Bill Crews (Australian clergyman)
Encyclopedia
Rev. William David Crews (b. 1944, England) is a Christian
Minister of the Uniting Church in Australia
. He is currently the Minister of the Uniting Church at Ashfield
in Sydney's inner west. Rev. Crews is also the founder and chair of the Exodus Foundation, a charity he initially established to assist homeless and abandoned youth.
The Foundation's activities have expanded to include a free kitchen in Ashfield which feeds 400 people each day, health and welfare services for the homeless and needy, an outreach program for homeless youth and a literacy tutorial program with centres located in Ashfield, New South Wales
, Redfern, New South Wales
, Coen, Queensland
and Darwin, Northern Territory
which offer free remedial reading tuition to disadvantaged primary school children.
under scholarship provided by Amalgamated Wireless Australia (AWA). He worked with AWA in microelectronic research studying the properties of silicon
until 1971, including building the first machine in Australia to grow ultra pure single crystal silicon.
In late 1969 he first visited the Wayside Chapel
in Kings Cross
and ultimately became involved in voluntary programmes; visiting the elderly, sick and shut-ins of the Woolloomooloo-Kings Cross area.
By 1971 he had decided to quit engineering and work full time at the Wayside Chapel. Bill was a member of the team that created the first 24-hour Crisis Centre in Australia. By 1972 he was Director of the Crisis Centre and directed all the social work programmes of the Wayside Chapel until 1983. During that time he established the first program in Australia to reunite adoptees and birth parents (Reunion Register), and the first programme to assist parents who were at risk of abusing their children (Child Abuse Prevention Service). He also established the first modern youth refuge in Australia.
In 1973 he was made a member of the New South Wales Drug and Alcohol Authority and was intimately involved in establishing drug rehabilitation, education and prevention programs throughout New South Wales.
In 1978 he and the Rev. Ted Noffs
created the first Life Education Centre. Life Education Centres are now all over Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, England and America.
He also hosts the radio program Sunday Night with Bill Crews on Sydney radio station 2GB
.
Guests have included Helen Reddy
, Bob Hawke
and Kerry O'Brien. He is known to have a centre-left
political viewpoint and was a strong critic of long time Prime Minister John Howard
International Award "Paul Harris Fellow". He has been voted Father of the Year
and Humanitarian of the Year (1992). In February 1998 Crews was included in the National Trust of Australia
's 100 "National Living Treasures". In 1999 Crews was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia
(AM) for his services to the disadvantaged and his work with homeless youth.
As part of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Bill ran a leg of the Olympic Torch Relay and the Paralympic Torch Relay. He also distributed hundreds of donated tickets to those who would otherwise not have had the financial means to partake in the Olympic experience.
In 2001 Bill was named Ashfield Citizen of the Year for his contribution to the local community. He received the William R. Tresise Fellowship Award from the Australian Lions Foundation in June 2001 – the highest honour the Foundation bestows for humanitarian services. In 2001 Rev. Crews also received an Alumni Award from the University of New South Wales.
Rev. Crews is a Patron of Australians For Just Refugee Programs, and Chairman of Fair Go Australia – an anti-racism project sponsored by the N.S.W. Government through the Department of Community Relations Commission.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
Minister of the Uniting Church in Australia
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
. He is currently the Minister of the Uniting Church at Ashfield
Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
in Sydney's inner west. Rev. Crews is also the founder and chair of the Exodus Foundation, a charity he initially established to assist homeless and abandoned youth.
The Foundation's activities have expanded to include a free kitchen in Ashfield which feeds 400 people each day, health and welfare services for the homeless and needy, an outreach program for homeless youth and a literacy tutorial program with centres located in Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
, Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, Coen, Queensland
Coen, Queensland
Coen is a small inland town on the main road heading up the Cape York Peninsula in far northern Queensland, Australia. It is in the Cook Shire Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Coen had a population of 253....
and Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
which offer free remedial reading tuition to disadvantaged primary school children.
