Looking Back - Looking Forward - Wesley Uniting Church - East Doncaster (Formerly Methodist Church)
138 years of faithful Christian service - 1866-2004
Published on the occasion of the amalgamation with Deep Creek Uniting Church.
Source: Original Scan
“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
Contents
Introduction
Early Years, 1866-1900
Consolidation, 1901 -1950
Expansion, 1951-1980
Changing Times, 1981-2004
The Future, 2005 & Beyond
Notes
The first three chapters of this booklet are based on the Centenary publication, produced in 1966. Additional photographs and documents have been included from the archives, with some content coming from the White family history book, Fruits of the Orchard, published in 1999.
In addition, we have tried to include a cross-section of views, recollections and photographs from members past and present.
As well as celebrating the past and the important role Wesley has played in the life of so many people we have tried to look forward with the inclusion of comments from the Deep Creek Uniting Church minister.
Special thanks to all who contributed to the production of this booklet, in particular Hazel Astley, Ron and Joan Clough and Robert Latimer. Further copies can be obtained from Deep Creek Uniting Church, 152 Andersons Creek Rd, Doncaster East, 3109.
Design has been on Microsoft Word, using Bookman Old Style 9pt font.
Printing by Bounty Print (Ringwood) on lOOgsm Laser Tec paper, with a 220gsm laminated matt cover.
Introduction
By John Connan, minister at Wesley Uniting Church, Doncaster East 2004
We live in an age of blinding change. Change is a constant - even for the Church. New denominations come into being and grow rapidly. Mainstream denominations decline and struggle to rediscover their vitality.
It’s an age of aggressive entrepreneurs. Few mainstream clergy are entrepreneurs.
It’s an age of pragmatism, when what matters is whether it “sells.” Loyalty and commitment are no longer valued. In traditional denominations those who value loyalty and commitment stay - and congregations age.
Younger churches have adopted the musical idiom of the day: rhythm and repetition. Older churches maintain melody and theology expressed in the poetry of hymns.
Younger churches emphasise experience. Traditional churches maintain their theological heritage.
While keeping pace with change is what everyone has to face, few mainstream clergy are equipped to lead congregations through change.
Wesley has changed - but has neither kept pace with nor managed to get ahead of the changes.
Our numbers have leaked away from the “glory days” of the 50s and 60s. We’re part of a denomination that has not coped well with change and has been determined to take unpopular stands on social justice issues. But we’re also a congregation with traditions which affect the way change is faced.
From the late 90s the congregation faced its need to change. Some worked hard at moving toward a new direction But in the end it became apparent that the change that would ensure continued Uniting Church presence in Doncaster East would be through moving into a larger regional congregation.
Earlier in 2004 the decision was taken to amalgamate with Deep Creek Uniting Church. The formal amalgamation will occur on Sunday, 19th December. What the future holds will depend on the new amalgamated congregation.
History teaches valuable lessons - if we will only learn! Over the centuries the Church has grown to be almost exactly one third of those alive today.
Yet history has shown periods of growth and periods of decline within the larger forward movement. We’re current^- in a trough of decline. Growth can come - and will come, if we keep the faith and remain loyal to Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
There is sadness in moving away from the site where Methodist worship began 138 years ago. Whether that move will be temporary or permanent will be in the hands of the new congregation. But what matters is that God is alive. His mission of love to the world goes on, and the Church will continue to do His will. What part we play in the excitement of that future depends on us alone.
As I move into retirement and move away from the Doncaster East community, I do so with greater hope for the future than I had only months ago. I believe there is an exciting future to which God is calling us all.
John M. Connan
Early Years, 1866-1900
Based on the content of the Centenary Publication 2866-2966.
The township of Doncaster in 1880 ? 1870s? viewed from the Doncaster Tower looking eastward. Buildings shown are the Doncaster school (later the E. S. & A. Bank and now demolished), Schramm's house on the left, the Church of Christ, John Petty's house, and the Post Office. DP0019
East Doncaster’s heavily-timbered areas were the first challenge to settlers in the 1860s. Stringybark, messmate, peppermint and wattle were in abundance, so naturally woodcutting and woodcarting were the main occupations of the time.
As land was cleared, orchards were planted, and the successful harvest from a variety of fruit trees brought opportunity to industrious hands and persevering hearts.
Goods were carted by wagon, dray and cart, drawn either by horse or bullock. Doncaster and Blackburn Roads, which now present as multi -laned arterial roads, were little more than dusty tracks in the late 1800 s.
