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| Herman Alexander |
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HERMAN ALEXANDER REPORT
Walnut Hill Church of Christ,
10550 Marsh Lane,
Dallas, TX 75229
Telephone: (214) 351-3731
October, 2008
Hello!
New Zealanders have two things to say about the winter season that has just passed: it was one of the wettest on record, and it was one of the mildest temperature-wise. Well, it is now supposed to be Springtime, but that cool weather keeps hanging on.
TO AUSTRALIA
As the third quarter at South Pacific Bible College was drawing to a close, Steve Raine, Principal, asked me to go to Australia during the break between quarters. So, from September 27 to October 7, I was in Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city (3.2 million).
I had the opportunity of being with the Southeast congregation, Sunday – Thursday, September 28th to October 2nd. That involved teaching an adult Bible class and preaching on Sunday morning. Then, we spent Sunday evening through Thursday evening in a study of “Congregational Leadership.”
Sam, Kate, and David Adkins. The Adkins family, originally from North Ireland, attended Preston Road School of Preaching (later Center for Christian Education). Upon David’s graduation, 1981, they went to Australia and have been there since then.
The Southeast congregation consists of about 40 members, however, their attendance runs 60+. It was established by the David Adkins family a few years back. I enjoyed getting to meet some “old acquaintances” there and establish new friendships while with these brethren.
Belmore Road church.
Belmore Road congregation, October 5, 2008.
The person leading the singing – John Cooper --was one of the young people from the Northern Districts congregation during our Adelaide days.
The next part of my stay was with the Belmore Road church, a congregation of about 100 members. They have two Elders and three Deacons, and while there I enjoyed the warm hospitality of one of the Elders, Charles Hooi, in whose home I stayed.
While we were in Adelaide, Australia (1971-80), I had the privilege of preaching in a mission at Belmore Road in 1972. We had opportunity to visit those brethren occasionally in the years after that. Then in 1982, after Rosann and I had returned to the States, I was back in Australia for several weeks and preached in another mission at Belmore Road. So, it was good to be with them again.
Belmore Road has enlarged their building (just about doubled it in size) that they had in our “Australia days.” A mission field has been moved right to their front door: the area now has a very large Chinese population. As a part of their outreach effort, the congregation conducts “twin services” on Sunday morning: English and Chinese.
Bob and Melba Abney
While in Melbourne, I had an opportunity to “catch up” with Melba and Bob Abney, now of Albany, Georgia. Melba was a nurse, and Bob was a high school teacher in Searcy, Arkansas, for 31 years.
The Abneys are known all over Australia. Bob started spending his “summer vacation” in mission activities in Australia in the late 70s. When both retired from their careers, they moved to work full-time in Australia for a period of five years.
Bob and Melba Abney; Swee and Charles Hooi.
When I was a Junior at Harding University (“College” in those days), Bob was a graduate student, completing his Master of Education degree. He preached each Sunday near El Dorado, Arkansas, and I preached in Sheridan. Since I did not have a car and he did, I rode with him each week to and from the preaching assignment.
FOURTH QUARTER
The fourth and final quarter of the school year at South Pacific Bible College is now under way. The short break gave everyone some time to “catch up” and “freshen up” for the last “run” of the year.
In addition to preaching at Hamilton, I will be teaching five days per week until November 17. At that time I am scheduled to go back to Fiji, my third year to do so.
A ROUGH RIDE!
The last two weeks of September and what we now have of October have been very troubling times around the world. The financial crisis is almost unprecedented in its global impact. Prayer on behalf of government leaders (worldwide) is certainly appropriate at this time!
A CONTINUING “THANK YOU.”
Rosann and I are very grateful to all of you who make it possible for this work to be done. In one of our earlier reports, we closed by referring to a significant statement made by David in regard to the “teamwork” of all those allied with him. He stressed that those who kept the baggage should share with those who were in battle: “For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike” (1 Sam. 30:24).
We continue to feel the same way. Our work involves a similar kind of fellowship. We could not “go” if you did not “send.” We are grateful to you for your sending!
Shalom!
Herman C. Alexander,
halex727@aol.com
Click here to go to a report from Cambodia!
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