Profile
Crews was born in England in 1944 but grew up in Australia. Crews studied Electrical Engineering at the University of New South WalesUniversity of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
under scholarship provided by Amalgamated Wireless Australia (AWA). He worked with AWA in microelectronic research studying the properties of silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
until 1971, including building the first machine in Australia to grow ultra pure single crystal silicon.
In late 1969 he first visited the Wayside Chapel
Wayside Chapel
The Wayside Chapel is a ministry in the Kings Cross/Potts Point area of Sydney, Australia.-Description and history:The Wayside Chapel was established in the Kings Cross area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1964. Ted Noffs was the founder of the Wayside Chapel, which was at the time a...
in Kings Cross
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
and ultimately became involved in voluntary programmes; visiting the elderly, sick and shut-ins of the Woolloomooloo-Kings Cross area.
By 1971 he had decided to quit engineering and work full time at the Wayside Chapel. Bill was a member of the team that created the first 24-hour Crisis Centre in Australia. By 1972 he was Director of the Crisis Centre and directed all the social work programmes of the Wayside Chapel until 1983. During that time he established the first program in Australia to reunite adoptees and birth parents (Reunion Register), and the first programme to assist parents who were at risk of abusing their children (Child Abuse Prevention Service). He also established the first modern youth refuge in Australia.
In 1973 he was made a member of the New South Wales Drug and Alcohol Authority and was intimately involved in establishing drug rehabilitation, education and prevention programs throughout New South Wales.
In 1978 he and the Rev. Ted Noffs
Ted Noffs
Theodore Delwin Noffs was a Methodist minister, writer and founder of the and Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, Sydney, in 1964. During the youth revolt of the 1960s, Noffs was attracted to what he saw as the life-affirming side of the movement...
created the first Life Education Centre. Life Education Centres are now all over Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, England and America.
He also hosts the radio program Sunday Night with Bill Crews on Sydney radio station 2GB
2GB
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is one of Australia's most popular talk-back radio stations, and is the number one station in Sydney.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926...
.
Guests have included Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
, Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
and Kerry O'Brien. He is known to have a centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
political viewpoint and was a strong critic of long time Prime Minister John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
Awards and Honours
Rev. Crews has been awarded The Rotary FoundationRotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs...
International Award "Paul Harris Fellow". He has been voted Father of the Year
Australian Father Of The Year award
The Australian Father Of The Year award is an Australian award to honor and showcase a fine example of Australian fatherhood. Spanning over fifty years, the ‘Australian Father of the Year’ has been awarded to high-profile, famous fathers, from prime ministers & politicians to sportsmen and business...
and Humanitarian of the Year (1992). In February 1998 Crews was included in the National Trust of Australia
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
's 100 "National Living Treasures". In 1999 Crews was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AM) for his services to the disadvantaged and his work with homeless youth.
As part of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Bill ran a leg of the Olympic Torch Relay and the Paralympic Torch Relay. He also distributed hundreds of donated tickets to those who would otherwise not have had the financial means to partake in the Olympic experience.
In 2001 Bill was named Ashfield Citizen of the Year for his contribution to the local community. He received the William R. Tresise Fellowship Award from the Australian Lions Foundation in June 2001 – the highest honour the Foundation bestows for humanitarian services. In 2001 Rev. Crews also received an Alumni Award from the University of New South Wales.
Rev. Crews is a Patron of Australians For Just Refugee Programs, and Chairman of Fair Go Australia – an anti-racism project sponsored by the N.S.W. Government through the Department of Community Relations Commission.
External links
- The Bill Crews Story http://www.billcrews.com.au/html/submenu-pages/bill-crews-story.html
- 2GB - Bill Crews http://2gb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=103
- Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/04/1094234078629.html?from=storylhs
- Australian of the Year http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/pages/bio.asp?pID=20.
- Exodus Foundation official website http://www.billcrews.com.au/htm/exodus_frontpage.htm