In January 1976, Helen and Neville DeBoar moved to 61 Sydenham Road, Norwood. Beryl Schaefer started work at the ‘Home for Incurables’ in Fullarton. Mal Graetz and Jenny Riemann were married on the 10th January at Adelaide Botanic Park. The outdoor wedding was well represented by Jesus Centre people. Jenny had been transferred back to Adelaide from Whyalla because of the marriage. The eldership felt it was best if Mal shifted out of the Melbourne Street Jesus House so they could have some time together as newly weds. Mal and Jenny went to their aunty’s house in Unley. Rob and Sue Franklin rented the larger side of the same house.

 

A Jan/Feb 1976 edition of the Adelaide Jesus Paper was produced with 8,000 copies being distributed. In June, the last issue of the Adelaide Jesus Paper was published with 5,000 copies circulated. It was a surprise to find the front cover printed on the back! Maybe this was a prophetic sign that the end of the paper was nigh or was it just a layout mistake?

 

There was a growing instability in the two Melbourne Street houses in the following months. Gordon came in the firing line for his so called 'controlling' ways in which he functioned as a pastor/elder. Rob and Sue Franklin left the Jesus Centre in May with several controversial letters from Rob expressing his concerns about leadership issues. 

 

Ian and Olga DeBoar moved to Windsor Gardens in March. In April, Beryl Schaefer started work at the Children’s Hospital and Sharon Langford moved into 138 Melbourne St. house. 

 

Bill Springham and Genevieve Sheldrick announced their engagement in May. Two other engagements were announced but didn’t continue for very long.

 

Larissa Zynevych, Maureen Roberts and Cheryl White moved out of the Melbourne St. House. Ian and Olga DeBoar had a daughter, Lisa.

 

In mid June, Mal and Jenny Graetz shifted to 138 Melbourne Street to be closer to the everyday heartbeat of the Jesus Centre. Jenny had a teaching position at East Adelaide Junior Primary School after moving back to Adelaide.

 

By July 1976, problems that had been brewing for some months began to boil. A crisis in eldership developed. Internal problems in 134 Melbourne Street resulted in it being closed down. We had a letter from the landlord Ian Mill on the 25 June agreeing on a termination date of 31 July 1976 on the lease. Sunday worship continued in the Melbourne Street church hall and the Graetzs continued living at 138 Melbourne Street. 

 

Tom Ryan went to the Skewes farm at Karoonda to work. Sharon Langford relocated to the Boskenna house in Norwood. Lynton Turner returned to his parents’ home. Beryl Schaefer moved to Norwood.

 

The One Way Drop Inn was closed as enthusiasm for the work had waned. The last rental payment for the Drop Inn was on 27 September 1976. 

 

In July, the 61 Sydenham Road property in Norwood, which had been rented by the Jesus Centre, came up for sale. Trevor and Maureen Harris felt that they should purchase it. The existing Jesus Centre group was in agreement. A letter was written to the Kent Town Church Homes Trust explaining the intention to continue to use it as part of a Christian community. The trust agreed for sale despite higher bids by developers. The Norwood house was built in the late 1850’s and had an historic legacy of Christian owners who were involved with missions. The Trust owned both 59 and 61 Sydenham Road and had previous plans to build a nursing home there. 

 

Maureen Harris gave birth to Rebecca in July and Liz King had her first child Michelle in August. Neville and Helen DeBoar vacated No. 61 Sydenham Road and relocated to Pt. Noarlunga on the 11th September. The Harris family shifted in on the 16th September. There was talk of Mal and Jenny shifting in with the Harris family.

 

Bill Van der Knaap and Jayne Townsend were married on the 28th September at Nunyara Conference Centre Chapel at Belair.

 

The Jesus Centre began Thursday night and Sunday morning gatherings in October at 61 Sydenham Road. There was good teaching and fellowship, but questions were still being asked on the role of the group.

 

The opportunity arose for Peter and Liz King to buy 59 Sydenham Road soon after the Harris purchase. An amicable settlement was made with the Kent Town Church Homes Trust after initial difficulties. Prayer prevailed after the existing tenant was reluctant to want to leave the house. 

 

Another Jesus Centre retreat was held 15-17 October at Hawthorn Farm, Mt. Barker. The Rev. Geoffrey Bingham gave us teaching on “The Fatherhood of God”. Even with the smaller group under financial pressure, it was decided to continue supporting Gordon Fry as pastor. Mal had gone to work for Simpson Pope in Dudley Park mid August and was taken off the Jesus Centre payroll.

 

Those connected to the Jesus Centre in Norwood in late 1976 were Peter and Liz King, Trevor and Maureen Harris, Mal and Jenny Graetz, Tom Ryan, Russell and Anne Bartlett, Gordon and Helen Fry, Bill Springham, Genevieve Sheldrick, Peter and Debbie Brown (siblings) and around ten children as well.

 

In mid November, Mal and Jenny Graetz vacated 138 Melbourne Street and went to live with the Harris family. At this stage, Mal and Jenny had plans to travel overseas in 1977-78 for 12 months to visit Christian communities and learn from their experiences of life together. 

 

Peter and Liz King shifted to 59 Sydenham Road from their flat in Marden in November. In December, Peter Leafe moved in with the Kings.

 

The pastoral role of Gordon Fry was called in to question by some. There were talks about the Jesus Centre disbanding and people attending local churches. Some of the remaining group felt we should stay together and see what God had in store for the two adjacent properties. Working bees were organised to clean up both the King and Harris properties. It was the start of many ‘front fence’ contacts with neighbours who were interested to talk about the new community developments.

 

Bill Springham and Genevieve Sheldrick were married on the 11th December 1976 at Flinders Street Baptist Church.

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