The excursion to the fruit markets of Kew and Melbourne often kept fathers, sometimes accompanied by sons, on the track overnight.
c1900. Possibly late 1890s. Primitive Methodist Church at East Doncaster. Original 1866 church building on the right with the new 1884 church beside it on the left. original right hand building was eventually pulled down after serving as a Sunday School for many years. The porch became an outhouse on a nearby orchard and the windows were fitted to the packing shed - early signs of recycling. DP0595
Many of the early settlers were English migrants, a number of whom were Methodists. Among the first to join together for worship in private homes were Henry White, James Kent, William Knee, Thomas Robinson, Mrs Holden and Mrs Mays. The first service of worship was held in the home of Mrs Mays in Bismarck Road; now King Street, the name being changed during the First World War on account of its German origin.
Henry White’s old home in Andersons Creek Road was still standing until the late 1970s, when it was demolished to make way for a new housing subdivision.
Rev JH Brown of the Primitive Methodist Church, Heidelberg, was the first preacher and he attended Mrs May’s home to conduct the historic first service.
Later local preachers Nixon, Scott and Pryor assisted him. Mr Gilbert and Mr Hickson from Eltham and Mr Chivers from Temples to we came to support them, the gentlemen from Eltham finding it necessary to wade the Yarra as they made their way to East Doncaster.
Decorated for a wedding. Note the hymn board and the two plaques in memory of founders James Kent and Henry White on the back wall. An interesting fact in connection uith the newly established church was that on 23 June 1887, Henry and Elizabeth's oldest daughter, herself named Elizabeth, became the first bride to walk down the aisle when she married William Mackinlay (Later the Mayor of Ringwood).
As time went by the need for a permanent Church soon became apparent A small building at Anderson’s Creek (now Warrandyte) was used for services, but poor attendances had closed its doors, so Rev H.J. Brown purchased the building for East Doncaster for £50. This building, which had formerly been used as a butcher’s shop, was dismantled, loaded onto bullock wagons and transported to the corner of Doncaster and Blackburn Roads. George Knee was responsible for the work of removal to the new site where William Bower re-erected the weatherboards and sheet iron.
James Kent donated a portion of his orchard to accommodate the new Church, with an opening service taking place on Easter Sunday, 1866
On the Easter Monday a large gathering attended a "Tea-Meeting", which Mrs G. Holden was able to record - "Tea was prepared by the ladies and was greatly enjoyed by all, and we had a really enjoyable and profitable time in the after-meeting".
The following years found the little Church inadequate to meet the needs of the increasing number of worshippers, so a new church was mooted then erected in 1884, at a cost of £300 ($600).
It was built during the ministry of Rev. J.T. Kearns, a zealous worker whose leadership soon freed the building of debt.
As the years went by, visiting ministers served the Church well. Revs J. M. Brown, H. Robinson, W.H. Walton, J.T. Pithouse, G. Gray, H. Moore, A. Madsen, W. Goyen and T.C. Copeland journeyed to East Doncaster representing the Circuits of Heidelberg and Burwood.
In 1902, union amongst the three Methodist denominations was finally achieved resulting in East Doncaster being attached to the Mitcham Circuit. This brought the ministries of Revs. H.J.Lavers, Green, J.J. Brown, Chenhall, J. Nicholson and H. Moore to the congregation.
The Sunday School obtained new premises in 1911, when a new building was constructed after many years of fund raising.
Plaque Text: National Trust of Victoria - Woodhouse Grove Wesleyan Chapel Built 1856 - Opened for preaching of the Gospel and the worship of God 1856 Recorded
Newspaper Doncaster East Yarra News: Council blunder brings bulldozer. The little house on the orchard. Pioneer cottage under threat. (rest of text indecipherable). Henry White’s original home (White’s Cottage) on Anderson’s Creek Rd, was known as Deep Creek Farm. It made way for urban expansion in 1977
Established in 1856, this Wesleyan Chapel in Woodhouse Grove Box Hill acted as the formal house of worship for 10 years, (for the folk from East Doncaster) before the establishment of the Methodist Church on the corner of Doncaster and Blackburn Roads
Scholars
Those attending Sunday School were known as scholars, with regular studies culminating in annual examinations ensuring each new generation secured a solid grounding in the scriptures.
Around this time Mr Bienvenu was appointed superintendent and it was under his guidance that great encouragement was given to teachers and scholars to adopt active religious studies.
Later Sunday School superintendents included Waldron Johnston, Frank Dobson, Mr Hall, Mrs Dobson, Rupert Johnston, Alan Robertson and Bill Olver.
Many teachers have assisted with leading Sunday School over the years including the Jenkins, Zanders, Sprotts, McKenzies, Irelands, Craigs, Bullens, Prowses, Handasydes, Cliss Joynson Heather Sully and Glenda Goodwin.
Rose Knee (a descendant of George Knee) joined the Sunday School as organist in 1911, and continued until her marriage to Oliver White in 1919. She returned again in 1934, finally resigning in 1951.
