Shades of the Past
Four years of preparation preceded the 8th World Convention of Churches of Christ held in Adelaide in October 1970. Gordon’s involvement included caring for the travel and accommodation plans for most of the overseas visitors. During the course of these duties he met and established a friendship with young Dr Lloyd Lambert of Enid, Oklahoma.
Two years later Rev Moyes attended a seminar in the United States. While there he visited Lloyd Lambert who gave him the opportunity of preaching in the magnificent Church of Christ that he pastored.
Overwhelmed as he was by the manse and the church hall and numerous other buildings, it was the huge, ornate church with its splendid facilities that really left Gordon speechless. The Churches of Christ in Australia certainly owned nothing to compare with this.
“Don’t forget that this is an oil-producing area,” Dr Lambert laughed at Gordon’s reaction. “I have more than one hundred millionaires in my congregation.”
“I can well believe it,” Gordon drew in his breath. He was having difficulty with the tenth commandment.
As they were about to enter the pulpit on Sunday Lloyd said, “Gordon, I notice that you have not brought a gown with you. It is the custom here that all preachers wear a gown. Would you mind?”
“Not at all.” Gordon did not customarily wear a preaching gown but he was mindful of the adage `When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’
“Thanks.” Lloyd opened a cupboard and drew out a black gown, remarking as he did so, “This preaching gown belonged to Dr E. Ray Snodgrass, my predecessor. He was minister of this church for thirty years.”
Gordon gasped. “Did you say E. Ray Snodgrass?” He took the gown and reverently draped it over his shoulders. “Dr Snodgrass visited Australia in 1952 and conducted an evangelistic series in Worths’ Olympian in Melbourne. I was thirteen years old at the time and I made my commitment to Christ during one of his services. I am deeply honoured to wear his gown.”
Not only did Gordon wear the gown, but during the appeal at the end of his service, he told the story of his conversion and reviewed the five points of Dr Snodgrass’ long ago sermon. Holding up his hand just as the doctor had done, Gordon pointed to each finger and recited the points that had so impressed his young mind.
After the service ended and every important introduction had been made and every worshipper’s hand had been shaken, an elegant lady swept back into the foyer and impulsively clasped Gordon to her fur and diamond clad bosom.
“Oh,” she gushed, “While you were preaching I closed my eyes and it seemed that I heard Dr Snodgrass reiterating his five points just as he used to do from that very pulpit. It seemed as if he was speaking through you—”
“He was.” Gordon assured her.
Back in Australia again, Gordon renewed his efforts to keep his Church’s name before the public eye. Cheltenham had no substitute for Chris Fisher, who had always been hungry for news to publish in the `Ararat Advertiser,’ so Gordon had to write his own press releases. Busy as he was, however, scarcely a week passed that the Cheltenham Church of Christ or its minister did not figure prominently in the local newspaper.
Some of the church’s reported activities must have raised eyebrows among the other clergy in the district, such as the headline “Church Group Modelled Luxury Furs” which was followed by a detailed report in the Moorabbin Standard News: “Fur capes, coats, stoles and hats worth many thousands of dollars were modelled by members of the Church of Christ Evening Women’s Fellowship. The fur parade attracted ninety women and a few brave men.
“A Melbourne furrier, Mr F. McLean, son of the man who founded the firm more than 80 years ago, loaned the furs and provided an interesting commentary as they were modelled. He gave helpful hints on care and cleaning of furs and showed scores of skins and pelts to demonstrate the great variety of furs being used in high fashion garments.”
In March the same newspaper, which served the whole district, carried a photograph of five smiling ladies wielding knives, spoons and jars—part of a team of 50, who preserved 230 jars of donated pears for distribution to elderly citizens’ homes.
The next issue announced that “A modern Easter drama, HE IS RISEN, written and produced by the minister of the church, Mr G. Moyes B A, will be presented by the young people of the Church of Christ in Cheltenham next Sunday, April 3 at 7 p.m At the conclusion of the play a collection will be taken to help relieve the Indian famine.”
