Go back just over a decade and they were looking for high schooling changes for their daughter Chelsea. This led them to come across the General Church high school in Bryn Athyn and they became interested and impressed with its approach to education and behind that, to the spiritual teachings which it endorses. Their daughter Chelsea was enrolled. This led Howard and Debra to firm up a decision to join the organisation of the General Church, make it their religious base, and in time, for Howard to apply to become a minister (in American terms, a pastor; in General Church terms, a priest and member of the clergy.)

Several years of training followed, interestingly simultaneous with Todd Beiswenger’s training for ministry. At the end of this, Todd came out to Australia and Howard, along with Debra, Ben and Lance (Chelsea was working and stayed put) went to serve in the General Church society at Colchester, Essex, in England where they were for several years.

In 2016, due to the opening from the Sydney Society and also to UK visa timings, Howard made enquiries with Sydney and … the rest is history. The Thompsons came over in April 2017 and were offered the position before they left which they accepted. And now, wonderfully, they are here.

Howard, possibly among other things, has worked in insurance. He enjoys activities of different kinds but you would need to check what these are with him. Debra has worked with administration in the New York ballet which would have led to connections with the Sydney Opera House, and so on.

We all welcome them among us and wish that their work here in Australia is fulfilling and happy. To come from one culture and into another culture is pretty challenging, as the Thompsons have already experienced in England. It is often enriching. May the Lord go with them and be their guide.

One particular notable aspect of Doug’s ministry was the popular radio talks he gave on Sunday evenings on radio 2KY from 1968 to 1974. Doug did not shy away from any opportunity to promote/defend the church and in 1969 when the Apollo spacecraft landed on the moon he handled a TV interview deftly when the interviewer said, “Doug, the astronauts have landed on the moon and did not find moon men, what do you say about that?” Doug replied good-naturedly, “Well, they had better go back and have another look!”

Many may not know that Doug was accomplished in many areas of life. His daughter Ros writes that in a History of Marist Brothers College in Mt. Gambier, South Australia, where Doug attended High School there is a whole paragraph on him. It states that he was an entertainer, cartoonist, one of the top French students in South Australia, an all-round sportsman, captain of the cricket team, and is still on the honour roll there for voluntarily enlisting for the RAAF during World War ll.

(The photo at the head of the article is of Doug Taylor with his wife Christine, who passed about a year ago, with their daughter Roslyn (Ros) Taylor in the centre, embracing both her parents.)

A researched appreciation by Margaret and Owen Heldon

More personally, he is my wife Ruth’s father and was a highly formative influence on me during my twenties and thirties, undoubtedly influencing me in my eventual decision to become a minister.

Christopher passed into the spiritual world in August this year, and it is fitting that we acknowledge his work here in Australia. I am including the tribute given by Rev Bruce Jarvis at the service, which was given on behalf of the British New Church.

“I’ve been asked to speak about Christopher, about my relationship with him, and about his ministry. It’s always a tall order and a challenge to speak about anybody’s life, to summarise a lifetime’s activities, all in the space of a few minutes. In Christopher’s case it feels almost undoable, but I must do my best.
My association with Christopher goes back to 1964, and in slightly unusual circumstances. I was approaching the end of my 3-year teacher training course at Nottingham TT College, and had booked to attend what used to be known as the bank holiday Whit School at Purley Chase, near Atherstone. As one often did in those days, I hitch-hiked over to Purley Chase on Friday afternoon 15th May, having completed my final teaching practice the previous day. Rucksack on my back, I plodded up to Purley from Atherstone, trudged up the long drive, eagerly anticipating a long week-end with other young people, led by a minister I had never met. When I got there I realised I was the first to arrive. Well, not quite the first, because when I wandered out on to the lawn I could see some activity among the trees at the far edge of the lawn, smoke rising up, and a muscular bare-chested man vigorously wielding an axe borrowed from the caretakers. You’ve got it, the Revd Christopher Hasler, in his mid-30s, recently returned to the UK from Brisbane, Australia, with his wife Joy and family, and now ministering to the New Church congregations at Heywood and Middleton, just outside Manchester. I can’t say I remember anything else very specific about that week-end but Christopher certainly made his mark on me, and, I think, on everyone else. His commitment, convictions, and capabilities were apparent to us all. His joyous laughter, too, was delightfully infectious.

