End of an era at number 47
Craig and Dannie Stephens farewell #47 and hand over leadership to Karen and Nathan Moulds. (Photo courtesy of The Weekly Times)
The couple who pioneered incarnational living within The Salvation Army in Australia have said goodbye to the community they have helped to transform.
Twelve years ago, Craig and Danni Stephens answered the call of God and moved into the disadvantaged and marginalised suburb of Macquarie Park in Sydney. Attached to Ryde Corps, the #47 mission house was the first of its kind in The Salvation Army in Australia.
“We’ve watched Jesus transform a whole community and all of us have grown in that,” says Craig. “Our every waking minute 24/7 for a dozen years was defined at Macquarie Park … our whole world existed there.”
But late last year Jesus put another call upon their hearts and they answered, with Craig to now manage The Salvation Army’s new Dooralong Transformation Centre on the NSW Central Coast. Earlier this month, the couple and their two children said goodbye to Macquarie Park.
“It’s all our children have ever known, our children have been raised in the context of community so to say goodbye to a neighbourhood who see your children as their own … it’s been a very surreal thing,” says Craig.
“[But we have] an absolute confidence that Jesus has immense good in store for Macquarie Park, and for the ministry … at Dooralong.”
Macquarie Park Mission will now be overseen by Nathan and Karen Moulds, former Salvation Army Edify leaders, who will move into #47 with their son, Justice.
“We are convinced that God has opened this door for our family and so we are faithfully running through it,” says Nathan.
“We have been connected to the Macquarie Park community for several years and already have many meaningful relationships in place.
“This new role will allow us to do so much more in the community and do far deeper life with the amazing individuals who call it home.”
Nathan will continue to work with Edify one day per week in 2013.
Learn more about incarnational living at salvos.org.au/Edify
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