Australia Day Honours
The first few months of 1985 were filled as usual with Gordon’s flying visits here and there. The word `flying’ is used advisedly. Every week found him lecturing in some place other than Sydney.
Everywhere he went the inviting officials paid his fare and expenses, but nothing could recompense him for the wear and tear on his body. However, tension, lack of sleep, jet-lag, nerves, and similar maladies never seemed to bother Gordon, he thrived on excitement.
On July 28 Beverley and Gordon flew to Brisbane so that he could accept an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from California Graduate School of Theology at Mount Gravatt, Garden City Christian Church.
Gordon accepted such honours gladly and graciously but in his innermost soul he was not entirely happy. Was this cheating? For twenty years he had wanted a Doctorate, now he had one but he had not earned it in the accepted sense of the word.
Dr Tony Chi, Director of Pastoral Division of Wesley Central Mission, had no such qualms. He issued a special announcement on pink paper telling everyone connected with the mission that Rev Dr Gordon Moyes had been granted an honorary Doctorate degree.
Plans for the new Wesley buildings were not moving along fast enough so Gordon and several Building Committee members decided to take their friend Bob Carr to lunch at the Australia Club. Perhaps his influence would support the development—it certainly would do no harm to be on the right side of the Minister for the Environment.
The last week before Christmas saw the WCM doing more frantic lobbying which eventually resulted in them being granted a D A (Development Approval) for their Pitt Street Building. Even Gordon admitted surprise at this conclusion to their year-long battle.
“Now we’ll really have to get moving,” he said to Beverley. “It’s most important that all of our re-location committees are working at top speed by February. Praise the Lord, we should make some progress now.”
Ordinarily observed as a family-only affair, the Moyes’ Christmas celebrations expanded annually as the family increased. This year it was Peter who brought home a special friend. Trina fitted into Moyes’ family life as if she had always been there. The change that being in love wrought in Peter stood him in good stead when, a few days into the holidays, he skidded his father’s Holden. The $1,000:00 account for repairs caused only a momentary gloom to shadow Gordon’s countenance.
Indicative of Rev Moyes’ wider ministry after he became Superintendent of the Wesley Centre in Sydney, are the letters of thanks received from churches and organizations worldwide. Gordon never felt confined to only the Churches of Christ. Like the famous John Wesley who claimed that the whole world was his parish, he had always been ready to minister anywhere and in any capacity to which the Lord called him.
Blessed with an out-going personality and an agile mind, his style and the content of his speeches was as versatile as that of an actor. He probably owed a great debt of gratitude to those far-off elocution lessons from Miss Appsley of Box Hill.
The astonishing range of subjects on which he discoursed can be guessed at by a few extracts taken from the hundreds of “Thank you” letters that he received during the first five years of his ministry at Wesley Central Mission.
29/9/79. Ron Taschi & Associates, North Sydney. Thanks for address and participation in Swap Film Day. Signed Ron Taschi.
18/6/80. Kingston upon Thames Methodist Church, Surrey. U.K. Thanks for assistance in Family Week-End. Geoffrey Burchell, secretary.
19/1/81. Australian Mutual Provident Society, Adelaide. “Dear Gordon, What a thrilling climax you gave us for our 1981 Annual Conference.” John Dingle, Manager for South Australia.
25/3/82. Rotary International, Footscray, Victoria. Thanks “for outstanding contribution which you made to the success of our recent conference.” Doug Mills, Governor 1981/82.
3/5/82. Encyclopaedia Brittanica International, Chicago. Ill. From Thomas A. Gies. “Delighted that your wife and children can come to Maui as well…will reserve extra rooms for them…have you make opening talk at a conference and business session. Opening Brunch Jan 15/83. Signed “Tom.”
This appointment served as an overseas holiday for the Moyes family. The EBI generously paid first class air fares to Hawaii for Gordon and Beverley, allowing Gordon to cash in those tickets for economy class fares for the whole family. Not only that but while Gordon was busy in the meetings they arranged outings for Beverley and the children, plus a liberal amount of spending money.
American generosity is legendary but when Gordon estimated that it cost EBI about US $10,000 to have him speak at their conference, the children stared, round-eyed, and Beverley said, “Not long ago, your salary for a whole year didn’t amount to much more than that.”
Six months later, the Brittanica’s in-house magazine, FOR MANAGERS ONLY, 1/2/83, quoted portions of Gordon’s opening talk. The writer variously described it as “the Conference showstopper,” a “moving address,” and referred to “the passion of Dr Moyes’ convictions and the quality of his advice.” He also mentioned that “he (Moyes) personally raises more than $25 million each year and his ministry thrives while others flounder.”
6/12/82. The Bankstown City—Disabled Needs Committee. “Thanks for your address: `Make the Most of What You’ve Got.’” C.A. Churm, secretary.