Looking back, I think a bond between us was established right there at Purley Chase in 1964, and our paths intertwined during the ensuing years. I pursued my teaching career, and Christopher his ministry, which quickly blossomed from local pastoral ministry into most areas of the national church’s life. His move to Derby, close to Purley Chase, meant that he became involved in many schools and week-ends there, including some of the Federation Education week-ends, of which I was one of the organisers. Later, in 1979, my wife, Liz, and I and our two children, Simon and Becky, attended a Family School during the summer holiday. Christopher was the inspirational leader, and introduced us to the recently published New International Version of the Bible. For me, that was one of life’s pivotal moments or events. No translation is without limitations, but Christopher’s commendation certainly influenced me, and I’ve been using that translation ever since as my working Bible.

Christopher had a passion for worship and teaching and pastoral care. Well, you’d hope for that in any ordained minister. But his gifts included so much more, much of it with a creative theme. How many of us have enjoyed the brilliant Hasler family puppets. His writing, too, including that very innovative cartoon book outlining Swedenborg’s life and theology. His work with students preparing for ordination at the New Church College in Manchester. His determination to spread the New Church message far and wide through outreach endeavours, initially via the National Missionary Board, and later through the Swedenborg Movement, and the festivals of Mind, Body and Spirit at various venues.

While Minister at Derby and Melbourne, Christopher met the Revd Michael Perry, who became a senior Anglican priest (and who himself died in January this year). Michael was a leading figure in the ecumenical Churches Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies. Christopher fostered that contact, became a member of the Fellowship, wrote articles and gave presentations affirming the validity of the Swedenborgian approach to the life beyond the grave. He also encouraged several of his colleagues, including Clifford and myself to become involved with the Fellowship.

In 1980 Christopher was appointed President of the General Conference of the New Church, and travelled around the Church, both in Britain and overseas. He made visits to Europe, Australia and Africa. I believe he visited North America, too, though I’m not sure whether that was during his presidency or later. Certainly, a little later on his private life and public one overlapped when he made contact with the tiny New Church community in Czechoslovakia, and renewed links with some family members there. He was an internationalist, and valued the concept of bringing branches of the world-wide New Church together.
One of the duties of the President, as it is today with our Spiritual Leader, was to establish contacts with anyone expressing an interest in preparing for ordination. So it was that one December evening in 1980 he travelled from Derby to visit me and my wife Liz, and conduct an initial interview. In July 1985, Christopher the retiring President, took part in the ceremony to ordain me into the New Church priesthood. We had become not only dear friends but valued colleagues. When the first annual meeting after I began ordination studies was approaching, Christopher asked me to form a choir to sing at the Holy Supper Service. That was in 1982, a lovely and welcome innovation, and one that has persisted to this day, now under the expert leadership of Marion Curry.

In 2000, when Christopher was about the age I am now, he and Michael Stanley gave presentations on the Book of Revelation and its significance to the annual Ministers Seminar at Purley Chase. I need to be concise here! Six of us resolved to form a study group, possibly one of the most creative groups within the Conference in recent decades. Until his health began to decline, Christopher attended our twice-yearly workshops at Purley Chase, and poured his energy into the project. In particular, he became our link with the graphic artist Roland Smith, and from that creative partnership emerged a set of 25 stunning illustrations.
Which brings me back to Christopher’s first proper pastorate after that initial year at Besses o’ th’ Barn – his ministry in Mauritius from 1953 to 1960. More than 50 years on since he and his family left for Brisbane, Christopher’s name is remembered and honoured among the Mauritian New Church family. I know that because as a result of Christopher’s cajoling I served 3 pastoral terms each of 3½ months there in recent years. Those who remember him speak of his energy and vitality, his knowledge and love of the Scriptures and the Heavenly Doctrines, his weekly classes for young people and for adult members, his capacity to invigorate and inspire. In the last few days I have had conversations with 3 Mauritian ladies who were teenagers during Christopher’s time there, and they all testify to what I have just said. His love for the Mauritian Church never faded, and it was Christopher to whom they turned in his retirement to go out for a few weeks following a rather difficult period. I am grateful to Christopher for having encouraged me to respond to their invitations to serve them, and for his support before and during my visits. All of us who have ministered there have developed a love for the people, as did Christopher. And by the way, his name lives on (or did in 2011) in a diorama he created for the Natural History Museum in Port Louis all those years ago.

Christopher: an ideas man, an innovator, creative, visionary. Restless, impatient sometimes, critical of sloppy practice and thinking. A dear and much-loved friend.”

Chris came out to Melbourne in 1970, along with his fiancée Margaret whom he had met in England. He immediately took part in the life of the church there and in later time Chris was appointed as the Lay Leader of that society, a position he held for a long and dedicated time.

