St Anne’s Presbyterian Church, Coreen, is on the market, and former parishioners and members of the community are invited to an Open Day on Saturday, November 30 at 2pm followed by an afternoon tea at 3pm.
Rev Richard Keith, minister at Corowa Presbyterian Church, said rural churches like St Anne’s hold incredible history.
“They are a witness to the spirit of the pioneers of Australia’s farming districts, who didn’t just want to make a living far from the cities on the coast, but wanted to build a community where people belonged and looked after each other,” Rev Keith said.
Presbyterian church services began in Coreen in 1913 when the Coreen community hall was built. Up until then, services had been held in the men’s dining room at Kentucky Station, about 10 km to the east.
But in the years that followed a building fund was established to erect a church building for their own meetings.
Church records show that the foundation stone was laid by the Moderator of New South Wales, Rev V. Clarke-Duff, on Tuesday October 22, 1935.
Rain was sorely needed that year, but perhaps not in the quantities that fell that day. However, despite the weather, the ceremony took place.
The church was opened six months later on March 3, 1936. Mrs J. R. Nixon turned the key and opened the door of the church because her husband had given the land on which the church was built.
The church was called St Anne’s to remember Mrs Ann Bon of Melbourne who had given 100 pounds towards the Building Fund.
“I love how they named the church after a generous donor,” Rev Keith said.
“We often imagine that people have to be long dead to become a saint.
“But it just goes to show that there are living saints at work around us, and we may not even know it.”
On July 27, 1940 the first wedding was celebrated in St Anne’s, with Charles Wareing and Beryl Playford exchanging their vows. It was the first wedding in the district for 25 years.
The first person to be baptised in St Anne’s was Lex McMillan, and both he and his wife Shirley later served as elders of the church.
In 1988 a special service of worship was held to commemorate the service of Mrs Mary Isabella Alston, a pioneer member and Sunday School teacher at St Anne’s.
A fund was established in her memory, the interest of which is still used for the spiritual development of the parish.
More recently, evening services were held at St Anne’s until 2015 and Christmas Eve services until 2021.
“Sadly, the demographics of our rural communities have changed over the years,” Rev Keith said.
“Farms have got bigger and families have got smaller. Schools have closed and football teams have amalgamated.
“It gives me no pleasure to oversee the sale of these beautiful country churches.
“They hosted significant moments in people’s lives and they were only possible because of the dedication and support of the generations who came before us.”
The Open Day at St Anne’s later this month will provide a chance for former parishioners and community members to share their memories.
The furniture is not part of the sale and will be offered to be returned to the families that donated them. The pews will be offered for sale firstly to former parishioners.
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