It started with Sunday school in a park
- deansimpson7
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
Ninety-five-year-old Joy Pittard was surprised in a Sunday morning meeting at Wollongong in May with the presentation of a Salvation Army Service Recognition Award.
Joy shared the exceptional service award with her late husband, Ken, who was Promoted to Glory in 2018.
The couple, soldiers of the Wollongong Corps, received the award for their work in helping to establish the Tarrawanna Corps in the northern suburbs of the Illawarra region.
Wollongong Corps Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Lyn Edge announced the awards to Joy and Ken (posthumously) before Lieut-Col Terry Grey presented Joy with the certificates.
With the help of the late Alma Seton, the Pittards established a Sunday school in a park at Tarrawanna in 1956, leading to the formation of the Tarrawanna Corps, originally known as the Fernhill Mission.
When the weather was unsuitable, the Sunday school was held in a local butchery shop.
An estimated 120 children attended the Sunday school, among them a young Bob Seymour, who went on to become a Salvation Army officer. He is now a retired major and is married to NSW/ACT Divisional Commander Major Robyn Black.
Ken Pittard played a significant role in the conversion of Bob, maintaining a close interest in him for many years after he left Sunday school. Bob conducted Ken’s funeral service at Wollongong Corps seven years ago.
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Bob’s sister, Lyn Mather, who also attended Sunday school in the park all those years ago, is still a soldier of the Tarrawanna Corps. She has held various leadership positions over the years and now runs the popular mid-week Kids in the Kitchen program at the corps.
In addition to conducting the Sunday school in the park, Ken Pittard also visited families of the children during the week.
As a young married couple, Ken and Joy continued their Tarrawanna ministry for 10 years, while also carrying out roles at their own Wollongong Corps. Â
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