Together for Communities – SA 2026

1 October 2026
Tabor College
Millswood, SA
9:30 - 13:00pm

Hosted by COACH Network, Together for Communities brings together churches, community leaders and local changemakers for a time of inspiration, learning and connection.

Hear practical insights and stories of hope as we explore how to create lasting impact in our communities and live out the way of Jesus together.

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Keynote Speaker

Dr Ian Dicks
Dean of Ministry Practice
Tabor College Dr Ian Dicks

Ian Dicks is Dean of Ministry Practice and Lecturer in Ministry Engagement and Missiology at Tabor College, Adelaide. Originally from Adelaide, Ian and his wife Wendy spent more than 20 years working interculturally among the Muslim Yawo people in Malawi with Baptist Mission Australia. Their work involved sharing the good news, establishing communities of Jesus’ followers, and serving alongside local communities.

Contributors Including

Danielle Teefy
Senior Pastor
Encounter Church

Danni & her husband Ben have been the Senior Pastors of Encounter Church since Feb 2023. In Jan 2016 they moved from Brisbane with their 3 young daughters India, Molly and Lilly to be the Lead Pastors of Desert Life Church in the very heart of Australia, Alice Springs.  

Danni is passionate about community engagement and bringing hope and kindness to those doing life tough. Here in SA, Danni is the Co-ordinator of Encounter Care and loves working with passionate volunteers to be a  blessing to the community.  

Danni enjoys Ben’s cooking, family time and is enjoying exploring SA.   

Gary Martin
Northern Communities of Hope (NCOH)Gary Martin
Northern Communities of Hope (NCOH)

Gary is the lead pastor of Northern Communities of Hope (NCOH), a church based in the northern suburbs of Adelaide (Davoren Park). NCOH seeks to bring renewed hope through Jesus’ love into Davoren Park and beyond, by offering a safe, loving, and welcoming space where every person’s story is valued, and where every person can be empowered to step into God’s purposes and plans for their life. NCOH is a place to be accepted and supported: a place to belong. NCOH’s outreach ministries include counselling services, community meals, a drop in centre, food distribution, and life skills workshops. 

Gary is also the co-founder (with his wife Deb) and Chief Executive Officer of Hands of Hope Foundation (the Foundation), a registered charity that supports survivors of family and domestic violence. The Foundation is the leading provider of trauma support/recovery group services in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. The Foundation has also been a recipient of Zonta’s ‘Making a Difference’ award. 

Gary has been a recipient of the Westfield ‘Local Heroes’ award. Gary and his family are also regular travellers to Bangalore India, where they work with, and support, Bangalore City Mission. 

Rev Dr Julie Gardiner
Senior Leader Christie’s Beach Baptist Church
& Community Development Lead of the SAFE Centre

Rev Dr Julie Gardiner is Senior Leader at Christie’s Beach Baptist Church and Community Development Lead of the SAFE Centre, the church’s community ministry arm. Julie has experience in church planting and developing emerging faith communities on the margins, particularly among people who have not traditionally connected with church spaces. Her work also includes community engagement, family and domestic violence and abuse prevention, and building partnerships across church, community, government, and academic sectors. She holds a PhD exploring dialogue and LGBTQIA+ discourse within Baptist churches in South Australia. Julie is committed to helping churches engage safely, compassionately, and missionally within their local communities. 

Date

Oct 01 2026

Time

9:30 am - 1:00 pm

Location

Tabor College
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