End of era for Ellinbank Church
It was the end of an era with the final service held at St Luke’s Co-operating Church, Ellinbank last month.
A church had been operating on the corner of Warragul-Korumburra and Hazledean Rds for more than 100 years, however dwindling numbers have forced the church to close its doors.
St George’s Anglican Church opened at Ellinbank on September 15, 1915.
It had been hoped that the celebration of 100 years of worship in September 2015 would reverse the trend of falling numbers in both congregations, but this did not occur and an agonising decision to close the church was made.
From the time St George’s opened in 1915, services and Sunday School were held every Sunday until June 10 1968, when St George’s Church was burnt to the ground. A service was held amongst the rubble the following Sunday.
It was then decided to set up a co-operating venture between the Anglican and Methodist churches, one of the first churches to set up such a scheme.
A committee was formed under the leadership of Rev. Ray Elliott and Methodist Minister Rev. John Richards. The committee consisted of six Anglicans and six Methodist members including Methodists Noel Pratt, Murray Heywood, Don Warne, Iris Larsen, John Cropley and Col McInnes along with Anglicans Tom Wallace, Ray Telford, Bill Tackerberry, Bill Keeble, Joyce Savige and Barrie Gilbert.
Combining with Ellinbank were Tetoora Road and Lardner Methodist. The building of St Luke’s Co-operating Church was started and officially opened on March 28, 1971.
Less than three months later, arson significantly damaged St Luke’s. The church was rebuilt and re-opened.
St Luke’s Co-operating Church held its last service last month, with the rural church packed with both regular members and people who had a spiritual attachment to St Luke’s.
The co-operation between the Anglican and Uniting congregations at Ellinbank has long been admired and set a standard for other congregations.
The future of the church will be decided at a later time.