Gift preserves church heritage
RECENTLY the Association of Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society Toowoomba branch presented a special publication to the St James Anglican Church.
Chairman Judy Midgley presented Archdeacon Gary Harch with a copy of the church recording and this beautifully illustrated volume was a systematic inventory of the building and contents of the church, its stained glass windows, woodwork, stonework, beautifully embroidered vestments, metalwork and paintings.
As a means of preserving the cultural and heritage significance of our nation’s churches, member societies of ADFAS have recorded some 30 churches around the country.
The Toowoomba branch of ADFAS chose to embark on a church recording of St. James because it is the oldest church in the city; it has been heritage listed and has played a central role in the religious and social life of Toowoomba.
St. James was built in 1869 and is not only of neighbourhood significance to the historic Mort St precinct, but its history is integral to the early history of Toowoomba.
This church record being presented to Archdeacon Harch will ensure there is a permanent archival record of St. James and its contents, which will be available for research and posterity.
This is particularly important should any damage ever result to the church in future times.
Work on the church record of St. James was started in March 2011 and the bound volume was completed by February 2014.
It is the result of many hours of hard work by a dedicated group consisting of parishioners of St. James or members of ADFAS Toowoomba, and some who were both.
Roger Woodman, Jennifer Woodman, John and Lesley Beames, Margaret Krimmer, Nancy Rowley, Sue McNelley, Jennifer Clarke, Valerie Watson, Peter Evans and Liz Hudson are to be congratulated for their efforts.
This project has been kindly funded through Toowoomba Regional Council’s Community Cultural and Arts Support Fund.
Copies of the book are to be donated to St. James church, the Local History Library of the Toowoomba Regional Library, the National Library and the Association of ADFAS, Sydney for the Royal Australian Historical Library.
ADFAS Toowoomba was formed in 1989 and this year celebrates its 25 years of involvement in supporting the arts within the community.