28/2/83. LIFA—Life Insurance Federation of Australia. Adelaide. “Dear Gordon: Thank you very much for the outstanding contribution you made to the LIFA Seminar for Secondary School Students on Friday. It was a difficult audience.”
8/7/83. COMET Overnight Transport. “I cannot express enough gratitude to you for one of the most inspiring talks I have ever heard at a conference.” With the letter came a donation of $1000 for the work of the Wesley Mission, and repeated thanks for “your incredible contribution.” John Ross, Marketing Manager.
14-16 October, 1983. 6th Annual Convention of Lions 201-V6. A typed letter of thanks for Gordon Moyes’ keynote address, assuring him that the standing ovation he received was well merited: enclosing a cheque for travelling expenses and a handwritten note from Bob Hamblin, the District Governor—”In 40 years of going to business and community Conferences, I have never heard such a brilliantly presented and moving address.”
14/10/83. Computer Technology. “Congratulations on your performance at the Greata 83 Queensland Conference. You were OUTSTANDING. R. N. Beruschi.”
Perhaps this sample of appreciative letters covering the new superintendent’s successes, should end with a quote from the great Sir Winston Churchill in his book, MY FIRST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, “All this was very agreeable.”
Gordon would have been less than human if he had not found it so.
In 1984 Reverend Gordon Moyes celebrated his Silver Jubilee. Twenty-five years of ministerial service, most of it with the Churches of Christ in Australia. Naturally such an important event must not pass unnoticed and Rev Peter Davis, Deputy Superintendent of the Wesley Central Mission, and Gordon worked together arranging a special “Service of Thanksgiving.”
In recognition of Gordon’s years of service to humanity Mr Herman Eisenberg and Gordon’s friends at the Jewish National Fund, arranged to have five trees planted for him in Israel—a great honour accorded to a non-Jew.
The remainder of the year was filled with the normal round of events, some highly successful, other only moderately so. In July two hundred people attended a ground-breaking ceremony for the Alan Walker Village. This was planned to care for 188 elderly people, along with Frank Vickery Village where another 350 aged persons would find a home. Both of these projects were accomplished ahead of time.
From early January to mid-November Gordon literally raced from one appointment to the next. For several years he had spoken at an average of 400 functions a year, each address personalised to the occasion. Hundreds of these businesses and corporations later became regular donors to Wesley Mission—which was the major purpose behind his public speaking.
However, the most exciting event of the year began when the morning mail brought an official-looking envelope. At this time Gordon was in Israel making a film and Beverley took care of his personal mail.
I wonder what this is? She picked up the envelope, noticing as she did so that it was marked PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL. Hmm, looks like some government department is after him. I can’t think of anything it could be, perhaps I’d better phone and read it to him in case it’s urgent.
She slit the envelope and read the contents of the enclosed letter.
“Government House, Canberra ACT 2600
22nd October, 1985 Dear Mr Moyes:
I have the honour to inform you that your name is being considered for submission to Her Majesty The Queen for appointment as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours List, to be announced on Saturday, 25 January 1986. I am therefore directed by His Excellency the Governor-General to ask you whether this proposed honour would be acceptable to you.
I should be grateful if you would let me know by completing the enclosed form and returning it to me as a matter of urgency in the envelope provided.
Please treat this matter as strictly confidential until confirmation of your proposed honour is received and announced.
Should you feel unable to accept this nomination for the proposed award, would you please use the enclosed envelope to forward your letter of refusal. In this event it would be expected that the proposal would remain confidential.
Yours sincerely, (David I. Smith)Official Secretary to the Governor-General
Almost too excited to speak, Beverley Moyes reached for the telephone.
During the remainder of his work in the Middle East Rev Moyes hugged the news to himself. Surely, he thought, the Governor-General did not expect that I would be likely to turn down such an honour? I wonder whether anyone has ever done such a thing? Why should they? Did they feel unworthy? As the days dragged by he found it harder to concentrate on mundane matters.
Being nominated for such an honour is not something to be coveted by anyone who likes to act quickly and decisively. Gordon had to wait nearly three months before receiving another letter from Government House in Canberra. Dated January 16, 1986 it informed him that his nomination had been approved by Her Majesty The Queen.
When the list of honours was published on Australia Day 1986, one of the first congratulatory messages to arrive was a telegram from the premier of NSW The Honourable Neville Wran.
From then on they poured in—letters or telegrams from personal friends and relatives, parliamentarians, business associations and other religious bodies—more than 800 in all. Gordon replied to every one.
“You’ll need to hire another secretary to handle all this mail,” Beverley said smilingly as she glanced over the pile. “What a price you pay for being popular.”
On February 12 a letter arrived from Brigadier J A Hooper, Private Secretary to the Governor of New South Wales, informing Gordon that an Investiture would be held at Government House, Sydney at 11 a m on Friday, 18th April 1986, to which Gordon was invited to be present and receive his insignia.
Wild horses couldn’t have kept him away.
