HALE, Edwin James, Rev (1922-2005)
Assembly memorial minute, 2006
Edwin J Hale began life in Wales and immigrated to South Australia in 1963 and then moved to Victoria in 1966. On moving to Victoria he served as a student in the churches of Dandenong North and Parkdale. After completing training for the Ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at Ormond College in Melbourne, Edwin was ordained and inducted into the appointment parish of Seaford-Somerville on the 16th December 1968, a parish that stretched from Seaford to Somers.
From 1977 the parish was divided into two and Edwin became responsible for ministry and pastoral care for the new parish of Somerville, which included Baxter and an outreach at Hastings.
Edwin served, in addition to parish duties, as Chaplain to the Royal Australian Navy at HMAS Cerberus. He also served as Chaplain to the Victoria Police on the Mornington Peninsula for several years.
Under his leadership the congregations grew and in the 1970's felt the need to expand. The church. gained 10 acres of land with the view to erecting a manse, church and a retirement village. Although the retirement village was not completed under Edwin’s leadership and even though no longer belonging to the church, Edwin did see the village in its current form. In 2005 he was invited to attend the opening of a new community centre within the village in acknowledgement of his early efforts. The manse and church complex were erected on the remaining land long after Edwin’s retirement.
Edwin retired due to ill health in June 1982 and moved away. In 1986 Edwin and his wife Dilys returned to Somerville and took up membership of the church where he was a regular worshipper for a number of years. His wife Dilys passed away in August 2004 after attending to his needs for some time. Edwin continued the routine of life in praise of his Lord and Saviour. His attendance at worship continued up to 3 weeks prior to his passing to be with the Lord on 20 December 2005. His last days were spent in hospital and even though with deteriorating health he took time to pray with and to tell others around him of Jesus Christ.
The Session of Somerville records with thankfulness to Almighty God the life and ministry of Rev Edwin James Hale.
Gender
- Male