Connections Archive

Alwyn died in Brisbane's Princess Alexandria Hospital from a brain haemorrhage on February 18 after falling nine days earlier. Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders and current and former Avondale staff members paid tribute to him during a memorial service in College Church on February 22.

Alwyn graduated from Avondale in 1947 and returned nine years later after graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago. He served as lecturer, librarian and registrar until 1964 and as dean and senior lecturer in the Theology Department from 1967 to 1973. Seven years of pastoral ministry in local churches followed before a call back to Avondale as senior lecturer. Alwyn served as director of the Institute of Church Ministry and as dean and senior lecturer in the Faculty of Theology from 1986 to 1990.

He believed passionately in the institute and its focus on church ministry. A five-year term (1991-1995) as the Adventist Church in the South Pacific's personal ministries director saw Alwyn travelling extensively promoting healthy and active churches and church life. Retirement followed in 1996 but Alwyn continued serving as director of the institute until 1999. From 2000, he served as its associate director.

Alwyn is survived by wife Audrey (the two celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in January), daughters Amanda and Melissa and granddaughters Sarah, Jessica and Virginia.

Other notable staff changes are as follows:

Natalie Biro is the new personal assistant to the vice-president for learning and teaching. She served previously for four years as secretary for the Faculty of Arts and is completing a Bachelor of Business (human resources) through the University of Newcastle (UoN).

Annette Ellison replaces Neroli Devine as assistant director of women's residences on the Lake Macquarie campus.

Elva Fitzgibbon is a new early childhood lecturer in the Faculty of Education. Fitzgibbon comes from UoN where she has lectured full time for the past five years in early childhood and special education, three of those on secondment from the state government's Department of Education. She has a Graduate Diploma in Special Education, a Masters in Early Childhood and a Masters in Educational Research (early childhood), and she is a member of the Centre for Early Childhood Research, based on UoN's Ourimbah campus.

Lana Hibbard returns after parental leave as a teaching English as a second or other language lecturer in the Faculty of Education on a part-time basis.

New education lecturer and alumnus Jason Hinze completed a Master of Leadership and Management in Education at UoN this past year. His teaching experience includes three years as a sessional at Avondale, positions at Mountain View and Sydney Adventist Colleges and adventure program director with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Cambodia. He replaces vice-president for learning and teaching Dr Malcolm Coulson as coordinator of the secondary teacher education program.

Kim Moffitt, a night receptionist in the residences, is now also working on a casual basis in advancement as a marketing assistant.

Mere Neale, who completed graduate diplomas in theology and ministry this past year, is the new assistant director of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific's Institute of Worship, which is based on the Lake Macquarie campus. Neale will help develop worship resources and mentor and train local church worship leaders in this part-time role.

Glenys Rout has resigned after 26 years of service, 20 as supervisor of the Cleaning Department and the past six as a marketing assistant. No, she is not retiring. Yes, she may be working harder than ever--she and her daughter own a small business in Morisset.

Roy Soaika of financial and business services has moved from the position of assistant accountant to accountant. He celebrated by returning from holidays in New Zealand with a wife, Esther.

And Lyn Wotherspoon is providing additional assistance to the director and the assistant director of women's residences on the Lake Macquarie campus in a new full-time role, residence supervisor. Wotherspoon used to manage cleaning and laundry services on a part-time basis. She now supervises cleaning and laundry services and assists in the supervision and pastoral care of students.