The 2024 Omega Writers Incorporated Annual General Meeting was held via Zoom on 14 October 2024.
Meredith Resce stepped down from her role as interim President. Carolyn Tonkin was joyfully voted in with the support of the membership present.
Carolyn’s first order of business was to thank outgoing committee members Carolyn Miller and Cecily Paterson, and welcome incoming general committee member Dr Peter Court. She also thanked outgoing secretary Adele Jones and welcomed Karen Roper into the role.
About Carolyn Tonkin
Carolyn Tonkin is a teacher, writer, mentor and musician. Mother to three grown-up daughters, and Nanna to five grandsons, Carolyn began her life in Adelaide, S.A. where she became a Christian at 15 years of age. As a teenager Carolyn regularly sang at various church events, sharing her testimony of God’s faithfulness in her life. Some forty years on she still sings and now writes to share her love of Jesus. Carolyn currently lives on the outskirts of the beautiful Yarra Valley, in Melbourne, with her husband Rob and their ‘naughty tortie’ Coco.
A note from our new president
“I’m sitting in my backyard on this sunny Sunday afternoon, enjoying the warmth and reflecting on the beautiful bright green Spring growth in our trees and shrubs. What has laid dormant throughout winter is now bursting with life, and a flourish of colour.
God often speaks to me through nature and once again as I sit thinking and praying about my own writing, I find myself giving thanks to God for Omega Writers and the growth it has brought, not just for me but to all who are involved.
Omega Writers started out as a vision that God deposited over thirty years ago to some faithful women in Queensland. They took that seed and planted it, nurtured it, and watered it with prayer and the Word and saw it grow and bear fruit.
Recently, as I was praying about my role as incoming President of our organisation, I asked the Lord what he required of me. What of the vision now? Let me share with you the picture I received as I prayed.
I saw a map of Australia surrounded by water, with a huge tree, situated in the centre of my picture. The trunk was thick and strong and the branches were spread in all directions across Australia. The leaves on the branches were green, whilst the new growth was a lighter, more vibrant green, but the tree was clearly healthy.
I felt the Lord say, ‘See how the seed I planted all those years ago has grown? See how beautiful it is? That is my work; I have caused it to flourish. I sent the sun to shine on it and I opened the heavens to water it, and now it has grown into a tree that will provide for all who choose to sit under its shade.’
I smiled as I saw the picture but there was more.
‘But…in order to keep the tree healthy you must look after it. I will plant new chapters and they will continue to spring up all over the country, but you must stay unified under me. I will bring new opportunities from other places to support your growth, places you didn’t expect. I will enhance your connections and give you favour in places not seen before, but you must remain unified.’
I took a deep breath and nodded.
So, as your President, I am already praying for unity for our organisation and I’m asking you to join me. The Word of God instructs us to pray for our leaders, so I’m inviting you to pray for our Team – the Team that brings you Conference each year, (and what an outstanding conference it was!) the Chapter group leaders who look after your groups, the Treasurer, the Secretary, the people in IT who look after our Website and Marketing, the ones who organise workshops and competitions, such as the Caleb Awards. Please pray. Pray without ceasing, because prayer is powerful and effective, and it bears fruit!
Yours in Christ,
Carolyn Tonkin