An auto electrician with an advanced trade certificate, I arrived in Dunedin early in 1966, at age 29, with my first wife and three sons, to begin the required (at that time) two years of university education prior to entering the Theological Hall, but turning 30 in October of that year, I was told I could begin the “Non-language” course at Knox – the full BD course, but with introduction to Greek and Hebrew rather than having to learn the languages. However, although having completed the greater part of a post-graduate degree, the resulting certificate from the Hall had no academic standing.
There were 30 of us in our class and though most were content to do enough to pass with good marks, some felt the competitive edge provided by the prizes and I managed to win the Ebenezer prize as top non-language student, and the Cumming prize in theology.
My first appointment was to Mangapapa Union Parish in Gisborne, and after the five-year term, rather than an extension, I took a long shot and applied for an Assembly position to assist the Director of Ministry, thinking we could put up with Wellington’ weather for the period of the appointment. As it turned out, I served the Assembly for eighteen years before being called to St Ronan’s in Eastbourne.
After a career in Television producing such shows as Fair Go, Diane joined the Assembly team as Director of Communication, and we were married in the year I began ministry at St Ronan’s. When preaching for the call I had to sit somewhat painfully on a stool to preach, with my arm in a sling, having collided with a runaway truck in Ngauranga gorge two days before. A parishioner was heard to say “He doesn’t smile much, does he”.
When Diane began her training for ministry, we moved to Dunedin, and the university assessed my marks, earned while studying at the Hall, and said that if I liked to do another 3 papers at 300 level, they would grant me a B Theol. At that time I was working as Mission Facilitator for the Dunedin Presbytery, so I did, and at the end of that year both Diane and I graduated BTheol at the same ceremony.
That also allowed me to journey with her through the two-year training course which followed, at the then School of Ministry. This included the most effective practical training program I know about.
When I started my training, I recall the the Professor of Theology saying “We are not here to train you in ministry. We’re here to teach you to think theologically”.
Our practical training consisted largely of the 6 weeks ‘Summer Supply’.
In stark contrast, Diane’s class of ten students had a weekly group discussion analysing every student’s performance in each of their four 6-months placements over the two years. That meant detailed consideration, in real time, of 40 different pastoral situations. This was under Milton Coleman. During that period, I was invited to act as mentor for two of the students in their areas of special interest, while I was one of three male “Div wives”.
With the sale of the student housing, training for ministry then moved to the internship model, and at Wānaka, where Diane had been called, we had an intern from the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership. There was a congregational group reflecting with her on the course of her training and local experience. I also acted as field supervisor for an intern at Queenstown, and pastoral supervisor for the minister at Te Anau.
While she was minister at Wānaka, I became convener of the Ministry Committee of Southern Presbytery and executive secretary for the Assembly Leadership Workgroup, and on her retirement, we returned to Eastbourne, to a house we had bought before we left – it was 15 years before we had the pleasure of living in it. (In the meantime, the tenants had paid off our mortgage)
We have both continued to be active in the congregation and the Presbytery, while enjoying the everchanging beauty surrounding our habour home