Towards the close of 1911 the memory of James Kant, who had passed away earlier in the year, was perpetuated by a photograph and marble tablet suitably placed in the Church. Another tablet was prepared later in memory of Henry White.
Sunday School Register
The Sunday School Register was an important part of the church's commitment to the Christian teaching of young members.
Here we see the entries for the first page showing many of the early names of the region.
Admission Book. Registering Names addresses Etc. of Scholars when admitted into the Sunday School. Melbourne Methodist Book Depot. 268 Little Collins Street.
|
Date |
Rotation Number |
Name |
Residence |
|
1890 |
Edward Ireland |
Doncaster East |
|
|
Percy Clegg |
|||
|
Henry Finger |
|||
|
Edward Finger |
|||
|
Fred Finger |
|||
|
Albert Clegg |
|||
|
George Beauch(?)p |
Visitor |
||
|
Willie Ireland |
|||
|
John Thompson |
|||
|
Richard Stockton |
|||
|
John Ireland |
|||
|
(James Bentley) |
Bible Class |
||
|
(Walter Johnston) |
Bible Class |
||
|
(Fred Kent) |
Bible Class |
||
|
1892 |
George Sell |
||
|
William French |
|||
|
Alfred Ireland |
|||
|
Alfred Finger |
|||
|
George Knee |
|||
|
William Sell |
|||
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Albert Finger |
|||
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Willie Wright |
|||
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Charlie Wright |
|||
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Frank Wright |
|||
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Hugh Ellis |
|||
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William Ellis |
|||
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David Gould |
First European Contact
Prior to the establishment of Melbourne, the land extending East from Melbourne along the Yarra River to what was to became (sic) known as Doncaster & Templestowe, was heavily timbered and occupied by the many clans of the Wurundjeri aboriginal tribe.
Little did the indigenous population know that the momentous events taking place just a few short miles away on the shores of Port Phillip Bay, would lead to the demise of their way of life within just a few short years.
In 1836 settlers flooding in from Tasmania and NSW forced Governor Bourke to declare the Port Phillip District open to settlement. Efforts were then made to regulate the influx of squatters and land seekers, by establishing a system of land purchase and legal occupation according to Government regulations gazetted in Sydney.
All prior claims by John Batman's Port Phillip Association, including his 'purchase' of land from the native population with axes, blankets and other trade goods, were rejected, along with their dream of acquiring vast tracts of freehold land on the cheap. Association members were, however, allowed to remain on their homestead blocks and lease runs at £10 per year, according to the new Squatting Regulations.
Melbourne was officially named by Governor Richard Bourke during his visit early in 1837, honouring the British Prime Minister. Robert Hoddle, Surveyor, was appointed to lay out a town plan which became the basis for the city centre. From an untidy collection of 30 or 40 huts, tents and humpies the town grew, as hundreds of immigrants, merchants, market gardeners, tradesmen and speculators bid at auction for town lots, immediately the surveyor made them available. Other settlers spread out North, East and West of the new town in search of further suitable areas to acquire.
A Commissioner of Crown Lands was appointed in 1838, Peter Snodgrass. His responsibility was to bring order to the rapidly growing colony, while creating a land registry. He was to cooperate with Captain William Lonsdale, who had been appointed in 1836 in the dual role of Police Commandant and Magistrate, accompanied by a force of 30 soldiers.
