Avondale Memorial Church (NSW) celebrates and remembers Anzac Day (April 25) every year.
This year, the date fell on Sabbath so it was appropriate to clearly focus on the importance of remembering: “lest we forget”. According to the script on a plaque in the church foyer, Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church stands as “a memorial to those who, in two World Wars gave willingly of their service and indeed of their lives that peace should not perish from the earth” as scripted on the plaque in the foyer of the church.
A cenotaph designed and set up by Ray Boehm and John Dose, together with magnificent floral displays, tastefully set the tone in the pulpit area.
Dr John Hammond, a church elder, welcomed the congregation by remembering the ANZACS and sharing stories from Malaysia, where he lived as a child. He told how families were protected during the World War 2 period.
The ANZAC service concluded with the “The Last Post”, a minutes silence and “Rouse” expertly played by Dr David Heise on the flugelhorn.
Guest speaker for the day, Pastor Lloyd Grolimund, the Aussie Pastor, preached a powerful sermon on Righteousness by Faith alone.
The praise team, led by Sharmilla Saggurthi, led out in “powerful, uplifting and beautiful worship music”, according to attendee Joy Butler.
“We are blessed and honoured to enjoy such talent and fantastic worship at AMC every week and the ANZAC Sabbath was a day to be remembered,” she said.
