JourneyOnline
Four Uniting Church ministers this month celebrate 50 years since their ordination.
Six ministers were ordained together at Albert St Methodist Church in March 1957.
The four surviving ministers Rev Doug Mitchell, Rev Paul Trigge, Rev Graham Ross, and Rev Colin Baxter will celebrate with their wives and the wife of Rev Reg Hirche at Albert St Uniting Church in Brisbane City on 11 March.
Rev Reg Hirche died in 1976 and Rev Alan Hartshorn in 1980.
The combined ministry of the six has been a blessing to the Uniting Church with service in Queensland, other states and abroad as well as two chaplaincy commissions for more than 20 years in the Australian Defence Force.
Fifty years flashback
What was happening in Australia in 1957 when these men were ordained?
• The Australian Prime Minister was Robert Menzies
• The Governor General was William Slim
• Australian National Airways (ANA) merged with Ansett to form Ansett-ANA
• Slim Dusty won his first gold record for A Pub With No Beer
• Architect Jørn Utzon won the design competition for the Sydney Opera House
• Bob Dyer’s quiz show Pick a Box began on television.
• The first commercial cotton was planted in the St George area.
• The National Aboriginal Day of Observance Committee (NAIDOC) was formed.
Photo : The ordinands in 1957 (from left) Rev Reg Hirche, Rev Alan Hartshorn, Rev Doug Mitchell, Rev Graham Ross, Rev Paul Trigge and Rev Colin Baxter