Bill Latimer - From the White family publication, "Fruits of The Orchard"
Financial Accounts
The financial accounts for the 1915 Sunday School Anniversary show an interesting mix of income and expenses with a balanced ledger of £15, 15 shillings and 4 pence (approx $31.50), Note the purchase of a War Certificate for 10 shillings ($1)
| - |
1915 |
- | - | - |
| - |
Oct 19th S.S. Anniversary |
- | - | - |
| - |
Bal in Hand |
- |
18 |
101⁄2 |
| - |
Sundays Collections |
2 |
9 |
111⁄2 |
| - |
Sale of Tickets |
6 |
12 |
3 |
| - |
Sale of Goods |
- |
10 |
8 |
| - |
Donations |
- |
4 |
0 |
| - |
S.S.Collections Oct 1915 to Sept 1916 |
3 |
10 |
7 |
| - |
Interest |
- | - |
8 |
| - |
Interest |
- | - |
10 |
| - |
S.S. Collections for Missions |
1 |
7 |
6 |
| - | - |
15 |
15 |
4 |
| - |
Audited & found Correct W E Handasydt 16/4/1917 |
- | - | - |
| - |
1915 |
- | - | - |
| - |
Doncaster East |
- | - | - |
| - |
Printing |
- |
6 |
6 |
| - |
E.G. Washfold |
1 |
11 |
0 |
| - |
Bread |
- |
6 |
0 |
| - |
Grocer |
1 |
12 |
11 |
| - |
Beef |
- |
5 |
4 |
| - |
Lollies |
- |
5 |
9 |
| - |
Price Rewards Donated (?) To Methodist Soldiers Home |
2 |
10 |
0 |
| - |
War Certificates |
- |
10 |
0 |
| - |
School Requisites |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Feb 1916 |
S.S. Picnic Hot Water |
- |
6 |
0 |
|
April 25 |
Enlargement of Photo |
1 |
4 |
0 |
| - |
Stamps and Stationary |
- |
15 |
6 |
|
1916 |
Paid to Missions |
1 |
7 |
6 |
| - | - |
13 |
2 |
8 |
| - |
Balance |
2 |
12 |
8 |
| - | - |
15 |
15 |
4 |
Anniversary Service
1908 - Big on the year's programme of events was the Sunday School Anniversary Service: "Methodist Church, E. Doncaster. SUNDAY SCHOOL Anniversary Services Sunday, October 11, 1908. Sermons will be Preached- Afternoon at 3 o’clock – Rev. H. MOORE Evening at 7.30 – Rev. H. J. LAVERS Tea & Public Meeting MONDAY, OCTOBER 12. Chairman – Mr. G. WILKINS Programme of Songs and Recitations by Scholars and Friends. TICKETS, 1/- CHILDREN, 6d. Meeting only 6 in future (100 Handbills 100 Tickets)
The Victorian Primitive Methodist
The "Victorian Primitive Methodist" conveyed essential news and Christian encouragement. Here we see a cover from 1900, with a poem about the "Christian's Bank"; no doubt in response to the financial ruin many faced, just a short time prior, in the depression of the 1890's and the collapse at the time of many 'financial' banks.
The Christians Bank
|
I have a never-failing bank, ’Tis when my stock is spent and gone, Sometimes my banker smiling says, Why live so niggardly and poor? Yea, twenty thousand ten times told, I've been a thousand times before, Sometimes I feel a little proud, Sometimes with blushes in my face, I know my bank will never break, |
The firm Three Persons in one God, Should all the banks of Britain break, And if you have but one small note, All forged notes will be refused, ’Tis only those beloved of God, Though thousands ransomed souls may say The leper had a little note— We read of one young man, indeed, See here the wretched dying thief, |
Founders
Founders and early workers in the church James Kent and Henry White. The two marble plaques, still on the wall at Wesley today, are in memory of these men. (Editor: When the church was sold, the plaques were donated to DTHS and installed in the verandah wall)
 James Kent |
 Henry White |
Superintendent minister for the region, Rev J. Warren was a regular visitor to East Doncaster and preached at the Diamond Jubilee 1926.
Minutes - Electric Light
Minutes of the Trustees Meeting 25/2/1916 approving the quote of £8, 10 shillings ($17) for the installation of eclectic light, 4 lights of 50 candle power in each room - on condition that there be no extra charges. Trustees move to accept the estimate given for the installation of "the electric light", 25/2/1916
Doncaster East Feb 25.16. Minutes of Trustees Meeting held in the Methodist Church at Doncaster East. Feb 25.16. Present Rev W.J. Palamountain (Chairman) A Bienvenu W White & F Kent Meeting opened with Prayer. The Minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed.
Continued 25th Feb.16. To conduct the Sunday Services on April 23rd carried. Moved by Mr. Bienvenu, seconded by Mr. Daws. 4. That this meeting accept the estimate given for installing the Electric light in the Church, the amount for installation being £8.10.0, on condition that there will be no extra charges. Agreed that there be 4 lights in each building, of 50 candle power for each light. Also that we ask the friends to contribute to the cost of the Electric light in the Church and School. Carried. Moved by Mr Daws, seconded by Mr White That the Switchboard be placed behind the door at the entrance of the pulpit. Carried. Moved by Mr Bienvenu, seconded by Mr Daws. That the Secretary write to Mr Chipperfield, for a price for a communion table. 3 ft x 1 ft. 9 in x 2 ft 4 ins high Carried. The Meeting closed with the Benediction. Confirmed 1/6/16/ W Palamountain
The Land is Surveyed
The first land survey of what is now the City of Manningham was conducted in 1839 by Thomas Nutt, a draftsman working for the Survey Office. Map notes included “Thickly timbered, stringy bark forest with fine grassy flats here and there along the Yarra River”.
The only names on this map were “Mr W Wood’s sheep station” and “Mr Newman’s sheep station”, all the rest was described at the time as wilderness.
