The Range News is Maleny's premium Weekly Newspaper delivered each Friday
to the People of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland from Glasshouse to
Kenilworth and west to Peachester.

Baptist Union expects to make
decision on Pastor before Christmas

by Simon Roper

The Baptist Union of Queensland said it should make a decision over the fate of Douglas Ray Ensbey, the former Pastor of the Maleny Baptist Church, before Christmas.

Pastor Ensbey was stood down at the beginning of last month pending the outcome of the BUQ decision, which may or may not see him defrocked permanently and Maleny seek a new Pastor.  “I can’t guarantee anything, but the chances are we will reach a decision next week,” said Rev. Dr David Loder, a spokesperson for the BUQ.   “If it isn’t next week it will probably be the week after that.”

The BUQ declined to give an account of which way the vote was likely to go on a decision which has been pending since late November.   Earlier this year Ensbey was given a non-custodial sentence by a Brisbane court for his roll in shredding evidence of sexual abuse between two of his former parishioners in Sandgate.