In Melbourne, Chris led services and carried out various responsibilities, but in 1992 he extended the awareness of Swedenborg to people through the Swedenborg Group meetings and carried the monthly meeting organisation and publicity himself. He did this for over two decades, right through to very recent times.

In 1998 Chris started training for ministry after taking early retirement from business life and he was ordained into ministry in early 2001, becoming minister to the New Church in Victoria. He became increasingly busy, because, in addition to this ministry and the work of co-ordinating the Melbourne Swedenborg Group monthly meetings, Chris became a Director of The New Church in Australia, providing a real benefit in administrative and financial expertise from his previous work in business and accountancy. He also took on the position of being the Vice-President.

Throughout the 2000s, as the New Church in Australia aimed to make national changes, to integrate and streamline the life of societies, and to make fundamental – and necessary – changes to its Constitution, Chris was busy and methodical, often pouring through tedious drafts and checking every detail for days on end to bring them accurately back to the Executive for submission to the Societies for their approval, which was often unforthcoming.

In the middle of all this painstaking work, Chris also organised several of the annual Camps, finding suitable venues in Victoria, first at Camp Arrabri and more recently several times at Phillip Island Adventure Resort. He double checked every requirement for the success of a camp and would, at times, while suggesting he must be like a pain in the neck to the rest of us, he would insist on certain inclusions to be made in the insurance for a camp so that the church was not exposed to possible legal risks, unlikely as these might be. He would phone or email several companies to get the best deal, the lowest premium and the most satisfactory policy – over hours of pursuit – and have it finally all well in place.

Somehow in all this, Chris was first a pastor and believed he was called to be this, and he kept contact with the individual members of the church. Should some people respond to regular advertisements in magazines and newspapers– which he arranged – he would follow up on their interest and be welcoming to them, always careful not to give off-putting signals about what anyone might be letting themselves into should they come and find out about the New Church for themselves.

One perhaps less-known area of Chris’ interest and work was in the world of Interfaith activities. He was active in the local fraternal group of ministers of various denominations. He was busy with the Parliament of World Religions which held one of its annual meetings in Melbourne during Chris’ time, and he was directly involved in the efforts to develop interfaith awareness, taking an active part in this over many years. This was not only highly appreciated by many others seeking to do the same thing but it also gave Chris personal connection with people from different faiths and outlooks, which directly benefitted the Swedenborg Group in Melbourne and often the provision of a speaker at a meeting.

Yet, should someone in the church break a leg or face a breakdown or move into a nursing home, Chris somehow would find the time and be right there for them, and follow it all up with them afterwards. Because he knew he was above all else a pastor to people.

The celebration of Chris’ life, work, person, and interests was a large gathering of over 250 people in the Melbourne Church, coming together from a wide field of backgrounds to give thanks for Chris as a pastor, help, teacher, guide and personal friend.

The church has been deeply blessed by Chris’ part in it – more than we will ever know – and its thanks are given, along with its sympathy and loving affection for his beloved wife, Margaret, always so supportive to him, to their two daughters Suzanne and Tracey, and to their grandchildren. And, so beautifully, to a young Uzbek woman called Muhabbat who became like a third daughter to Chris and Margaret after coming along in this new land of Australia to the church and being received with love, practical care and open arms. She is now working in medicine in the United States, largely through their direct support.

Chris has not left the Church a book that he wrote, and his articles in The New Age are few and far between. He would happily say that this was not his skill. But so many people know that Chris has written in their heart as well as in their mind, and that such an influence will last for ever, and be continuing in the world where he is now, the eternal world of endless devotion and service to the Lord. Thank you, Chris!

Meet Dr. David Booth, President of Christian Health Aid Team. What an honour to interview such an obviously talented, knowledgeable, inspiring, and philanthropic man. Dr. David Booth is not only a well-renowned oral and maxillofacial (jaw) surgeon, teach, mentor and academic, he is also founder and President of Christian Health Aid Team (CHAT), a Perth-based not-for-profit organisation providing volunteer dental services to orphanages and children in Vietnam. Dr Booth was appointed Emeritus Surgeon in 2001 and was a State Finalist Senior Australian of the year in 2010. Dr Booth has had a full and complete clinical career and now admirably continues to support the development of better medical services in under developed countries. He graduated as a dentist in 1959 at the age of 22.