In 1840 William Darke, Assistant Surveyor, made another survey in which was drawn the high ground where Doncaster Road now runs, along with a line marking the best route from Melbourne. This map was covered in notes, including the names of several more settlers. No property boundaries were shown, but in the same year the Government in Sydney advertised that applicants could buy 8 square miles of Crown land at $2 (sic) per acre, if the block was at least 5 miles from a registered township site.
One man to take up this generous offer was a Mr Frederick Wright Unwin, a solicitor in far away Sydney, who in August 1841 paid $10,240 (sic) for 5,120 acres between Koonung Creek and Templestowe. The sale of such large tracts of land was soon suspended, when speculation near expanding centres became apparent. The ‘special surveys’ were soon shown to have been a big mistake.
The first Europeans in the district were brothers J & W Wood, James Anderson and Major Charles Newman, ex Indian Army. They had all been settlers since 1838 with no registered title, but were later issued with ‘depasturing licences’, making them eligible to apply for freehold title. We can only guess what these settlers thought of far away Government and its ‘special surveys’, but may have felt happier when Unwins ‘special survey’ was later surrendered to the Crown and the land reissued.
Despite bureaucratic bungling by the NSW Government and the Colonial Office in England, land tangles and sales problems were sorted out over the coming years. Migrants arrived in increasing numbers, their fares subsidised by land sales and some paying their own way. John Chivers and family were among the earliest migrants to the area and worked for Major Newman, before obtaining their own land in 1842.
By 1841, Melbourne had grown to a population of 11,700 and land clearing in the surrounding districts was providing much needed firewood and sawn timber for the rapidly expanding settlement. River punts installed at Hawthorn, Abbotsford and Heidelberg provided access for horse and bullock drawn transports, which plodded along the unmade trails formed through the scrub and undergrowth. Woodcutting was an all year round activity, with the muddy tracks of winter giving way to the dusty, oppressive heat of the summer months.
In the 1840s wheat and barley were planted and grew successfully on the fertile river flats until successive floods made this pursuit unprofitable.
Sheep, cattle and firewood were the main products and gradually the face of the district changed as the endless bush gave way to sown paddocks and enclosed pastures.
The first white child to be born in the area, Margaret Harbour, was delivered in 1841, her parents living in a bark roofed hut along the Doncaster track near Blackburn Road. She grew up in the region, later marrying William Beavis. Other early settlers were the Duncans from Scotland, Pullins and Pickerings from England, plus many others.
The 1850s came and with it the discovery of gold. New settlers arrived with their families intent on building a better life, some in pursuit of gold in the Warrandyte region, others to continue the farming way of life left behind in their native lands.
Bill Latimer - From the White family publication, "Fruits of The Orchard"
Sunday School Building
The Sunday School building was finally constructed in 1911 with money raised from regular activities, including this “Grand Entertainment” by the Ebenezer Gymnastic Club.
Doncaster Athenaeum Hall. Grand Entertainment By the Ebenezer Gymnastic Club On Wednesday, December 16, 1909. Quartets, Solos, Club Swinging, Juggling, Pyramids, Short Rods, Horizontal Bar and Parallel Bars. Tickets, One Shilling; Children, 6d. Proceeds in aid of Doncaster East Methodist Sunday School Building Fund
Orcharding Begins
The first commercial orchard was planted in Templestowe by James Read in 1852 in what was to be the beginnings of an industry spanning the next 100 years.
Orcharding not only provided for the growing food needs of nearby Melbourne but also provided a sustainable source of income for the new arrivals, thereby speeding the rate of change and development of the region.
New arrivals in the 1850s included the Pettys, Hislops, Bullens, Whittens, Clays, Tullys, Whites, Knees, Serpells and then the Lutheran German families founded a community called Waldau, meaning "Forest Clearing". Their names included Zerbe, Straube, Walther, Thiele, Dehnert, Aumann, Burchner, Fromhold, Uebergang, Lenkerstoff, Rieshcieck (sic), Finger, Hanke, Tuckerbaud, Wittig and Schramm. By 1860 there were about 20 German families at Waldau since Gottlieb Thiele started farming in 1853.
In 1852 Templestowe was proclaimed a village and in 1853 town allotments fetched $78 at auction (the reserve price was $5).
The formation of the Victorian Vineyards and Garden Fruits Company in 1854 focused attention on the growing of fruit, particularly grapes. In its two years of operation, however, not a single vine was planted, but the publicity drew attention to horticultural possibilities for the Doncaster Templestowe area and also helped build a bridge to Eltham.
Timber clearing continued non stop throughout the 1850's, with firewood being carted for sale at markets in Clifton Hill, Fitzroy and Colling wood.
The ‘Upper Yarra Hotel’ of Jimmy Finn and later the ‘Templestowe Hotel’, or Pat Sheahan, provided recreation for many wood cutters on their way home.
