Under God, many people have served with CMS over the years. We regularly acknowledge and give thanks to God for former or current CMS missionaries who have been called home to be with their heavenly Father. Here we remember Lance Tremlett, Shirley Andrews, Rob Weeden, Patricia Mascord and Elizabeth Newman. 

Lance Tremlett AM

We give thanks to God for the life and service of Lance Tremlett AM, who went to be with Christ on 14 October 2025, aged 87. He and his wife Gwen served as CMS missionaries for over 40 years. Lance passed away from Parkinson’s disease. 

Lance came to love the Lord as a child after missionaries visited his Sunday School in Sydney. He trained as a carpenter then was called to mission while completing National Service Training. Lance studied at Sydney Missionary Bible College and was accepted to serve with CMS in North Australia in 1961. 

Lance met Gwen at a CMS meeting in Parramatta that same year. Gwen studied at Mary Andrews College (then Deaconess House) and was accepted to serve with CMS in 1963. The couple married in 1964 at Ngukurr (then Roper River). 

Lance and Gwen served many communities across North Australia, including Gunbalanya, Umbakumba and Angurugu. They served in carpentry, childcare, teaching, administration, ministry, local government and other roles until God led them to Kriol literacy and Bible translation in 1987.  

By God’s grace, the Tremletts served in translation for two decades and were part of the team who produced the first full Bible in any Aboriginal language. This effort was nationally recognised in 2007 when Lance and Gwen were both made members of the Order of Australia. 

Lance loved his ministry and was filled with great joy seeing Aboriginal people develop and take up responsibility in council and community life. The Tremletts finished with CMS in 2008 and settled in Maroochydore, Queensland, where they served in many ministries with St Peter’s Church. 

We are deeply grateful for Lance’s 40 years of service to CMS and to Aboriginal communities. We give thanks for Lance’s life and service and pray for God’s comfort over Gwen and their sons, family and friends. 

Shirley Andrews 

We give thanks to God for the life and service of Shirley Andrews, who went to be with Christ on 6 August 2025, aged 89.  

Shirley studied teaching in Wagga Wagga and started her career in West Wollongong, later moving to Sydney. She continued teaching and became the first woman on the planning and policies committee for the Diocese of Sydney’s Youth Department.  

Shirley married her husband Bob in 1967. They were accepted as CMS missionaries to serve the Lord in Tanzania, following connections Bob had from earlier service in 1959. Bob and Shirley served in the Diocese of Morogoro for six years, running evangelistic campaigns that continued under Tanzanian leadership well into the 1970s.  

Bob and Shirley then followed God’s call to ministry in Kenya, where they served from 1973–79. They became involved with starting the Theological Education by Extension program (TEE), initially designed for Christian adults in East Africa. TEE has since expanded internationally. Bob and Shirley concluded their missionary work with CMS in 1979 and lived in Sydney until 1986, when they were accepted with CMS as special agreement missionaries and returned to Kenya.  

Bob and Shirley eventually settled in Macarthur. 

We give thanks for Shirley’s life and service, and pray for God’s comfort over Bob, their family, extended family and friends. 

Rob Weedon 

We give thanks to God for the life and service of Rob Weedon, who went to be with Christ on 28 July 2025, aged 87.  

Rob came to love the Lord Jesus through gospel preaching at Oakleigh Anglican Church in Victoria. His faith matured while in the CMS League of Youth, where he became a leader and played a large part in developing the CMS property in Belgrave Heights (where many League of Youth and CMS Summer School events were held).  

Rob trained in medicine and served with CMS in in Tanganyika (Tanzania) as a doctor and a surgeon from 1964. Alongside his first wife Frances and their three children, Rob worked in Mvumi and Kilimatinde and was also involved in restoring heritage buildings and erecting new buildings for the hospital.  

Rob introduced the Flying Doctor Service from Nairobi to the Kilimatinde area, connecting many people with life-saving medical care. He travelled by car and plane, preaching the gospel of God’s grace in Swahili to many villages. Rob finished his service with CMS in 1972 to continue his medical training in England. 

Rob and Frances’ marriage ended in 1972. He later married Nyole, who predeceased him in 2014. In 2015, Rob married Alison Coventry, a former CMS missionary who served in Kenya from 1962–67 and in the Northern Territory from 1968–69. 

We give thanks for Rob’s life and service and pray for God’s comfort over Alison, Rob’s children, and their extended family and friends. 

Patricia Mascord (née Shelley)

We give thanks to God for the life and service of Patricia Mascord, who went to be with Christ on 2 August 2025, aged 86. She passed away in aged care after battling dementia. 

Patricia served as a CMS missionary in Indonesia from 1972–79, working first at the William Booth Salvation Army hospital in Surabaya. Patricia taught nursing care and English, and she had counselling oversight of the student nurses.  

After her first Home Assignment, Patricia returned to Indonesia but relocated to Bethesda Hospital in Yogyakarta, where she both taught and held a position on the Hospital Council. After another Home Assignment, the hospital was hopeful to have Patricia return, but she prayerfully concluded that God was leading her to new ministries in Australia. CMS is deeply grateful for her years of service and Christian witness in Indonesia. 

Patricia married her long-time missionary correspondent Raymond Mascord when she returned to Australia, and they settled in St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Wanniassa, Canberra. Patricia and Raymond were committed servants to their church community, and Patricia was instrumental in organising pastoral care for elderly members of the congregation.  

We give thanks for Patricia’s life and service and pray for God’s comfort over her and Raymond’s family, extended family and friends.

Elizabeth Newman

We give thanks to God for the life and service of Elizabeth “Eliz” Newman, who went to be with Christ on 7 October 2025, aged 78. She passed away after battling cancer and was being cared for by her daughters Helen and Jenny. 

Elizabeth’s parents were CMS missionaries George and June Pearson, who served in Tanganyika (Tanzania) 1943-64, and she came to love and trust Jesus as a child. 

As an adult, Elizabeth served with CMS in the Northern Territory in a nursing capacity. She worked in two towns, covering for Edna Brooker (NZCMS 1958–81) at Ngukurr (then Roper River) and Joan Smedley (1961–81) at Numbulwar (then Rose River) while they took leave.  

Elizabeth served at Ngukurr from November 1971 to February 1972, and then at Numbulwar until May 1972. She met Ralph Newman while in Ngukurr, and the pair married in June 1972.  

CMS asked the Newmans to return to the Northern Territory as short-term missionaries and serve for one year at Angurugu on Groote Eylandt. Throughout 1973, Elizabeth worked at a local clinic as a nurse, and Ralph performed residential electrical work. After their service, Elizabeth and Ralph settled in Atherton, Queensland. 

Ralph suffered brain haemorrhages that led to his being cared for in a nursing home from 1983 until his death in 2011. Elizabeth turned to work as a maths teacher, fulfilling a childhood dream from her days as a student in Tanzania. 

We give thanks for Elizabeth’s life and service and pray for God’s comfort over her and Ralph’s family, extended family and friends.