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Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer

The unveiling of a theology honour board at Avondale College will challenge students to recommit to their calling, says the person responsible for its installation.

A perceived need to address a lack of knowledge of the past prompted senior lecturer Dr Lyell Heise to suggest the Faculty of Theology coordinate production of the board. "We keep giving out awards but the recipients come and go in our conscious," he says. "The board will help us remember those who've served in ministry so we can use the example of their lives as the inspiration for new initiatives."

The board lists the names of students who have received academic awards in theology. The awards carry the names of Clifford Anderson, Elwin Currow, Arthur Ferch, Edna Heise, Bill Marr and Graham Miler. They acknowledge ministry potential, achievement in New Testament apocalyptic studies and excellence in Hebrew studies, communication, evangelism and youth ministry.

Emma Weslake did not fully realise the significance of receiving the Clifford Anderson Bursary Award of Excellence this past year until she saw on the board the names of the previous winners. Many are field ministers, some church administrators and departmental directors, one, Dr Robert McIver, the dean of the faculty. "These people were already making a difference as students," says Emma, the president of the theology student association, Fig Tree. "That's what inspires me: their potential was recognised at Avondale."

"Not all the names on the board are happy stories," says Lyell. "A few have experienced pain and walked away, but even that spurs me to think. I want our current students to hang in for the long haul, to stay connected to God."

An increasing number of the award winners are women. Lyell describes the trend as "prominent." "I feel good when I think about this new pool of gifted people in ministry," he says, "but I feel bad when I think of whom we have ignored over the past 40 years."

College president Dr Ray Roennfeldt, the former dean of the faculty, unveiled the board during a ceremony in the rotunda of Avondale Library on March 13. He reminded students during his speech that success in ministry is not about winning awards but about committing to excellence.

Caption: Avondale College president Dr Ray Roennfeldt unveils the new Faculty of Theology Honour Roll of Excellence.
Credit: Ann Stafford

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Winners are grinners, and winners are women

Academic awards winners 2008