March 2014 – Making History !
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The month of March is always historic in my calendar, because it was on the 15th of March 1939, that my dear mother gave birth in the “Lynette” Private Nursing Home. 196 Glen Osmond road, Fullarton, in Adelaide South Australia.
A baby boy was named Frederick Christian Lever Evans. You won’t find another person in the world with that name. “Just as well” you say; It’s historic indeed!
For your interest here is an historic document my mother received not long after I was born. A Maternity Allowance Certificate that was issued by the Australian Government to mothers in those days of long ago.
No, I’m not about to talk about my history but I do feel entitled, now that I have reached the old stager’s age of 75years, to talk a little bit about historic things.
If you are under 50 years of age I will have probably lost you right now, thats why I have added a few pictures and a well produced Video to hopefully keep your attention, if I can! haha!
For me the journey of life has been a fascinating travelogue that has been built on the back of historic people & events.
Its only since retiring that I have come to really appreciate those that have gone before.
For example last week I attended the funeral of a good man who had contributed much to the Kingdom of God. You probably have never heard of him, but he left a legacy that should be admired and respected.
His name was Murray Kuskopf and was a great support to me in the ‘heady’ days of building the “Yukana” Retirement Village.
It could be said that it was Murray’s vision, and to that end he has left a living legacy.
Murray was the church treasurer and to that end was instrumental in managing the finance of Australia’s largest rural pentecostal congregation of that era, the Toowoomba Assembly of God.
It was a Church of historic significance, financially & practically supporting the work of the Assemblies of God Mission enterprise in Papua New Guinea. It sent teams of builders & workers to assist in the construction of the Lae Assembly of God Church in PNG as well as the Jubilee Bible College in Port Moresby.
Throughout western Queensland and the Darling Downs the Spring Street Assembly of God was looked upon as the “Light House” church of the region.
We should never count ‘down’ our contribution to history, be it ever so small in our own eyes. You can never tell how the legacy of your life will effect someone who you have met along life’s pathway.
While in Toowoomba this month I took a few photos of a family friend who is the sister of my deceased sister in law – Lorraine Evans.
All of us play a part in making history whether we like it or not. (click on this link)
Most who are reading this don’t know her, which illustrates the point that you don’t have to be an ‘A-lister’ or ‘Celebrity’ to leave a mark in this world.
Audrey Jones is in her 80s now, although to look at her you wouldn’t think so! She has travelled the world and garnered a vast knowledge of places and peoples.
Audrey was the daughter of early Queensland pentecostal family who attended and sang in the choir of the William Booth-Cliborn’s tent meetings in Fortitude Valley in the 1930s.
She was Dedicated as an infant by William Booth-Cliborn, who was the grandson of General William Booth of the Salvation Army, in 1931.
The family became members of Glad Tidings Tabernacle in 1942 after the Christian Covernant Church joined the Assemblies of God Fellowship of Churches in Australia.
In the 1959 Audrey travelled the world and participated in Church service wherever she could.
She sang in the Music for America Choir in Vancouver, BC Canada with Ethel Waters in 1960. She sang in the London Crusade Choir in 1962, and then the El Bethel Choir on Staten Is. New York in 1962.
Returning to Australia Audrey Jones kept serving God in her local church community.
- She taught religious instructions in special schools for 38 years.
- She was a Sunday School treasurer for over 30 years, and taught a teenager class in the 1970s.
- Audrey was instrumental in changing the policy for Occupational Therapists in Queensland Schools, through being involved in the Australian Association of Special Education and subsequently received an award and was appointed a Life Member.
- She was a Home Group leader, coordinator of the “Evergreens” seniors and to this day plays the piano/organ for church services as required.
- Presently Audrey is Librarian for the Metro Church Library and is custodian of thousands of books, personally cataloging 10,032 books as seen in the photos.
- Note; she is a keen historian of the Church’s history with photos of former Church Ministers and Royal Ranger shields hanging on the Library wall.
There is history in all of us! Your contribution may be greater than you think!
During my younger years when I was very ambitious to make a name for myself as a missionary and later as a pastor, (it’s called “Male Ego”). I was very mindful of scriptures such as Deuteronomy 19:14 which said “Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone, set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess”.
Other scriptures that moderated my ambition to demolish or spend wildly were Proverbs 22:28 and Job 24:2.
I treated with great respect the legacy I had been left by earlier generations, who had sacrificed a great deal to lay out the ethical standards, doctrinal beliefs & practices, material resources, buildings and capital to advance the Kingdom of God.
To the younger generations of christian leaders I entreat you all, to remember that you are custodians of all that has gone before. Build upon their legacy rather than trash it or pull it down.
If you trash your history you will leave a legacy of disrespect. If you treasure your history you will leave a legacy of honour and will be remembered with respect, by those who make history after you.
As a conclusion to this post I include a video courtesy of www.hopecentre.com the history of Glad Tidings Tabernacle.
Incidentally Betty & I were married in this historic building in 1964.
You will note in the video some people that you may know who are now nearing the end of their journey.
All have left a legacy! I trust your legacy will be a blessing to your children and grandchildren and if not to the community to which you were born into as a means of Divine Grace and Providence.