Trudy Adams, Avondale graduate of 2007, published her first book last year. Another book of hers has now been accepted for publication, a Christian story for teenagers set in the Great Depression, to be published in November by a division of Wombat Books. Wombat is also considering a third book by Trudy. She is already working on her fourth.

Two of the four Avondale graduates of 2009 appointed as ministerial interns to the North New South Wales Conference have wives already serving as ministers in the Conference. Stephen Magaitis, appointed to the “My House” church plant in Newcastle, is married to Susan Magaitis, pastor of the Charlestown Church. Michael Chapman, newly appointed to the Kempsey district, is married to Bethany Chapman (nee Holland-Lillehagen), associate pastor at Port Macquarie. The other ministerial graduates appointed to North New South Wales are Darryl Groves (Murwillumbah) and Rick Hergenhan (Wallsend and Raymond Terrace).

Pastor Cyril Brown, Avondale graduate of 1949, has received the Outstanding Citizen Award of the Shoalhaven City Council, Nowra, NSW. According to the Mayor, only four such awards have been conferred in the history of the Shoalhaven. Pr Brown served as President of the Shoalhaven Meals on Wheels service for over twenty years, and at the age of eighty-eight still spends much of his time in community welfare service. He preaches regularly and still conducts Bible studies.

Pastor H R Martin, graduate of 1906, fathered four more generations of Avondale graduates: daughter Grace (Business 1932), grandson Martin Ward (BA Education 1959), greatgrandson Shayne Ward (Nursing 1986), great-great granddaughter Jessica Ward (BA Communication 2009).

Jessica Ward has a number of other Avondale graduates among her forbears: her mother Kim (nee Mitchell) (General Studies 1977); grandmother Olga Ward (nee Hill) (Primary Teaching 1958); great grandparents Walter and Marie Hill (nee Brabant) (Primary Teaching 1936 and 1935 respectively). Her great-great grandparents Frederick (Fritz) Ludwig and Ethel Ludwig (nee Hodgkinson) attended Avondale in 1930-1931 and 1929-1932 respectively.

Brenton Stacey

Author

Brenton Stacey

Brenton is Avondale University’s Public Relations and Philanthropy Officer. He brings to the role experience as a communicator in publishing, media relations, public relations, radio and television, mostly within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific and its entities.