Michael Cleary, Beverley Rankin and Matt Garvin will share the leadership duties for the growing work as part of Fusion's new 'National Directorate".
Michael Cleary is a Chartered Accountant who has been working with Fusion since leaving his Sydney practice in 1982.
Bev Rankin changed from a career in forestry to work with Fusion in 1983, currently lives in Orange, and has been involved with Fusion's training as well as youth work in secondary schools for much of her time with the organisation.
Matt Garvin is a former broadcast journalist who has been working with Fusion since 1992. Matt is the son of the founder of Fusion, Mal Garvin.
The three were appointed at Fusion's September 2010 conference and charged with the responsibility of managing the organization's transition to a truly international structure to reflect the growth of its work over the last 10 years.
Since 2002 when Fusion was only based in Australia, the organisation has expanded have work in 15 nations on 5 continents. Fusion's inaugural international congress was held after the conference, the meeting wrestling with some of the ways the organisation will need to develop as it continues to grow.
"The past 12 months since Mal's retirement have been some of the most challenging in Fusion's history whilst the opportunities both internationally and locally are immense", says Michael Cleary. "We are proud of the way our teams have been working in some of the most complex settings on the globe. It was Dom. Helder Camara said "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness" and that's just what Fusion is about. Whether in Sri Lanka, Nigeria the Red Centre of Australia or the Western Suburbs of Sydney, Fusion teams have been on the ground working with local people to bring hope."
"Fusion started with one teenager's dream in 1960. Since then thousands have found ministry through our pragmatic approach to living faith out in a way that transforms community" says Matt Garvin.
Bev Rankin says "The Rev. Dennis Obst (former head of Lutheran Missions South Australia) told us at this year's conference that we were beginning a new chapter and perhaps even a whole new volume in the story of Fusion International. That really is our sense as we prepare for what God seems to be indicating is ahead of us".
Poatina , the village in the heart of Tasmania which was established by the organisation as a model for how communities might care for their young people, celebrated it's 15th anniversary in July. Houses are now being made available for sale to people interested in being part of the unique community.
Fusion's six month course to prepare people for ministry in communities around the world has just opened enrollments for the January semester.