Seniors challenged to minister on
Former Salvation Army World Secretary for Women’s Ministries, Commissioner Lyn Pearce, was a guest speaker at the Australia Eastern Territorial Seniors Fellowship at Batemans Bay Corps this month.
Averaging 150 people each day, Commissioner Pearce spoke from the Bible passage, Romans 12:2, and based her sermons around the theme, Transforming Seniors.
Territorial Seniors Coordinator, Envoy Roz Edwards, said fellowship delegates were challenged about their ministry callings and left feeling energised.
“One of the key things she [Commissioner Pearce] said was, ‘God is never finished with us. Any use-by dates belong in supermarkets … there’s no retirement in ministry’.”
“They [conference delegates] really enjoyed the teaching. They felt that they grew in the spirit. I had a lot of people say that.”
The Army's William Booth Choir was invited to perform during the week along with Trevor White, who played the role of Jesus in the 1970s Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Sharing what it was like to play the role of Jesus, Trevor then sang Gethsemane, a song from the production, accompanied by Graeme Press.
“He just left the crowd numb. It was really powerful,” said Envoy Edwards.
More than $2300 was raised over the week for the territory’s rural chaplains. An original LP recording of Jesus Christ Superstar was auctioned for $150, there was a $300 anonymous donation and a number of other collections.
Among other special guests was Captain Mavis Salt, from Aged Care Plus Support Services, who shared about the Army’s development plan for ageing Australians.
Peter Davy, the territory’s Corps Based Ministry Development Coordinator spoke about transforming congregations, then Major Geoff Freind, corps officer in Morley, Western Australia, was invited to share his story of writing three books about his ministry work for the Army.
“The Lord really challenged him to write his story about ministry and the Lord challenged him about this in his 50s,” said Envoy Edwards.
“Since then, his ministry has skyrocketed. He thought he was getting ready to slow down. But it’s actually taken off.”
By obeying God’s instruction to write, Major Freind’s book sales have provided medical supplies including hospital equipment and an ambulance for The Salvation Army’s Chikankata Mission in Zambia, Central Africa.
Envoy Edwards said many seniors were already excited about next year’s fellowship which will be held in South Queensland from 6-9 October and will be based around the theme of “Seniors on a Mission.”
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