For the new settlers, the hard, stony, clay soils made regular cultivation difficult in the growing of vegetables, but strawberries, raspberries and currants did quite well. While grape vines were planted, little wine seems to have been produced, with the introduction of disease finally making the growing of grapes unviable. Fruit trees, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums and lemons thrived, however, in the temperate climate.
A group of progressive settlers saw their future in establishing commercial fruit orchards, following on from the early success of James Read and the decline in berry production. High winds and raised ground temperatures caused by forest clearing led to the planting of pine trees as wind breaks, with the shortage of water being addressed through the construction of dams by men operating horse drawn scoops.
By the close of the 1850s, fruit growing was well established, with only small pockets of original forest remaining. The early growers took their fruit on horse drawn wagons, over rough roads to Eastern Market, Emerald Hill Market and later the Victoria Market, which became the main outlet for produce in the city. Through the 1860s, 70s and 80s the countryside took on a rural picturesque atmosphere, as fruit trees and wind breaks grew, roads improved and shops and houses were built to complement higher living standards.
Bill Latimer - From the White family publication, "Fruits of The Orchard"
The Transmutations of a Butcher’s Shop.
A portion of the write up for the 'Spectator’ by Mr H H Edgoose, for the opening of the new Sunday School building in March 1911.
Transcription:
Spectator Nov 11.1910 - The Transmutations of a Butcher’s Shop.
The Doncaster East Methodist Sunday School which has served in that capacity for over 40 years is about to be dispensed with. A new commodious building has been erected as a transept to the church and thus has been supplied a much needed and long felt want. About the year 1866 the district was missioned by the Rev J H Brown of the Heidelberg Primitive Methodist Circuit: and services were held in what was well known as Granny May’s house.
The pressing need of a Sunday Scholl was keenly felt; and a place which had been previously utilised as a butcher’s Shop was purchased at Anderson’s Creek and erected by Mr William Bower at the corner of Main and Blackburn Roads, Doncaster East. This building served as Sunday School and Church for about 15 years, when owing to the earnest efforts of Rev J T Kearns a church building was erected at the cost of £300.
The Sunday School was opened from the first inception by Mr James Kent, and was ably assisted in the construction of the children by Mr H White, who afterwards became Superintendent, also his son William and others. During this lengthened period of over 40 years some generations have passed through the School; and both Church and Sunday School have been administered to.
Eulogy to Founding Members
Having served their church and local community for over 40 years, Henry and Elizabeth were immensely respected by those who knew them. The following eulogy appeared in the Bulletin of the Primitive Methodist Church, Burwood Circuit, on the occasion of the death of Elizabeth White in 1893. (It also demonstrates something of the language of the time).
Elizabeth White was born at St Luke’s, London and arrived in the Australian colonies in the year 1850. Two years later she became united in matrimony to her sorrowing and ever faithful husband. From the private and social life of the deceased, though unassuming and unobtrusive, she never failed to win the respect and esteem of those who knew her. Her genial and Christian-like manner, genuine and practical, must ever have proved influential for good. “Having fought the good fight, and finished her course,” after a few days illness she unexpectedly died on March 20, 1893.
Rev. A. Madsen writes as follows - “I was very much surprised and grieved to learn that Mrs White had ceased to live. Somehow the death of our friends does come upon us with surprise - we leave them in good health and the next thing we hear is that they have crossed the boundary into the unseen country. My recollections of the late Mrs White are not only pleasant, but grateful.
The principal things that occur to me, now she has gone, are the following -
First, I should give prominence to her placid face. It always struck me that Mrs White, whatever troubles and difficulties may have been crowded into her experience, had yet an inward counteracting peace, not easily disturbed.
If there were an index of the soul, then I could readily believe that her soul had found a perfect peace. There was so much repose, so much pleasant, abiding calmness about her face, which made it attractive to me. During all my visits, which were frequent, the same evenness of countenance greeted me, and I confess that its contemplation always wakened much pleasure.
Second, the next thing which was even more marked about her was the true motherliness of her nature. Mrs White was not a public woman, nor yet a leader in society. She was infinitely better -she was a home woman. I don't think it has ever been my pleasure to meet many women who excelled her in this respect. She lived in her home and for her home and my heart has been delighted again and again to notice the reverence with which her children greeted her.
It was evident that the family deeply regarded the mother of the home, and she was worthy of all their esteem and regard.
The boys and girls of that bereaved house have now lost a grand type of mother, and I can sympathise with them is such a deep loss.
Third, another feature about Mrs White was her home benevolence. She made visitors to her house feel at home. With quiet dignity and easy self-possession she was truly cordial, and so genuinely hospitable, that the unspoken welcome was felt in all its warmth - much more, I think, than formal words of welcome could have produced; at least, such was my experience, and I believe I am not alone in this sentiment.
