Chair: Justice for Refugees, Chair: Refugee Advocacy Group (SA Uniting Church Synod), Chair: Public Theology and Mission (Synod Committee), and Homelessness SA Board. Sandy is a member of the Uniting Church Assembly Standing Committee.
Prior to her ministry in a congregation, Sandy served as the National Faith Development Consultant in the Uniting Church, overseeing activities and programs for youth and young adults (including National Christian Youth Convention, About F.A.C.E.).
Sandy worked for 6 years as the national People in Mission Coordinator for Uniting International Mission (now Uniting World, Uniting Church in Australia), coordinating volunteers in placements with partner churches in Asia, Africa and the Pacific, and coordinating short term immersion trips and work parties. She coordinated the ‘pre-service training’ for participants which included cross-cultural formation. As part of this work, Sandy had an opportunity to visit a number of partner churches who received volunteers from the Uniting Church in Australia including Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Tonga.
Sandy worked as the Youth Ministry Consultant in the South Australian Synod for six years, and prior to that was a youth worker in a congregation for three years. She was commissioned as an accredited youth worker in 1997.
Sandy also spent 20 years as a teacher in a number of schools in Adelaide, and had a year teaching in London.
Sandy has completed a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Theology, and a Graduate Diploma in Theology.
Sandy is married to Geoff Boyce, a retired university chaplain who has authored two books, Radical Hospitality:space for human flourishing in a complex world, and An Improbable Feast: the surprising dynamic of hospitality at the heart of multi faith chaplaincy . In 2021, in response to the Day of Mourning service Sandy led at Pilgrim, Geoff gathered stories from the congregation about their own recollections of learning about and engaging with Aboriginal people, published as Realisations and Reflections.
Sandy and Geoff have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren.
In her spare time, Sandy enjoys trying new recipes and loves to offer hospitality to visitors. She enjoys reading and movies and maintains a worship resources website and has a movie discussion resources website.