Meet The Team

GFS is an organisation that has gathered up like minded Christian people – women initially and now men, who have answered the call to serve one another (just as our motto says “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ”). 

For me it has brought about a worldwide family of friends, accepting each other, and getting along with each other with God’s grace in abundance.

I have found a place to belong, a place where I can just be me, no great expectations, but to work together for the benefit of each other and to share the Good News of Jesus. 

There is always someone to call on who will pray for each other, to lend a hand, to be a friend as needed. 

I have moved from Hobart to Brisbane, knowing that I will find a similar group of women to share the GFS bond.

GFS is my way of serving others, it sharpened my desire to fulfill this through my employment as a teacher and in all aspects of my life. Good Friends Society!  

Who wouldn’t want to belong!

Hello there! I’m Helen. I’ve been a part of GFS since I started school at the age of four-and-a-half. In those days, you were supposed to start GFS when you turned seven, but I started early because my mum was a leader.

I grew up at GFS and started leading our group when I was 16, and I’m still leading more than 30 years later!

Throughout all these years, girls have come and gone from our local branch in Blackburn North, Victoria, but my passion for GFS has stayed strong as we have introduced so many girls from our local community and beyond to Jesus and His love for them and we continue to welcome them into a loving community that is focused on fun, friendship, belonging, learning and sharing the good news of the Gospel of Jesus. 

So as you can probably tell, GFS has been a very big part of my life.

Outside of our own GFS group, I have been on the National Executive for nine years prior to this term. I have also been a member of GFS Melbourne’s Executive for many years, stepping down from that Executive in 2014 to become the GFS/KidsPlus+ Liaison Officer.

This role has been in a consultancy capacity to help local churches in the Diocese of Melbourne employ Children’s Ministry Workers through financial assistance provided by GFS Melbourne.

I attended two National Camps as a camper and one as a leader, plus numerous World Council gatherings. The World Council gatherings have brought great joy to me as I have had my eyes opened to the wider ministry of GFS around the world, made wonderful friends and I’ve helped in little ways to grow the ministry and membership of GFS both locally, nationally and globally.

These gatherings have also given me just a little glimpse of what heaven might be like as we gather from many tribes, nations and languages and worship our great God together. What a great and certain hope we have to look forward to.

I joined GFS Emu Plains at 7 years old and would look forward to going every week because you were made to feel welcome and included, you would have fun playing games, you would learn new skills and crafts, learn how to serve, and care for others.

I loved story time and wanted to know more about Jesus and becoming a Christian. As I got older, I loved training to be a leader and becoming a leader and watching girls have the same delight as I did, wanting to know more about Christ and welcoming him into their hearts.

I love that GFS friendships last a lifetime, that GFS Friendships span all ages across the years and across the miles and all over the World. I love that we do not outgrow GFS and it is a lasting community of friends. I love that GFS provides a safe and caring environment where we can come together as women of God and provide support, prayer, and friendship to one another.

I love that GFS continues to inspire people especially girls and women in a faith-based organisation that believes that bearing One another’s Burdens and serving others with love, compassion and faith is what the world needs today.

What changes GFS has brought to my life

I was very shy and insecure as a child and didn’t have a lot of self-confidence in myself. But through GFS I learnt that God loves you, as you are, and I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me.

GFS brought mentors into my life who believed in me and helped me to identify my strengths, to build self-esteem and develop leadership skills. I would never have had the courage to take on leadership roles at Emu Plains, Sydney, Australia, and world if it hadn’t been for GFS.

It also helped me in my church life, with teaching scripture and in working with people with disabilities in my professional life.

It has also provided me with prayer and support from close to home to all over the world when I have gone through tough times and reminded me, I’m not alone, and has helped me to try and live up to our GFS Motto. “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ”.

I’m Bronwyn and I have been involved with GFS since I was about 7 when I joined St Mary’s at Geebung.

I have been involved with many branches over the years at Zillmere, Chermside, Strathpine and now at Clayfield. I love how GFS can influence so many lives.

GFS has changed my life in many ways; I have been mentored by wonderful wise women who were my GFS leaders, and now I have so many friends who continue to support and mentor me still.

I suppose the biggest change GFS has brought to my life was meeting my husband at a CEBS and GFS Leader training camp, and as they say the rest was history.

Hi I am the Reverend Canon Cheryl and I was delighted to be invited by our current National President to be GFS National Chaplain.

I began my GFS journey in my early adult years when I became a Townsend member, after the locum priest of our parish wanted to start a GFS group.

We had not had the joy of a GFS group at my local family church. It didn’t take long for me to put my faith into action, and I was appointed over time to most Diocesan, Provincial and then National positions. So, I am sure most of you will have met me at some point.

I live on semi-rural acreage with our little menagerie and my husband of over 40 yrs, Ross. Our only precious Daughter Jemma, now lives and works in London. Currently I am the Hospital Chaplain for Anglicare. In my spare time I volunteer as a teacher of speech reading and sign for Better Hearing Australia, love gardening, cooking, reading and travel.

This is my second time in this office, and I hope to bring encouragement and a message of hope to you all, as you put your faith into action also through GFS.

I have been a member of GFS since I was 7 years old and first joined at South Tamworth in NSW. My father worked on the railway and as we moved around the State, I have been lucky enough to have found GFS in most locations that we lived in.

I have been a Branch Leader, member of Diocesan, State and National Executives, as well as, attending World Councils in NZ, Wales, Ireland, Australia and South Africa, and sharing with leaders and young women throughout the many countries of the world where GFS has branches.

I have found a group of women who share a common passion to share the Gospel to young girls and women.

I have been blessed with many years of friendship and made many lifelong friendships. I have been privileged to travel to PNG and Melanesia to share fellowship and training with the girls and leaders.

I have found that my membership of GFS has been instrumental in the way that I live my life and the way that I try to model and teach my great grandchildren how to live.

GFS has been a major part of my life since I joined in Brisbane diocese in the late 1950’s, so a long association.

There were gaps when my husband worked in areas where GFS didn’t fit (eg St George’s Homes for boys!) but each time I came back to GFS it was with joy and anticipation.

It was always a blessing to work with girls and boys, particularly in rural areas where GFS became a part of small communities and very much an evangelistic tool.

Taking GFS to Papua New Guinea in the late 1980’s was a life changing experience and despite the many challenges I continue to be uplifted by the leaders there who have so little and give so much.

Being a part of the decision makers of GFS Australia and then the world opened so much in my life. I have been blessed with the friendships made, the countries I have visited, not as a tourist, but being allowed to be part of the GFS country families. Such a privilege.

I am conscious that I have been able to experience GFS at work in so many different areas around the world.

Despite the challenges that we face now in Australia, I believe that the purpose and motto of GFS will lead us to find a path, maybe of change.

Through faith in our God we will be led to action that may sometimes be difficult but will deepen our faith and lead to renewal.

I joined GFS at 7 years of age in Toowoomba, Queensland.  As I grew, my first leader became my mentor and encouraged my leadership and spiritual development. 

I remained with that group until my marriage.  I then became involved in GFS in Tasmania and Newcastle before returning to Queensland.  GFS has afforded me many opportunities since I joined, for example, attending Diocesan Camps, Australian Camps, Australian and World Councils as well as locally with girls and women together exploring life both within community and spiritually.

I am currently on the Executive of GFS Brisbane and on GFS National Executive.

GFS has been a big part of my life and has taken me to many parts of Australia and the World.

Everywhere I go GFS members are very welcoming and I have made many lifelong friends.