Fourth, I am glad too that I can also add to these former good qualities the fact that Mrs White was extremely charitable in opinion and disposition. One heard no slander or backbiting from her lips -there was no whisper of ill feeling against anybody.
She was the antipodes of a scold or a gossip.
During all my visits I have never heard one uncharitable expression concerning any person fall from her lips. She was above the feeling of ill will, I believe, and certainly much above any hurtful or malicious thing.
Lastly, I think that Mrs White was a real Christian. There was no demonstration or loud profession about her Christian life, but there certainly was Christly action, and patience and gentleness.
The speaking of Christian truths by man or woman has power, but the living of Christian truth has more power, and inside her home and the social acquaintance wherein she moved, her truly Christian life will long be felt for good. I have deep sympathy for the wifeless husband, and the motherless family, but I think that no fitter compliment can be paid to her memory, and no nobler monument can be raised to her life, than for her children to serve her God and cultivate her kind of piety.
For our deceased sister, life’s warfare is over, whatever discomforts and discouragements she experienced are now passed, and she has reached the fullness of Christian blessedness. She is now “Asleep in Jesus; blessed sleep from which none ever wake to weep.”
May God bless her family, and the Church at Doncaster, and may he who brought from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, present them spotless before the throne of his glory with exceeding joy.
With the above testimony I most fully concur, and sincerely hope and pray that the family may not forget their mother’s God, and trust the grace of God may abundantly be bestowed upon the bereaved husband and family.
The writer spoke of her death the following Sabbath in the Doncaster church to a large and sorrowing congregation.
Rev A. Marsden 1893
“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath take away: blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1.21. In Loving Remembrance. Elizabeth White. Beloved Wife Henry White. Died March 20 1893. Tis hard to break the tender cord; When love has bound the heart,; ‘Tis hard, so hard, to speak the words: We for a time must part. Dearest loved one, we have laid thee In the peaceful grave’s embrace, But thy memory will be cherished Till we see thy heavenly face.
Elizabeth White (nee Raney), wife of Henry White, mother of 10 and early pioneer.
Henry deeply grieved the loss of his companion of 40 years and within two short years he too had died, some say of a broken heart The following eulogy appeared shortly after his death in 1894.
Henry White - One of our oldest officials and local preachers passed quietly to rest during the last quarter. Bro. Henry White early settled in these colonies, bringing with him his esteemed and Christly partner who passed hence a year ago.
Converted to Christ in the homeland he witnessed a good confession both there and here in the home, the church and the world. His house for many years was ever open to men of God and visiting there, all were struck with the unity that prevailed, the unity born of allegiance to the Lord. In the church he occupied the pulpit with acceptance, the Sunday school desk with favour, and the place of a bearer with devotion and constancy.
Since the death of his beloved wife he steadily declined. That was a blow from which he never recovered. Shortly after her removal to the better land, an affliction of the heart landed him on a bed of weakness from which he never wholly recovered.
On Thursday the 6th December the writer knelt at his bedside and listened to beautifully blended quotations from the psalms and Epistle which told where his trust lay.
An hour after the visit, he quietly sank into the rest that remaineth for the people of God.
At the Quarterly Meeting of this Circuit the following resolution was recorded in the book: - That we place on record our high appreciation of the Christian character, loyalty and devotion of our late brother, Henry White. His long connection with our Doncaster society, faithful attention to preaching appointments and liberal contributions to our funds, formed a pattern to many. And we deeply sympathise with the now orphaned family in the loss of such an affectionate father. May the bereaved children follow their beloved parents as they followed Christ and eventually join them in the blood-washed throng.
Amen.
Henry White
Henry White
In addition to the above eulogy. Rev William Goyen wrote to the members of the late Mr Henry White's family as recorded here.
To the Members of the late Mr Henry White's family
My Dear Friends,
I am instructed by the officials of the Bur wood Circuit to forward you a copy of the minute passed at the March Quarterly Meeting and recorded in the Circuit Books which is as follows:
"That we place on record our high appreciation of the Christian character and untiring devotion of our late Bro Henry White. His long connection with our Doncaster society, faithful attention to preaching appointments and liberal contributions to our working expenses formed a pattern to many and we deeply sympathise with the now orphaned family in the loss of such an affectionate father."
Praying that the God of all consolation may comfort your hearts and strengthen you to follow your deceased parents as they followed Christ.
I am yours sincerely,
William Goyen , Minister
Consolidation, 1901-1950
Based on the content of the Centenary Publication 1866-1966.
Families continued to arrive in the district. Mr & Mrs Daws and family arrived in 1913, followed soon after by Mr & Mrs A. Hall and Mr & Mrs W.J. Burrows. Their active work was appreciated in Church and Sunday School.
