Biography

The Reverend Ernest E Horth, RFD BA Th L (Hons) was rector of St John’s from December 1981 to the end of 1986.
As previous rector, Archdeacon Ian Booth had undertaken all the planning and preparation for a major restoration programme on the physical church building. Ernest undertook the task of leadership during the implementation of that programme, and whilst building on past spiritual foundations took new initiatives to energize that spiritual vitality even further.

Born in Hurstville, a southern Sydney suburb, on 25 August 1938, his father was a boilermaker/welder and his mother a Dental Nurse. At the age of fifteen Ernest entered the RAAF Technical Training School at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. He was successful in becoming an Aircraft Engine Fitter. Close to his eighteenth birthday he experienced the presence of Christ in his life and the call to ordained ministry. After three years at Ridley College he was ordained by the Bishop of Gippsland in St Paul’s Cathedral, Sale. On the 2nd February 1965 after ordination as a deacon, he commenced his first curacy at the Cathedral Parish, was married to Ida at St James Old Cathedral, East Melbourne on 27 December 1965, and appointed as Curate in the Parish of Moe before ordination as priest on 20 February 1966. Before his appointment to St John’s, he served another curacy in St Faith’s Narrabeen Parish, Diocese of Sydney, followed by six years as a Chaplain in the Regular Army. He was appointed Vicar of St Aidan’s Parish, Parkdale, Diocese of Melbourne in August 1974 and commissioned as Victorian Secretary of the Bush Church Aid Society in 1979.

During his ministry in Launceston he was appointed rural dean and also served on Diocesan Council. He was senior Anglican army chaplain in Tasmania and for a brief time served as police chaplain in Launceston.

Following his ministry at St John’s, he served as CEO of the Bible Society Australia Inc.; Regional Officer in Queensland/Northern New South Wales for BCA; Vicar of St Barnabas’ Balwyn Parish, Diocese of Melbourne; Archdeacon of Kew and chaplain to the Archbishop of Melbourne. During that latter period, he was also acting Vicar of St Barnabas’ Parish, Glen Waverley and was appointed as a volunteer police chaplain. On retirement in August 2007, Ernest assisted in the Parish of St Mary’s Sunbury. After the ‘Black Saturday’ bushfire in February 2009, Ernest and Ida joined the diocesan Bushfire Recovery Team and focused their ministry in the Kinglake area of Whittlesea Parish. In 2017 he is still a police chaplain, assists in the Parish of St Paul’s Boronia and is secretary of the Balwyn RSL Sub Branch.

Ernest and Ida have two daughters, Kathryn and Louise. Kathryn is married to Poul, lives nearby in Boronia, Victoria and has two children. Louise married Stuart, the son of a St John’s parishioner, they have a daughter and live in Hobart.

A number of sermons from Revd. Ernest Horth can be heard on our sermon recordings archive, linked below.

All Saints Anglican Network Sermon Browser
https://resources.allsaints.network/sermons/