Dr Booth has been involved with the New Church, of which there is only  one in Perth (…there are in fact two (Editor)) He previously helped out as Leader. He also helped with the development of the New Church College, providing the ability to train ministers in Australia. Apparently, ministers had to train overseas prior to the formation of the New Church College. The New Church is based on the concept of loving God and loving each other. The group believes in ‘a positive Christianity’, one that looks for the best in one’s self and others while remaining accountable to a higher standard and taking responsibility for one’s life. The Christian Health Aid Team clearly demonstrates a commitment to values common to Christianity and the New Church.

Lastly, I asked Dr. Booth what motivates him. His answer is a true reflection of his passion and commitment to helping others…

“Helping others to learn, and passing on my experience and knowledge to others is important to me. Knowing that I am helping children who would otherwise not receive dental treatment is also important to me.”

In remembering Les, try to remember his passion and his vision and his different approach to things, sometimes a bit hard to handle but always well-meant, and based on his own love for the Lord, for the Lord’s church and its people, and for the truths of the Writings.

This commemoration contains the address by Rev. Ian Arnold, given at the celebration, and also my own Presidential greetings that were sent on behalf of the whole Church and which were read out by Christime Kendrick, one of the national Board directors, who was present with her husband Tim.

Ian’s Address

Just two days after Les’s passing, and at his and Bev’s home in West End, I was leafing through his Bible. It’s not that I hadn’t held it in my hands before but this time I felt freer to browse it more closely. In places it is heavily marked and annotated, and one of those places, marked as heavily as anything else in it, are these verses from Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 16:

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’”

Les treasured his Bible. I was going to say that next to Bev it was the love of his life. But no, it was the underground water reservoir and system from which he drew not just in his relationship with Bev and his family, but in all things he was involved with and with all people he had dealings with.

Born into Methodism, his mother having particularly strong Methodist convictions, Les developed an attachment to the Bible from early on; an attachment that was always there and which was given scope to really come to the surface and to blossom and flower once he became involved in Church leadership and as a Pastor. It’s what a lot of people remember about Les’s ministry, here in Brisbane or in his Church travels and work across Australia, also in England and in America, his focus on the Bible, his love for it and our need to read it. Ten or more years ago he campaigned on behalf of the “One Year Bible”, divided up into 365 sections, the idea being to read it all the way through in one calendar year; and quite a few of us signed up for it.

We never know, do we?, what is beneath the surface in other people’s lives. Here was Les, product of a Technical School secondary education; not shy of getting his hands dirty; passionate “rev head”; world traveller at a time when we were agog at inter-continental travel, so rare was it in those days; entrepreneurial, man of the world and successful business man; but ticking away there, all the while, was this love, this fascination, this attachment of his to the Word of God, here in the Bible.

There was a time in his life, as I can remember, when Les tried to hold it at arm’s length, to ignore it, to push it out and away from the immediacy of his everyday life, interests and concerns. But he didn’t succeed. In the end it won him over completely and became emphatically and obviously centre stage for him. As in this past year or so, when he couldn’t read it himself he loved it when others read it to him. He knew it well and if distressed about not being able to read it himself he found reassurance in being told that it was there in his mind and memory anyway.

In the words of the Doctrines of the New Church, “People have communication with Heaven through the (Lord’s) Word.” (DSS 113). Again, when a person reads the Word sincerely and prayerfully “the angels attach themselves to them and take delight in them.” (AC 9152) And that’s really beautiful. I believe Les was in heaven when he was reading the Word or listening to it read to him.

Talk of heaven was of course an absolutely constant theme for the Lord Jesus Christ. He all the time spoke in similes about it, comparing it – for instance – to a grain of mustard seed which starts out so small but grows so large. As to who is greatest there He pointed to the forgetfulness of self, or innocence, as seen in little children. And He talked about it as His “Father’s house” where, if we want it, a place is prepared for us all. He warned one young man of the danger of his attachment to the things of this world and urged him to let go of them. Then, He said, “You will have treasure in heaven”. (Mark 10:22). And it is a similar theme here in these words in his Bible which Les so heavily marked.

My own experience is that passages in the Bible which unusually or persistently catch my attention – as this one did Les – are ones that speak to me of some issue I need to attend to, mirroring back to me some inclinations, or even faults and shortcomings in myself that I need to face up to and overcome.

We all know Les was upfront, incisive, strong when it came to his agenda, never short of a strong opinion and readily directive. But as I reflect on these markings of his here in his Bible I get a very real sense of Les working through these words of our Lord in relation to his own life. Denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and losing our life to find it.

