Some Memories of Aglow Over the Years

At the Conference in Launceston, someone said to me, “I know your face.” I laughed and replied, “I’ve been hanging around Aglow for a long time.”

My very first contact with Aglow was around 1978, when I was invited to a meeting in the Doncaster area of Melbourne. It was one of the early Aglow gatherings, with about 1,000–1,500 people. The worship was wonderful, and the speaker was a Catholic Nun, Director of Nursing at a large hospital in the USA. She spoke on healing, and I was so impacted. I would have loved to keep attending, but our path led us to country Victoria for the next six years.

On returning to Melbourne, I found Knox Aglow, probably around 1987. I was hooked and knew the Lord wanted me there. The meetings were different back then — more structured, with a speaker, worship, prayer for those who needed it, and usually morning tea. I served on the committees during that time, though I can’t quite recall the positions. What I do remember is the fellowship and the joy of meeting women from other denominations, many of whom I’m still connected with today.

My first National Conference was in Brisbane in 1990, and from then on I attended as many as I could. In 1997, I went on Joan Morton’s tour to my first International Conference in New Orleans — an unforgettable experience! The worship and speakers were amazing, and the parade of flags from all the nations was especially moving. As part of the tour, we also spent a day at Disneyland, which turned into one of the highlights of the whole trip — so much fun and laughter as the group really let their hair down.

I also remember the Perth Conference in the 1990s with the theme “East Meets West, Black Meets White.” The stage was beautifully decorated with black and white swans, and there was such a sense of excellence and presentation. I recall Joan saying something like, “Come on Church! If you can’t beat the world in presentation, what have you got to show?”

Over the years I moved around and attended different groups — first Parkdale, then Chadstone (which was very vibrant), before eventually returning to Knox when we moved back to Kallista. Under Lyn Pettman’s leadership, I served on the committee again as Membership person. During this season, I began to sense God speaking about another move. The Holy Spirit kept saying, “Uproot, replant.”

Sure enough, He led us to Hobart. It became clear in prayer that God wanted me to help re-establish Aglow in Hobart. It took many years of waiting and seeking the right people, but eventually the group was birthed. This year we celebrate our 4th anniversary!

What a joy it was for our little group to be part of the preparations for Aglow’s 50th anniversary in Tasmania. Seeing it all come together was such a blessing, and we felt honoured to contribute. Truly, how good is our God!

Jenny Adkins,

Leader, Hobart Aglow