Peter Alfred Robinson, former pastor and pioneer of the Church of the Nazarene in Australia, passed away 19 August at the age of 91.

Robinson helped pioneer the Church of the Nazarene in Australia, having received entire sanctification while serving as a junior police constable during a revival held at the Adelaide (later Croydon Park) Church of the Nazarene in 1950. Peter was one of six laymen transformed in this revival who later became pastors in the Church of the Nazarene. 

In 1954, Peter and his wife, Enid, relocated to Sydney to enroll in Nazarene Bible College (now Nazarene Theological College). After several months of study, Australia District Superintendent A.A.E. Berg invited Peter to pioneer the Church of the Nazarene in Mackay, almost 700 kilometers (430 miles) from the nearest Church of the Nazarene. After one year, the Robinsons returned to Sydney, where Peter became the pastor of the Birrong Church of the Nazarene and continued his studies at NBC.

The Robinsons later accepted a call to pastor the Stafford Church of the Nazarene in the northern suburbs of Brisbane and shortly after was ordained an elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 1959.

At the end of 1963, the Robinsons returned to Adelaide, where Peter became the pastor of his home church at Croydon Park. After the creation of the Australia Southern District in February 1977, Peter served as a member of the initial District Advisory Board and as district secretary from 1983 to 1992. He also served for three years as a member of Nazarene Theological College.

While pastoring the Birrong church for the second time from 1980 to 1985, Peter was responsible for an extensive expansion, renovation, and beautification of the church building. After a pastorate at the Ingle Farm Church in Adelaide, Peter retired from the ministry in 1992.

On 16 March 2008, the Robinsons were presented with a Distinguished Service Award by the Capalaba church in recognition of more than 60 years of loyal service to Christ through the Church of the Nazarene in Australia. Despite health concerns, including a heart attack in 2014, he preached every opportunity given and attended church regularly in Adelaide.

Peter is survived by his wife of 69 years, Enid; elder son Bret and his wife, Moira; and younger son, Lindsay and his two children.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, 27 August, at Harrison Funerals, located at 173 Port Road, Queenstown, South Australia.

--Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary via NCN News Submissions

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