Past and present members of the Sydney Adventist Hospital community were reunited for a day of worship, remembrance and celebration at the annual San Homecoming this past Sabbath at Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Representing the class of 1943 was 96-year-old Enid Webster, who after graduating from the San spent 40 years in mission service with her husband Leslie, who was in the same nursing class.
“I came from New Zealand to the San,” Mrs Webster said. “After I graduated I worked for a short time in a private nursing home. Then I was married and we went into mission work.”
She fondly recalls their time working in Batuna in Solomon Islands. “It was such a beautiful little area and the people were very friendly and we had a hospital and school there. We were able to care for them spiritually and physically,” said Mrs Webster, who continues to enjoy an active life, even participating with family members in the 2017 City to Surf fun run last Sunday.
1957 graduate Bev Fiegert enjoyed time catching up with old friends at the San Homecoming.
“We had a very close class,” Mrs Fiegert said. “We all worked together, played together. It was like a very happy family and we still have a great rapport.”
“His Will—Our Will” was the motto of the class of 1957, which was the last class to have its graduation service in the old Wahroonga Adventist church. Collectively, the class clocked up 277 years of denominational service during their working lives.
Hospital CEO Philip Currie , Leone Radley Plane, Doreen Clifford and Herbert Clifford received citations during this year’s San Homecoming program. Other highlights included a number of musical performances and a special focus on the history and invaluable work of Open Heart International.
South Pacific Division president Glenn Townend took the sermon. His theme: “The spirit of Christ: Know your purpose.”
After lunch there were tours of the Merritt Kellogg Museum on the hospital campus and in the evening a dinner at the Fox Valley Community Centre.
