Reeks 093/13 - Records of missionary organisations with which Mary Andrews was associated

Identificatie

referentie code

AU AU-MTC 093/13

Titel

Records of missionary organisations with which Mary Andrews was associated

Datum(s)

  • 1946-1996 (Vervaardig)

Beschrijvingsniveau

Reeks

Omvang en medium

Loose papers

Context

Naam van de archiefvormer

(1915-1996)

Biografie

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.

Naam van de archiefvormer

(1916-)

Institutionele geschiedenis

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This series contains correspondence, meeting minutes, and other records relating to the three missionary organisations with which Mary Andrews was most closely connected: The Church Missionary Society of Australia (CMS), CMS-UK, and the South American Missionary Service (SAMS).Mary Andrews was a missionary with CMS from 1938-1951, working primarily in
China but with a short role in India. She had a secondment agreement of sorts with CMS-UK, with which she was in regular contact while in the field. Following her return to Australia, she made inquiries with CMS-UK regarding the possibility of missionary work with them in South-East Asia. After this failed to eventuate, she remained in casual correspondence with staff at CMS-UK for some time. In addition to the paper records in this series there are two cassette recordings viz: CMS Prayer Weekend 1981 (Rev R.A. Cole) and CMS Summer School 1982 Dr and Mrs Coleman. These may be located in Series 29/4.
Due to her position as Principal of Deaconess House (and missionary experience), Mary was part of the CMS Candidates Committee, Training Committee, and General Committee. As a number of single female missionaries and missionary wives were trained at Deaconess House, Mary was responsible for providing candidate evaluation reports and occasionally conducted interviews with prospective missionaries (including missionary couples) on behalf of the Candidates Committee. She also regularly attended meetings of the above and made a number of recommendations on training policy. Mary ceased being a member of the Candidates Committee in 1976, following her retirement. She then resigned from the General Committee in 1987. Return correspondence suggests that she was dissatisfied with what she perceived as the narrow roles that CMS would allow female missionaries to fill. SAMS was founded in 1844 as a missionary society focused on evangelising Latin America. Mary Andrews served on their Candidates Committee and NSW General Committee from 1975 (at the latest; possibly as early as 1965) until her death in 1996. She also engaged in friendly correspondence with a number of SAMS missionaries and home staff.

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Items have been arranged by organisation, by categories within that organisation, and then chronologically (where possible)

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Access restricted due to confidentiality. Published material is available for access. Any other material open for public access on completion of application for access following an attempt to gain permission from the relevant organisation if still in existence.

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  • Plank: C 9