What, I have asked myself, did these words mirror back to Les? Les knew full well that the life we are to lose – as we have the opportunity to do in this world and as an essential part of our being heaven-bound – is the life of self-promotion and self-interest, ego driven, controlling and way, way, too much focussed on life in this world and getting on here. It is a battle ground and I very much have the impression that, within, it was for Les also; perhaps even intensely so. A real battle field, Les wrestling within himself with these traits identified by the Lord in these words. Denying ourselves, taking up our cross and losing our life to find it.

And let’s hang on to this, friends: if as a Minister or Pastor you are not, yourself, out on that battle field, struggling and wrestling, conscious of your vulnerabilities and of the inclinations that throw a dark shadow over you, you cannot effectively convey the significance and importance of it to others, or come alongside of them in their struggles and battles. Les did both, because he could, indeed, speak and preach on these verses and what they mean from the heart; and he was remarkably and reassuringly sensitive and compassionate when he could see those around him – young people, especially, or older people – involved in the battle. He never stood apart, frowned, or judged. And, such is my conclusion from knowing him for many years, he was never shocked – just accepting of where people found themselves. Almost certainly from reflecting on himself, as from anything else, he was too aware of our human weaknesses to be otherwise. And we loved him for this.

Well done, Les for helping us feel there is hope for us.

Well done, for bringing God down out of the sky into our experiences of life as they unfold for us.

Well done, friend, for connecting us with a God of compassion, patience and understanding; and for doing it from a conviction that came from deep within you and from your heart.

President’s message on behalf of the national church

You are celebrating Les today with a service and a party. That sounds wonderful and I know it was what Les specially wanted, for the children but for everyone. I wish I could have been with you but I can’t so I’m sending some words to be said. Les was the President of the national church from 1995 to 2001 and I followed him in that role and he ordained me as President. This makes it very special for me. However, I am writing on behalf of the whole of the New Church in Australia, on behalf of many people who were helped by Les, inspired by him, who listened and watched him at quite a few church camps and who saw him as a good minister and a personal friend. The tributes have been coming in and I have been touched by what people have said.

There is one very important thing I must mention about Les. At a conference in 1997, he was President and in the chair at the meeting and he put forward a proposal that the church allocate $150,000 for the work of the College – it was still a small affair back then. The Conference heard him and voted in favour and as a result of that the College quickly grew and led on to the training and ordination of several of our ministers. So thank you Les.

The church sends its love, joy, appreciation, thanks, admiration and consolation to Les and Bev and all their family. We all know full well that Les will be doing great things in heaven now he has got his energy back and may he always serve his Lord with all his heart. Les and Bev, may the Lord bless you and be with you and keep you together in his heart.

And this from David Moffat
“Les was instrumental in bringing my family back to Australia in 2000, and in working to establish the Canberra group.  He provided constant support – and challenge – in my early years here.  I can only echo the sentiments already ably expressed about the impact he has had upon the New Church in Australia.”

It is a remarkable fact – and a unique one – that John served each and every one of the societies in Australia and he and Mary are very affectionately remembered by people in these societies, and by others in connection with the New Church. John also served the British New Church before returning permanently to minister in Australia.

We extend, with thanks, our affection, gratitude and warmest wishes.

Julian Duckworth, President of the Australian New Church

They are a delightful, energetic, ‘different’ couple who have been a wonderful presence in Brisbane and a great help to all the members there. They have lifted our annual Camps with their willing enthusiasm and open friendship, and in turn have made very many friends here in Australia and New Zealand.

They bike, sail, ride camels, own horses, grow and eat the best organic food and keep an open house, which has been the flat at the Brisbane New Church. We love them, and owe them a deep well of gratitude.

Glenn and Mary will leave Australia on July 15^th this year and go back home to North America where they have their family. They have written the following for us here –

Mary and I would like to thank the our many friends from around the New Church in Australia and New Zealand, for nearly three years of being invited into and feeling a part of your both varied and singular church community. We have loved being part of the church camps, the seminars, the Logo Praxis (which we have hopes to continue with) and your church communities. We have loved worshiping with you in some of your churches, and only wish we could have visited all of them and all of you. It is our fond hope that we will be back to attend future church camps and visit other places we have never seen here in both Australia and New Zealand. It is time to go home, to rediscover our own lives, and to be grandparents. We are looking forward to getting our hands dirty with permaculture. Our current plans have us participating in the next Seminar, being held in Brisbane the 11-13th of July, then flying home from Brisbane the following week some time. You will continue to be in our inbox, in our Facebook and in our thoughts, but mostly in our hearts.

Love, Glenn & Mary