Stuart Family – Photo credit Megan Cassidy
Reverend David Stuart ministered his beloved Yass Uniting Church community for one last time on Sunday the 25th of October, in light of his new ministry posting in Wollongong early 2021.
Being streamed live on the church’s Facebook page, it was described by many church members as an emotional service, one with the blessings of many for the Stuart family’s new journey ahead.
When reflecting upon his final Sunday as well as the past six years at the church, 42-year-old Reverend David Stuart attributed it to the great sense of community.
“The last couple of weeks I didn’t know how to feel. It’s sad leaving such a community and incredibly hard leaving good friends that we have made,” he said.
“This church community is one we have grown to love and be accepted in.” Yass Uniting Church was David’s first full-time ministry placement commencing on February 7, 2015.
When it began, Reverend Stuart was the only minister in this placement, running two Uniting Church congregations at once, one in Yass and another in Rye Park.
David also conducted services at the Murrumbateman Uniting Church once a month.
He reminiscences on his first year, being graveside during funeral services and seeing the fog lift or the sun break light at the end of the service, he said it was a beautiful and peaceful finish considering one instance it hailed hard.
David reflected he has really enjoyed the community events – Anzac Day, Combined Church Services but most of all the Christmas carols in the park where he and wife Gillian have revelled in the master of ceremony duties and lead the singing with gusto.
The treasured church minister is moving on and leaving a few of his legacies behind.
In January 2017, David assisted Helen Poulton champion the playgroup initiative, which is a space for parents, carers and children to meet socially, the program also includes children with special needs.
Playgroup provided an opportunity for many to share parenting joys as well as problems in a caring and accepting community, and at least 30 families have been involved with it ever since. COVID has unfortunately forced the cancellation of this well-attended activity.
In April this year when churches had to close their doors to physical services, David and his wife Gillian experimented with live streaming of services via their iPhone and from their lounge room.
David said despite the initial hesitance from a few, it was the need for the continuation of faith, worship and the word. A learning experience for many to adapt, the church then began to upgrade equipment as well as move back into the physicality of the church for the streams.
This new platform, which is still utilised now, allowed members of the church to engage in comments as well as feel the connection in a similar, real-time manner.
David said when he got the call to his new placement at Keiraview Uniting Church which is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Yass, his wife, three kids, and himself were all in tears.
“The entire process has been a really hard decision for us. When it was confirmed, we were all in tears as we were trying to adjust to the news,” he said.
“But it’s been a good journey since then and we have been able to talk about it as a family. We have always had a real sense of peace too, about where God is leading us to next.”
At his final service, Reverend Stuart reminded the church that “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”.
For both the Stuarts and the church embarking on their next chapter, there is certainly exciting days ahead, as any fresh start would.
Christopher Tan
