11 August 2021
Ormond Porter: an SU legacy
Posted in SU QLD
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.”
Proverbs 3:6 Our actions today have the potential to cause ripples that will one day become a mighty wave in the future.
When Scripture Union founder, Josiah Spiers, wrote God is Love in the sand of a Welsh beach in the late 1800s, little did he know the ripple he started would create a wave that covers more than 120 nations today, impacting millions of young lives.
When Ormond Porter became the first SU QLD employee in 1944, little did he know he would carry on the legacy of Josiah that now reaches more than 900 local communities throughout Queensland, impacting more than 400,000 children and young people every year.
These humble pioneers are joined by scores of other passionate, dedicated men and women around the world, who have sacrificed much so the next generation could experience God’s love and good news.
Ormond’s daughter Sue shares her reflections on her father’s life and legacy.
“The guiding force of my father’s life was his belief in Jesus,” says Sue.
“I think Dad would be very humbled to see where Scripture Union Queensland is now.”
Ormond was born in Sydney on September 27, 1917 and passed away in Brisbane on March 2, 2010.
Today he is known as one of the “Founding Fathers” of SU QLD. Seventy years ago, he was simply known as a young man with a passion to share the good news of Christ with young people.
Ormond grew up camping and exploring the Australian bush, and it was these adventures that inspired him to run camps and events with groups of young people.
He knew his calling was to work with young people, and could see how important community and shared experiences were. These bush camps changed the lives of many throughout the late 1940s and beyond.
This legacy lives on today in the Adventure Camps and at-risk programs run by school chaplains.
Today, standing on the shoulders of those who have come before, we are grateful to those early trailblazers like Ormond Porter.
Our ministries may look different today to meet today’s needs, but the same heartbeat that inspired Ormond remains.
It’s this same heartbeat that we carry in this next chapter as we partner with our Scripture Union family across the nation to see each child, young person and family experience God’s love and good news.
This next chapter may look like only a ripple today, but let’s get excited about the waves we will make for our future generations as we continue to acknowledge God and allow Him to direct our path.
If you wish to leave a lasting legacy through a bequest to Scripture Union, contact Jon Thorne at bequests@su.org.au today.