The play itself was reported in a later paper and then a headline in April 12 issue proclaimed, OVER 300 AT BIBLE SEMINAR. This was followed on April 18 by a report of Gordon’s Sunday sermon, `Sheltered in Doubt,’ plus a full run down of church news. Next came the Mothers’ Day service on May 8.
How Gordon found the time to write as much as he did, remains a mystery. Not only sermons, homilies and news items flowed from his ready pen, but theological articles for various church papers. The `Christian Sentinel’ of the Cheltenham Church of Christ, contained news and notes of interest to church members, devotional articles, announcements of the various activities within the church family, and even a little humour. “Did you hear about the man who crossed an electric blanket with an automatic toaster? Now it not only warms you but makes you pop out of bed on time.”
The Vietnam War dominated the news in Australia particularly since Australian soldiers had been sent to assist the American troops. This action led to sharply divided views among ordinary Australians. Nowhere was the contest more bitterly debated than in the Cheltenham district. On Monday night, July 11, 1966, the Moorabbin Peace Group appointed Gordon to act as independent chairman of a public debate which they had organized: VIEWS ON VIETNAM.
Four capable speakers discussed whether Australia was forced to curry-favour with the United States, or whether the involvement was necessary for survival? At first the crowd listened intently but soon personal views took over and the debate degenerated into a noisy shouting match that took all of Gordon’s efforts to control.
A few months’ later he chalked up another first for the Cheltenham Church by arranging for the Sunday church service to be broadcast over station 3AR and regionals.
The newspaper reported that “The local church service came through loud and clear. People from many states…listened with pleasure to the service…and took the trouble to write to the minister Mr G K Moyes to tell him so.”
Gordon’s fame continued to spread and other churches took notice and asked for his services, not on a lend or exchange pulpits basis, but as their full time minister. He refused the requests.
“I believe it takes time to grow a church and changing ministers too often does not encourage spiritual growth,” he told his church board. “The members, particularly the children and youth, are the church’s main asset.”
Cheltenhan church operated an excellent Sunday School with divisions for every age group from nursery through teen-agers to youth. Amazingly they had enough well-equipped halls and rooms to comfortably accommodate all eight divisions.“We have such a large group of children and youth in this church, it’s imperative to keep them occupied during the week as well as on Sundays,” Gordon observed to a committee. “If we don’t, the devil will find something for them.”
“Satan finds for idle hands some evil work to do,” one of the members piously quoted and everyone nodded.
“But we’re always having good activities for the youth,” an older man pointed out. “What about all the debates and teas and concerts and the film and slide shows, and the games evenings. It seems to me that our church has lots of social opportunities for the youngsters.”
“I had in mind something more active,” Gordon ventured, “could we start a football club?”
It did not take long for Gordon to rustle up leaders for all the sports and gymnastics that he had in mind. The church already owned two tennis courts and soon fifteen teams played each week. Inside the huge gym they organised table tennis and badminton clubs.
The five Cs, Cheltenham Church of Christ Cricket Club, captained by one of the church elders, had a long and very successful innings. There were five senior teams which played in competition in ABCD and E grade, plus a Saturday morning boys under-sixteen competition. Consequently there were always players who were able to move up through the ranks. Gordon participated in as many of these sporting activities as possible and in one four-month period in 1968 he led or attended 425 youth meetings or other activities.
Unfortunately his ministerial duties sometimes interrupted his sports assignments. On several occasions when he was playing Australian Rules football with his team, he had to come off the field at three-quarter time and rush back to the Church to conduct a wedding.
A bit of quick work in the vestry and he managed to look the part in snowy shirt and necktie, but if anybody had lifted the hem of his black robe they might have been horrified to see a few inches of the yellow, red and black football socks that he had not had time to change.
