Heroes of the faith: ‘Spiritual giants’ promoted to glory
COMPILED BY LAUREN MARTIN
Retired Australia Territory Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore have been promoted to glory within days of each other, after having given a combined total of nearly 140 years of service to The Salvation Army.
Nancy Cutmore was promoted to glory on 8 September, with Ian joining her in heaven on 10 September. Our love and prayers, along with our heartfelt sympathy covers and surrounds children Steve (Natalie), Julie (Craig). They leave behind grandchildren Taryn, Caitlin, Bronte and Brodie, Madison and Hannah; as well as great grandchildren Kingsley, Mabel, Jet, Isaac and Levi.
Ian was a member of the Heralds session of cadets and was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer on 14 January 1954. Nancy was a member of the Sword Bearers session of cadets and was commissioned on 10 January 1957.
The Cutmores are known for their early appointments pioneering the work of The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea, alongside Majors Keith and Edna Baker. They also held international leadership appointments and were Training Principals of the Australia Eastern Territory School for Officer Training.
Last year, Ian celebrated his 90th birthday and launched a book featuring stories about their time in Papua New Guinea, Not Weary Yet: Inspiring Snippets of The Salvation Army Papua New Guinea Story. Commissioners Ian and Nancy wrote nearly a third of the narrative.
Late last month, Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas introduced a new award – the Cutmore Award – named after the Commissioners. The first recipients were the Cutmores themselves, who were surprised and delighted when Miriam visited their Port Macquarie home in early August and presented them with the award – personally named the Pioneering Award.
Seventeen Salvation Army officers and mission leaders across Australia were honoured with the Cutmore Award during the recent visit of General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham.
“Ian and Nancy Cutmore are spiritual giants in my eyes,” said Miriam, after receiving news of their promotion to glory. “They have always been people that I have looked up to. Pioneers, godly, wise, kind, open to new ideas, passionate about God’s idea of The Salvation Army, caring for nations and generations.
“I love how God granted them their prayer of heading to heaven at pretty much the same time.”
During their time as Training Principals for the Australia Eastern Territory Officer Training College in Sydney, from 1975 to 1981, Ian and Nancy were instrumental in the relocation of the college from Petersham to Bexley in 1980.
At a ceremony to mark the conclusion of training officers in Sydney in 2018, Commissioner Ian said in a specially prepared video, “It won’t really matter where they work and study, just so long as they truly pursue and discover for themselves what is often called the ‘spirit of the Army’, which in its perfect form, is really the spirit of Jesus.”
That spirit encapsulated the ministry of Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore.
The Master said to Nancy and Ian, “Well done, good and faithful servants. You have been faithful … Enter into the joy of your master’” (Matthew 25:23).
A Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration of Nancy and Ian’s life will be held on:
Date: 21 September 2024
Time: 10am
Location: The Salvation Army
110 Lord Street, Port Macquarie
New South Wales
Live Stream: details can be found in their promotion to glory bulletin by clicking here
