Ward Reunion to Remember

Friends and former members of the Fairfield Ward (congregation) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Melbourne, Australia gathered from across Australia, New Zealand and the United States on 7 July 2018 for a wonderful reunion. They joined together and reminisced about their time in the Fairfield Ward. The reunion was held at the Fairfield Ward building, and was attended by people who had been members of the ward at some point during a 60-year span.

This reunion all started with correspondence from Jeanette Mohring Bundy, a former member of the Fairfield Ward now living in the state of New Mexico, USA. She and her family were coming on holiday to Melbourne and hoped that they could meet up with some of their former friends of the ward.

Jeanette created a Facebook page and invited people who had previously, or were currently part of the Fairfield Ward since the 1960’s to be part of the Fairfield Facebook group. The idea “caught fire” and literally took off from there. Many of those that joined the group on Facebook gave suggestions of other people they had known in the ward and the group continued to "snowball".

Darice Dudfield, who lives in Melbourne and grew up in the Fairfield Ward, coordinated the event.  She collected photos from people who had been in the ward from the earliest years, and mounted them onto large posters displayed for the evening. Darice also did research and prepared a timeline of the ward for everyone to view. Tom Louws brought his band "Sunset Jack" to entertain throughout the evening. Everyone attending brought delicious food to feed a small army of people!

Graham and Robyn expressed what so many were feeling, “Thank you to all who organised and attended this wonderful evening of fun, food, friends and music. It is inspiring to renew friendships and strengthening to see friends strong and active in the Gospel.”

Jeannette Bundy was touched by the number of people who came. She remarked, "Thanks everyone for a truly wonderful night, to Tom Louws for getting your band together. Most of all to each and everyone of you who shared hugs and kisses, memories and laughs together, thank you, it truly was a piece of heaven."

Darice was very pleased with the outcome. She commented at the end of the event, "It was a very casual night where we could reminisce, eat food and catch up with dear friends and people who may have taught us in the past. Fairfield Ward has had a rich history here in Victoria. I'm glad to call it my home and glad to still have a connection to it. There are many fond memories from the original building and the building addition, where there was a great sense of community and family." 

As the evening came to a close, a group picture was taken as a momento, for a reunion that will be remembered for many years to come.