Mark Tronson had ideas and acted on them – in Christian endeavours as varied as sports chaplaincy to creative writing. Tronson, a Baptist pastor, passed away early this week, leaving behind a lifetime of innovative ministry.
Mark was inescapable, bubbling with enthusiasm, and never afraid to set up new ventures. I met him at the Australiasian Religious Press Association (ARPA), which gives conferences and awards. But Mark quickly got me involved in teaching media skills in workshops he set up to serve missionaries and others outside ARPA, which focussed on denominational media.
That was typical Mark. He always found ways to involve more people. Having started to write a column for the Christian Today website he set up Press Service International, which today has some local 40 contributors and a daily output of stories. It started as a young writers program, but now has some very experienced people writing for it.
” It’s been a wonderful turn-around for many young people in their own faith and their readers — some get 75,000 people who follow their articles.”
That quote comes from a profile of Mark on Christian Today recounts his history – ten years as a train driver, then a call to ministry training at the Baptist’s Morling College.
He became a chaplain with InterChurch Trade and Industry Mission and was sent to the Shell Company. That meant he met Kevin Gosper chair of the company, but also chair of the Australian Olympic Committee. Mark was already a sports nut, writing a hockey column, but this set him on the path to becoming a sports chaplain.
He was chaplain to the 1984 Australian Olympic team and ITIM asked him to develop a sports ministry- he founded the Sports and Leisure Ministry which recruited 150 chaplains into professional and amateur sports across Australia. He was chaplain to the Australian cricket team for 17 years.
After his life as a cricket chaplain, he started “Life After cricket” – he had connected to another “name” in sport, Basil Sellers, and he served at two Australian Institute of Sport respite centres Sellers set up.
I may have been one of the last people Mark texted – concerned about the crowd of writers he has been nurturing. That was Mark all over. One for personal connection, and tending the seeds he planted.
Mark Vivian Tronson (1951-2022) is survived by Delma his wife and their four children Anthea, Hayley, Wesley and Salley and six grandchildren.
RIp dear Mark