They studied together and were ordained the same year, and now 50 years later two Port Macquarie men have celebrated the milestone.
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And what is more remarkable about their respective careers is that Charlie Pass and Don Handebo were neighbours for a number of years.
The two men and some family members marked the event with a morning tea at Garden Village Nursing Home where Rev Handebo is now a resident.
Ordained into the Presbyterian Church, the pair remained with that movement despite the church union in 1977.
The pair first met during their study and they also 'crossed paths' at lectures in theological hall during their early days.
"It was a busy time back then," Mr Pass said.
"Before we started out in the ministry, we did most of our work through correspondence and also by attending lectures twice a year in Sydney.
"Don went from Bourke to Walcha and then onto Armidale. He them moved to Taree as part of his work. His last parish was in Ryde.
"I had started out in Condobolin and then moved to Temora for a short time. We actually spent 12 and a half years in Port Macquarie from 1984."
Mr Pass said the church - like the wider community - faced many challenges.
He says remaining relevant is one of the bigger challenges for any church.
"The three top issues of concern right now would be euthanasia, same-sex marriage and abortion," he says.
"Having religious instruction as part of the school system is also quite different now as to when I was involved."
He says people coming into the ministry now are more likely to have their conversion in their late teens or even their early 20s.
"They don't have the same grounding (of the church) as others may have," he added.
Mr Handebo is experiencing some poor health 'but he still recognises me, which is nice'.
Mr Pass continues some pastoral work so he can keep in contact with friends he has met over the years.
"I enjoy that side of things and also keeping up to speed with about 60 or 70 members of our extended family too," he added.
Mr Pass met Ellen Robertson in 1959 when she arrived to teach at the Taylors Arm school. They married in Byron Bay in 1964.
The Presbyterian state assembly has recognised the two mens' 50 years service.