Global Mission Partners pays tribute to former staff members of the Australian Churches of Christ Indigenous Ministries (ACCIM) whose lives were celebrated in the past few weeks.
Don Oakes was a former missionary at Carnarvon (1956-59) and went on to have ministries in Western Australia and Victoria. Don cared for people, was committed to justice and to the life of Churches of Christ, and died at Frankston on August 22.
Laurie Errington joined the ACCIM office team in 2002. He was employed part time and his contribution included overseeing and trying to sort out a number of complex property and administration matters. He assisted in the transition to IMA and concluded in 2012. Laurie died peacefully on September 4.
Bill Hetherington (Uncle Bill) also died recently, September 14. For many years Bill, a single man, served at Roelands Farm, mainly as the dairyman and farm worker. He was respected by staff and the children, who called him Uncle Bill.
Frank Johnson served in ministry from 1960 to 2018. He was part of AICCM from 1971 to 1990, and then from 2002 onwards. His ministries were in WA, SA, VIC and NSW. He served with ACCIM at Tamworth (NSW), Bunbury (WA), Mooroopna (VIC) and following his retirement continued at Tamworth. He passed away on September 15.
We send sympathy and prayers for comfort to the families of these men and give thanks to God for their commitment to ministry and to the Indigenous people of Australia.