Church not ‘exclusive’

THE Geelong charity planning to build a $1.8 million church on the fringe of the city has distanced itself from the controversial name ‘The Exclusive Brethren’.

Despite its separatist beliefs, Geelong Gospel Trust says it is not part of an “exclusive” movement.

“There is nothing “exclusive” about us,” the GGT’s Daniel Bumpstead wrote in a letter to the Geelong Advertiser (see Page 39). “We get to name our church, and the name for years has been the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. We have been part of Geelong since 1869.”

The Exclusive Brethren is a widely-used name for the Plymouth Brethren, a church that has been likened by critics to a cult for its insular philosophies.

But Mr Bumpstead, responding to reports about his church’s plan for a “place of worship” at Batesford, said his organisation supported charities in Geelong and was a “good neighbour”.

With 185 members and based at Lovely Banks since 1991, the church plans to sell its present site so that it can expand its operations at Batesford. That plan, made public by the City of Greater Geelong last week, drew a mixed reaction from Geelong Advertiser readers.

The proposed site is a 2ha plot of farm land at 505 Ballarat Rd, between the Batesford Roadhouse and Bell Park Sports Club.

Some readers said the church would add nothing to the community, while others said the council should let the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church build the facility.

“Just what Geelong needs a bigger cult building. Hopefully council knock it on the head quickly,” reader Jason Stolk posted on Facebook.

But Nicole Shortis said the council should “let them build it”, adding that “We don’t have to follow it for them to have a place of worship, why does it bother anyone else?”

The City of Greater Geelong will make a decision on the application after January 18.