Baptist Editorial Appointment

Press, Volume C, Issue 29609, 4 September 1961, Page 15

Baptist Editorial Appointment

The Rev. A. L. Silcock. of the Colombo Street Baptist Church, Christchurch, has been appointed by the Australian and New Zealand Baptist Boards of Christian Education as full-time editor of senior studies for young people and adults in both countries. The study books and leaders’ books will be used particularly in all-age Sunday Schools. Mr Silcock will direct the preparation of studies for the 18 to 25 years group and for adults. while those for younger classes will be prepared in Australia. All-age Sunday Schools, which have classes before morning church for all groups from infants to the oldest church members, now number more than 40 in Baptist Churches in New Zealand, some 600 to 700 persons attending regularly. Mr Silcock, who will commence his new duties in February, will live in Wellington. He will be a members of the executive of the New Zealand Baptist Board of Christian Education and executive officer of a New Zealand Baptist Board of Publications to be set up. He will also be a member of the editorial committee of the Australian Baptist Board of Christian Education and. by attending meetings in Melbourne from time to time, will be liaison officer between the two national boards. Educated at Christchurch and Ashburton and trained at

the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and the New Zealand Baptist College, Mr Silcock: is immediate past president of the New Zealand Baptist Union and Missionary Society. He has been a member of the council of the Baptist Union since 1934 and of the executive committee since 1945. He is a member of the board of the Baptist Theological College and of its selection committee. He is a member of the Board of Christian Education and of other committees. He has served on the Dominion council of the Baptist Bible

Class Movement and is a holder of its honours badge. He is a past Dominion chaplain of the Girls’ Life Brigade movement. He is convener of the literature committee of the Baptist Union and has had considerable experience • on writing Bible Class studies, pamphlets and the religious columns of newspapers. For the Billy Graham Crusade he was an executive member of the Christchurch and South Island committee and was responsible for printing. He is a member of the Dominion executive of the National Council of Churches. Church Improvements

For the last five years Mr Silcock has served as minister of the Colombo Street Baptist Church, during which considerable improvements have been made to property, including the installation of a pipe organ and the building of one of the largest youth halls in the city. During his ministry seven people have entered full-time Christian service. He has also been minister of the Owaka, Island Bay, Timaru. Masterton and Gisborne Baotist Churches

Mrs Silcock is president of the Canterbury-Westland Baptist Women's Missionary Union and president of the Ist Christchurch Battalion of Girls’ Life Brigade. She is leader of the G.LB. cadets in her own church and holds the brigade’s 15-year service badge.