Série 093/6 - Newsletters

Zone d'identification

Cote

AU AU-MTC 093/6

Titre

Newsletters

Date(s)

  • 1951-1996 (Production)

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Série

Étendue matérielle et support

Loose papers

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Nom du producteur

(1915-1996)

Notice biographique

Mary Maria Andrews was born at Dry Plain Station (near Cooma, NSW) in 1915 to Albert and Ann Andrews. The family moved to Mittagong in 1925 then Sydney in 1927 for educational purposes following the separation of her parents. Mary was educated at Homebush Intermediate High School and later Hornsby Girls' High. She underwent training as a General Nurse at Gladesville Mental Hospital from 1933-1935, . studied at Sydney Missionary and Bible College from 1935-6 and was a resident at Deaconess house from 1937-8 at the recommendation of the Church Missionary Society of Australia (CMS), to which she had applied as a missionary to China in 1937.
Sailing to China in September 1938, she engaged in language learning at the College of Chinese Studies in Peiping (which was under Japanese occupation at the time) and later in Lin Hai, where she performed missionary work until she was forced to leave in late 1943 in fear of Japanese troops. She worked in Lahore, India, during 1944, and returned to Australia on furlough in 1946, during which time she was 'set apart' as a Deaconess. She returned to China in June 1947, working as a missionary in Shaohsing until she was forced to leave due to pressure from the Communist government in 1951.
Following her missionary career she continued to be heavily involved in CMS Candidates and General Committees and was a committed supporter of the South American Missionary Society (SAMS) and served on their Candidates and Pastoral Committee.
She began work as the Principal of Deaconess House in 1951, and was commissioned as Head Deaconess in the Diocese of Sydney in early 1952. As Principal, she oversaw a dramatic expansion of the institution in both physical size and occupancy. She held the position until her reluctant retirement in 1975. Many of the women who trained at Deaconess House continued to correspond with her, confide in her and shares the joys and trials of ministry with her until her life's end.
She then took on the role of part-time chaplain to three retirement villages - Goodwin Village, Woollahra (where she also resided); Elizabeth Lodge, Kings Cross, and St John's Village, Glebe. Not only did she conduct Bible studies and hold devotional meetings with the residents but she also encouraged them to give generously to missions, other Christian work and organisations for the aged. Additionally, she increased her involvement in a number of ecumenical and women's associations and was a fixture at these for the remainder of her life. Material found in her papers suggests that she supported the Healing Ministry at St Andrews Cathedral, Basilea Schlink of Darmstadt and that she attended the Billy Graham Crusade in 1979.
In 1980 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her Services to Religion.
Mary Andrews throughout her career and ministry was a strong proponent of greater inclusion of women into church life. She was actively involved in the events leading up to a number of milestones, including an increased prominence of the Deaconess order, the inclusion of women in the Anglican synod, and the ordination of women as Anglican Deacons. Late in her life she was fiercely in favour of the ordination of women as priests, and was a member of the Movement for the Ordination of Women (MOW).
She had a healthy interest in a wide range of Christian beliefs and recorded broadcast interviews of Chrisians from Roman Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal, and various other Christian denominations from Australia and abroad.
Recreationally she enjoyed traditional hymns, English Cathedral music and when time permitted attended performing arts particularly 'classical' music. In fact she entered into correspondence occasionally regarding the programs of concerts and the choice of operas if she thought they were unsuitable. She also had a life-long interest in photography and left behind an exhaustive documentation of the work of Deaconess House, the organisations that she was involved with, her many overseas trips, significant occasions in the ministry of former students and friends and of women's ministry in general.
She died on the 16th of October 1996, a few weeks after the 50th anniversary of her 'setting apart' as a Deaconess.

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This series contains newsletters sent by Mary Andrews to friends and supporters. Until 1975, these were distributed under the title of "The Church of England Deaconess Institution Prayer Fellowship Letter". In 1976 the title becomes "News Letter", reflecting Dss Andrews' retirement and roles in other organisations. From 1982 onwards, the title is "The Anglican Deaconess Institution Prayer Fellowship Letter" following a decision by the Deaconess Council to revive the earlier newsletter - aside from a small number in 1982 under the banner of The Anglican Fellowship of Prayer.
The newsletters contain homilies or spiritual insights from Dss Andrews, news relevant to the Deaconess institution (and other organisations, following Dss Andrews' retirement), personal news and travel reports. Dates and times for events related to the Deaconess Association (and others) are also listed, as are prayer requests and brief news from other members of the Association. Occasional attachments such as invitations to Deaconess House graduations are also included.
Newsletters were published once every 2-3 months in the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s; yearly from 1975; then once every three months from 1982.
This series had been previously set apart and placed in acid-free folders. New series numbers have since been added and fasteners replaced with plastic paperclips, and duplicates have been discarded, but no other changes have been made.
This series was originally combined with Series 5.

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Chronological

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Open access

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Unités de description associées

This series succeeds the Prayer letters distributed during missionary service.

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