Dear Carey Community
Welcome back to the 2nd half of Semester One – I trust the study break has gone well for you.
I am e-mailing you as Chair of the Carey Baptist College Board to let you know that Charles Hewlett has indicated to the Board that his time as Principal is coming to an end and he will be stepping down at the end of Semester Two, 10 November 2017.
Charles writes, “I have been at Carey for thirteen years now, eight of these as the College Principal. It has been an amazing opportunity and experience for me and my family. However, I strongly believe it is time for Carey to have a new leader. Tertiary theological education and training is constantly changing and as we head to ‘Carey 100’ fresh ideas, relationships, and leadership are needed. I see this as only positive for myself, the College, and the Kingdom of God.
Carey is an incredible place to be and I step down with a lot of joy and thankfulness. The College has a strong key-stakeholder in the Baptist Union, a governance team with wisdom and insight, a staff that is exciting and dynamic, and a student body that has been a real privilege to serve. I will miss these things enormously but hope I am able to maintain a strong relationship with the College in the years that are ahead. I can honestly say I have given my best to Carey and the Baptist Union of New Zealand and it will always be a very special place to me.”
While I know you’ll join the Board in saying we’ll all miss Charles, we are extremely grateful for the healthy position that Carey is in as a leading tertiary institution that prepares people well for ministry and mission. Charles has expertly led a period of transition and growth at Carey, both in terms of numbers of students and also the strong outcomes we consistently achieve, and we have been blessed by his vision and leadership.
The Board will work through a process to not only honour Charles, but also ensuring that his legacy will continue with the appointment of a suitable successor. We’ll outline this process in due course and keep you informed.
Grant Harris
Chair – Carey Baptist College Board