ABOUT US

Family Heritage

Both Muriel and Paul are from Godly parents and families who were converted when young and continued serving the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully and sacrificially throughout their long lives. 80, 90, 92 and 98.

Paul the eldest son to May and Noel Hart residing in Melbourne and attending the Apostolic Church and very heavily involved. May in music, mandolin and piano and Noel as Elder, youth leader, various admin boards, Pastor/Prophet and later Apostle. Together in a variety of Apostolic assemblies in Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland they ministered across Australia.

They saw Apostolic in its’ revival beginnings and wonderful miracle days in South Melbourne in the early 1930’s.

Muriel born to Dorothy and Arthur Richardson of North West Coast, Tasmania; farmers of Elliot, then sawmill and lastly as an agricultural supply storeman. Both were from very large families, 10 in each where 3 brothers married 3 sisters of the other, Dorothy and Arthur. This made a very Christian and close core for the Marshall and Richardson families and held them together in a host of family and church functions. This made double cousins, aunties and uncles.

They also were heavily involved in the Apostolic Church in Burnie Tasmania and when Noel was appointed to the Pastorate, Paul and Muriel met and later married.

This Godly Heritage has left it’s mark on our life and family.

Early Life

Paul was brought up in Melbourne and schooled at Merlynston Primary and Faulkner and Templestowe High Schools. After matriculating Paul moved to Burnie Tasmania with the family and got a job as an Cadet Chemist at the Burnie Pulp and Paper Mill (APPM) whilst doing 5 years night school and 1 daytime a week.

When in grade 4 primary, I wanted to be an “Industrial Chemist” and did the needed subjects required. The transfer to Burnie was ordained by God as the job put me through the local Burnie Technical College doing the Diploma of Applied Chemistry. (23 full year subjects over the 5 years.) Not failing a subject, the first in the courses 40 year history, I then remained at the mil for the next 27 years. (1967 -1994)

Muriel was brought up on the farm at Elliot, leaving when aged 8 for Somerset right near the beach. From Elliot State School to Somerset and then Burnie High School leaving when 16 at Grade 10 she got a job at 7BU the Burnie radio station working in all the ‘back room’ areas and office. She was there for 8 years.

We married in Dec 1971 after going together for 5 years of busy Youth ministry. Moving into our home in Burnie, then Heybridge and onto Penguin, our property in our God given Vision to minister from.

Ministry Life

Both Paul and Muriel were  converted when young, Muriel was 8 when she realized on her front lawn it was time to commit to the Lord and spoke to her mum and did so.

Paul also at 8 when walking to to school had an experience of the Lord joining and walking to school with him and when 10 made a commitment at the AOG Children’s Camp at Ringwood, Melbourne, Australia.

Muriel began playing the piano at the Women’s group when 19 and later the church services which continued for 50 years virtually non-stop, am and pm on Sundays, with a small break for the children. At 19 she became a Sunday School teacher.

Paul after arrival in Burnie joined Muriel as a Sunday School teacher and we ran an evening fortnightly Youth Club, involved in two Sunday Schools and an older Youth work, Church services and various Bible studies and reach out Ladies groups.

Eventually we participated in and ran, 130 Youth years, where a youth year is in one programme for a whole year. Life was very busy.

We took over an outer town Youth work at Heybridge and grew that to 150 children across all ages and move to live there on the banks of the Blythe river.

All this while being a Deacon and later an Elder in the church and us starting our family.

Ministry Vision

In 1984 God gave us a 50 day vision, speaking every day, starting on Easter Saturday and ending on the Day of Pentecost. The first 25 days explained God’s programme  for us and the next 25 days confirmed it quite miraculously as we wrote up day by day the first 25 days.

We were to move to a property in Penguin, just 20 minutes out of Burnie and now to see the owners in a certain way. “Meet them in the street.” That happened exactly as outlined 3 and a half years later and the visit to them on an exact day chosen by them. 1335th day. Second last verse of Daniel 12:12.

Also to ask for your value, Zech 11:12-13. Ask for the redundancy offered when time to leave and work fulltime for the Lord and give it to the Potter in the House of the Lord. Yes the Lady owner of the property was a Potter, a Christian lady and couple but we had forgotten her name. So we called her ‘the Potter.’

Yes we moved in exactly 10 years to the day, Easter Saturday 1994 and called the place Myrtle Grove Retreat. The ministry of the principle of Restoration is the ministry of the myrtle.

The Lord identifying with broken down Israel, Zech. 1:8 and the 8 visions of the night was God’s programme of “Restoration”

So the property took on this character, a place and ministry of restoration to broken down lives. This is the essence of our life’s work for our Lord.

Myrtle Grove Retreat

We moved in April 1994 to this property of 12.5 acres, mostly a bush block with the house on the central hill overlooking the sea. We named it after Zec. 1:8  A retreat for broken down lives to be restored and refreshed. In 2023, 29 years later we are ready to downsize to another place, just a small place to minister from in the later years. Now both 75 years old.

The miracles around this property have been amazing and the testimonies of many incidents are contained one or more in each of these studies. (Excepting the End Times studies.)

I would see at night when praying outside, flashes of light, small and large. An enquiry to the Lord after several years, resulted in this reply, “That is your Battalion.” We pray, his angels do his bidding in answer. Hardly seen a light since.

These studies have been recorded in the cottage (centre section of the home) as the ‘Ministry of Restoration’ goes with them and us as we move on.

They are about restoring what is missing and broken down. A lack of prayer answers, a flow of the Power Displays (Gifts), signs and wonders in the church, the preaching of the end time events, effective church ministry and how all can be involved. The studies of Elijahs’ 8 and Elisha’s 16 miracles  show us the principles and possibilities going forward into the life of the believer today.