Dr Ronald W Graham, aged 81 years, died of cancer on Sunday August 27th at the Mercy Hospital in Johnson, Iowa, U.S.A. Born in Kempsey N.S.W, in 1919. He spent his childhood years in this area of N.S.W. On leaving school he went to work in a bank . He was a member of the Taree Church of Christ when Laurie Tresize was the minister. It is thought that Laurie encouraged him in his early years, perhaps influenced him to enter the College of the Bible to train for the ministry in 1942. He married Gwen Bills from the Chatswood Church. The Bills family were loyal Church of Christ people. Ron met Gwen in Taree when he was working at the bank and Gwen, a school teacher, had taken an appointment in Taree. They were evidently attracted to each other, so much so that according to Dr Geoff Whiting (also in College at that time) Ron had to leave College because he had married Gwen. It was the rule in those days that students were not allowed to marry until they had completed their studies and graduated.

      Ron came back to the College in 1945 to finish his studies. He had student ministries at Newmarket and at Boronia and stayed on in full time ministry at Boronia upon his graduation. It was during this time that Ron began a B.A. degree at Melbourne University. Lyall Williams who was the Principal of the College had a Ministry at Boronia and he saw in Ron a man who was not only a good student, but also somebody who had obvious teaching skills. During this time Ron formed what was to be a life long friendship with C.H.J. (Jim) Wright. Jim was the minister of the Blackburn Church and was also studying for his B.A. degree at Melbourne University. They were also very keen on cricket and shared in the leadership of Youth Camps for the churches in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Lawrie Tresize had become the Youth Director for the Victorian Conference.

      Ron completed his B.A. degree and accepted a ministry with the Ann Street Church of Christ. Ann Street was the city Church in Brisbane and one of the stronger congregations in Queensland. It was a church actively involved in the State Conference and members were involved in a number of committees. Jim Wright also moved to a ministry in Queensland at the Albion Church. When Jim became the President of Conference Ron accepted the role of Conference Secretary. Ron also served on the Preacher Placement and Advisory Board. He became aware of the conditions of many ministers serving in churches on low salaries and, although Ann Street cared for its minister, he was displaying something of his concern for his brother ministers in the way he eloquently and courageously spoke on the floor of State Conference on their behalf.

      Ron and Jim Wright also represented churches of Christ on the Committee of the World Council of Churches. This was at a time when there was considerable opposition to the World Council. Ron had the capacity to listen to the critics who often presented their case with considerable hostility. He respected the right of people to differ and his response would quietly raise issues and questions that made people think through [1] their position. There is no doubt that his capacity to do this enhanced his later ministry as a teacher.

      A tradition of Ann Street Church for some years was to release their minister to be the study leader of the Christmas Youth Camp conducted at Caloundra by the Youth Department. It was here he met Keith Horne who later became the Director of the Youth Department. During the years that followed the camps exploded in numbers and without sacrificing the fun and freedom of the Camp the issues raised in the studies stretched young people. Worship took on new meaning and the knowledge and appreciation of a wider hymnody had young people singing and enjoying a diversity of great hymns of the Church. Youth worship in that day often consisted of a an almost exclusive diet of choruses, some of which did not ring true to life or good theology. Ron had a dry sense of humour and young people saw a Ron who, with other leaders, created some side splitting humour in Camp Concerts.

      One of the issues continually arising in the Queensland Conference was a move to establish a Theological College in Queensland. N.S.W. had already done this with the establishment of Woolwich College. The issues however were different in Queensland. Over the years the argument was that young people went south to Melbourne and did not return to a ministry in their home State. This was not an adequate reason for establishing another theological college. Students often met and married in the south and also found wider options for ministry. Ron with a group of ministers delayed that move.

      Ron was a teacher, as he discovered, rather than a preacher and a pastor. He decided to go to the U.S.A. to undertake further study toward a doctorate. Ron believed he would return to Australia but that was not to be. In the U.S.A. there were better possibilities for his abilities and while the first years in the U.S.A. were financially tough, his wife Gwen was wonderful in her support of Ron. She returned to teaching and this, with student ministries carried them through. Ron was eventually invited to come back to Australia to lecture at the College of the Bible, but by that time Ron was too involved in the U.S.A. with good prospects far beyond anything in Australia. He served two Iowa Christian churches: Clearfield, 1954-57 and Indianola Heights, Des Moines, 1957-60. He was Professor of New Testament at The Divinity School, Drake University 1960-68 and at Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, Kentucky, 1968-87. He was Lexington's Professor Emeritus of New Testament.

      In his retirement he was involved in ecumenical work including teaching at Bambour Seminary in Nigeria and was a delegate to the World Council of Churches in Canberra, Australia 1991, and Harare, Zimbabwe 1998. He was a member of the Iowa Governor's Council on Elder Affairs.

      When Ron decided to go to the U.S.A. many of us who knew him well were sad to see him go. However, there were career opportunities as a teacher in the U.S.A. that he would not have found in Australia and time has proved that to be true. Ron was in the U.S.A. for forty-five years and will be remembered in particular in the U.S.A. for the years he spent with the our Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. Others will be able to tell the story of this ministry in the U.S.A.

      Ron and Gwen had three children Beth, Jan and Kerry. When he was near retirement Gwen died and with her passing he lost a loving wife and companion, and a lady who identified with his aspirations and worked hard to release his special giftedness as a teacher. [2]

      Ron married again and a long time friend of both Ron and Gwen became his wife. Her name was also Gwen, Gwen Batterham who for many years served on the mission field in India. During his retirement years they regularly returned for visits to Australia. During these visits Ron never failed to make contact with friends of years ago. To the very end he maintained an active interest in the Assemblies of the Church. He did deliver some lectures to ministers at College on one of these visits, but for many he is known only because of his letters to the "Australian Christian" and his interest in the Australian Church.

      Australia only enjoyed a few short years of his ministry. But to those people, now also ageing, who knew him, and those into whose lives he came in important formative years of their ministry development, he broadened and lifted the bar of their thinking and theology. He served two Iowa Christian churches: Clearfield, 1954-57 and Indianola Heights, Des Moines, 1957-60. He was Professor of New Testament at the Divinity School, Drake University, 1960-68 and at Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, Kentucky, 1968-87. He was Lexington's Professor Emeritus of New Testament.

      In his retirement he was involved in ecumenical work including teaching at Bambour Seminary in Nigeria and was a delegate to the World Council of Churches in Canberra, Australia in 1991, and Harare, Zimbabwe 1998. He was a member of the Iowa Governor's Council on Elder Affairs.

      Ron Graham understood and knew the movement we have called churches of Christ and its story. He was totally committed to the principles that made us a people and in a way few others have ever grasped, understood and could live with our diversity.

      Australia only had a few years of his more than fifty-five years of ministry. It is for others to tell the story of the years in the U.S.A., and this Australian who made good over there.