On Sunday 4 February, Kippax Uniting Church thanked Dr John Williams for 60 years as an accredited Lay Preacher. The congregation presented Dr Willians with a Certificate of Recognition as a Lay Preacher and a few books.
Dr Williams became an accredited Lay Preacher in his early 20s while he was studying at university in Sydney as part of the Methodist Church. Since then, he has been a regular preacher and worship leader across the Canberra Region Presbytery, the Synod of NSW and the ACT, and the Synod of Queensland.
Rev. Karyl Davison is a Minister at Kippax Uniting Church.
“It’s not every day I get to thank someone who has served the Uniting Church in Australia as an accredited Lay Preacher for 60 years,” she said.
“I first came in contact with John and his late wife in Biloela, Central Queensland. John and Ruth had volunteered to provide leadership in the Biloela congregation for a month: John leading worship and Ruth providing pastoral care. They were an amazing gift for the lay led Biloela congregation.”
“As Robbie Tulip comments on the Kippax fb page, John’s “preaching is a privilege to hear for us at Kippax. Wrestling with how we can hold to a coherent faith in a scientific world is something that John has immense capacity to understand and share.””
Dr Williams is Emeritus Professor and research associate at the Australian National University (ANU). He is also a commentator on environmental matters and a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.
Kippax holds an annual service that celebrates transitions, such as into school, high school, college and university and other key milestones.
