Homecoming

Homecoming is the largest Avondale Alumni event of the year. All alumni and friends of Avondale, and their families, from all years and classes are welcome. The heart of Homecoming: the reunions for those in the honour years. If you studied or worked at Avondale in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 or 2010, 2020 is your honour year.

Homecoming 2020 is August 21-22.

Registration

Register your interest in Homecoming 2020. You will receive regular updates by email to ensure you: reconnect with your classmates at online honour year and decade reunions; enjoy live streamed worship services and the concert, and; take a virtual tour of campus.

Register

Avondale’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Update (as of April 30, 2020): Homecoming still on but only online

To members of the 1950-9, 1960-9, 1970-9, 1980-9, 1990-9, 2000-9 and 2010-9 honour years and decades

This is still your honour year but your Homecoming experience will look different.

While the Australian and the New South Wales Government’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) has implications for your Homecoming experience, Avondale University College and Avondale Alumni will present the event August 21-22 this year. Homecoming connects us again with each other and with Avondale. That’s important.

At this stage, subject to no significant change in the social distancing restrictions for preventing the spread of the virus, we will present Homecoming 2020 in a modified, online-only format.

Worship services
Homecoming 2020 will begin on Friday with a live stream of Praise Hymn, an informal evening of fellowship and favourite hymn singing with Dr Lyell Heise. It will continue on Saturday morning with a live stream of the Homecoming worship service from Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Honour year reunions
Honour year reunions will follow from midday on Saturday (honour years) primarily on dedicated Facebook groups. Hosts may choose to connect with their classmates via Facebook Live, Facebook Messenger, videotelephony or video conference. Hosts will seek nominations for citation recipients to honour over the weekend.

Homecoming magazine
Avondale Alumni will produce a Homecoming magazine featuring the citations. The magazine will be distributed on digital publishing platform‎ Issuu.

Concert
Homecoming 2020 will end, for most, on Saturday evening with a live stream of the Homecoming concert featuring not Avondale Conservatorium’s Gospel Proms but guitarist and alumnus Peter Dixon’s Campfire Songs, continuing a more than 30-year tradition of performing on campus.

Refunds
Avondale will provide full refunds for those who have registered for Homecoming.

We will post updates on this page as we learn more about changes to social distancing restrictions and their impact on Homecoming 2020.

Thank you for your understanding.

Follow Avondale Alumni on Facebook to receive updates about Homecoming 2020.

Invitations

If you receive Reflections, the magazine for alumni of Avondale, Avondale Alumni has your contact details and you should receive a personal invitation from the host of your honour year. If you do not, Avondale Alumni does not have your contact details. Update your details to ensure you receive an invitation.

Update Your Details

Homecoming magazine

Avondale publishes Homecoming for alumni and friends attending Homecoming. Download previous issues in PDF format.

Download Homecoming

Lectures

Murdoch Lecture

Avondale Alumni hosted the Murdoch Lecture at Homecoming in 2013. Past presenters, topics and honourees of the Murdoch Lecture are:

2013 Dr John Skrzypaszek, Director, Ellen G White Seventh-day Adventist Research Centre,
“Our heritage: sources of information about the past, or therapy for people uncertain about who they are?”
Honouree: Dr Arthur Patrick

Alumni Lecture

Avondale Alumni presented the Alumni Lecture at Homecoming from 2007 to 2012. Past presenters, topics and honourees of the Alumni Lecture are:

2012 Dr Cedric Greive, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Avondale University College, “Memories: a journey through mind.” Honouree: Dr Owen Hughes
2011 Dr Marion Shields, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Avondale University College, “Outliers, misfits or something else?” Honouree: Dr John Hammond
2010 Harwood Lockton, Director, International Program, Adventist Development and Relief Agency Australia, “Is the Seventh-day Adventist Church ready for social justice?” Honouree: Dr Tim Gorle
2009 Graham Mitchell, Former Head, Commercial Department, Avondale University College, “Business education at a theological college?” Honouree: George Laxton
2008 Pr David Currie, evangelist, author and former Seventh-day Adventist Church administrator, “Highlights of public evangelism during the last century in the South Pacific.” Honouree: Dr Allan Lindsay
2007 Dr Barry Taylor, Retired Vice-Chancellor for Research Affairs, Loma Linda University, “From pioneer to prime minister: the changing mission of Seventh-day Adventist universities.” Honouree: Dr Eric Magnusson