In 19 14 Mrs Daws formed a choir and was assisted by Mrs Hall in preparing and conducting the children’s annual Anniversary Day.
Prizes were distributed, graded in value according to the marks obtained for attendance and lessons.
In 1915 certificates were issued, the money otherwise spent on prizes being donated to the national war effort.
Trust meetings were held only two or three times during the year. William White and Frederick Kent, sons of the founders, Mr. Bienvenu, Mr. Knee and Mr. Daws were Trustees. Electric light was installed in both Church and Sunday School early in 19 16 at a cost of eight pounds ten shillings, the congregation meeting some of this cost.
Trust minutes record 'social problems’ during the war years. At one time it was moved "that Mr Boundy speak to the Constable about making his presence felt in the Church", presumably to prevent acts of theft and delinquency by lads of the district.
Reports to hand alleged interference to Services by noisy youths, the theft of the small front gate; and the disappearance of cakes and other delicacies from tables prepared for a Tea Meeting.
Looking North down Station St, Box Hill, from the corner of Woodhouse Grove, around 1900. Note the horse and cart in the top photo along with the photographer's bicycle leaning against the sign post.
In contrast, the same view (bottom) in 1998 with the Westfield tower on the horizon.
1914 The Great War 1915
Recognition to Violet (Effie) White (later, Fischer) for donating her Sunday School prize to the war effort 26/9/15. Note, the signatures of church office bearers at the time: Mr Bienvenu and Mr Kent.
1914 - The Great War - 1915. East Doncaster Methodist Sunday School. This is to certify that Effie White gained 358 marks Prize Intermediate Class In connection with the above School, but generously donated the value thereof to the Methodist Soldiers’ Home Military Camp Fund. A W Bienvenu Superintendent. Date 26.9.15. J S Kent Secretary. Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Rolling in the Aisles
One report from the time involved pears picked from the nearby trees being rolled down the aisle during the service by a group of young boys sitting along the back wall. Obviously at the end of his tether, the minister commanded the congregation, “Stand up all those who follow Jesus!”
When everyone was on their feet, (and who wouldn’t be!?) he called out, “Now turn around and look at the heathen!"
After coming face to face with the congregation, the boys later retreated outside in silence only to get their own back on the minister by re-harnessing his horse and cart either side of the hitching rail.
As the saying goes, children made their own “fun” in those days.
The work and worship of fifty years past was gratefully honoured at the Golden Jubilee Celebration, April 1916.
Rev. W.J. Palamountain officiated at a Tea-meeting and service. A photograph of the late Henry White was unveiled by Mrs G. Holden (senior) the last remaining foundation member.
At a social evening on Wednesday, 26th April, Messrs. T. & G. Petty, from Doncaster Church of Christ, spoke of their ‘reminiscences of the past’.
Mr G. Petty told of the first Rechabite Tent and its opening.
A former worshipper at East Doncaster, Thomas Robinson, regretted that he was unable to attend, sending his apology in the form of a twelve-verse poem, which is reproduced in these pages.
Musical items were presented at the jubilee celebration and as was described at the time ... ‘The good hand of God was humbly acknowledged”.
Singing and music had become an accepted part of the worship service, and the choir was flourishing around 1917-18. Their presentation of a sacred cantata “The Captive Maid of Israel” was directed by Mrs E. Daws. Charges were made for tea and entertainment.
Moulton's Directory of Streets for Melbourne and Suburbs (1912).
MOULTON’S DIRECTORY of STREETS MELBOURNE & SUBURBS
Doncaster Shire:
Secretary and Rate Collector: W. Thomas. Treasurer: H. M. de Mule. Engineer: H. H. Woodcock. Office Hours: Wednesdays, 9 to 4
| Ayr-st., High-st. to Manningham-rd. Beaconsfield-rd., off Main-rd. Bismarck-st., Main-rd. to Waldau-lane. Church-rd., off Koornang-creek. Cousell-st., off Main-rd. Elgar-rd., Koornang-creek to Main-rd. Frederick-st., Main-rd. to Tram-rd. High-st., Main-rd. to Manningham-rd. Leeds-st., Main-rd. to Koornang-creek |
Main-rd., Koornang -creek to Anderson’s Creek-rd. Manningtree-rd., Ayr-st., to Williamson’s-rd. Tram-rd. Main-rd. to Koornang-creek. Wetherby-rd., Main-rd. to Koornang-creek. Whitten’s-la., Main-rd. to Tram-rd. Williamson’s-rd., Main-rd. to Templestowe. Wilson’s-la., Elgar-rd. to Main-rd. |
Doncaster East Streets
| Anderson’s Creek-rd., off Main-rd. Beverley-st., off Blackburn-rd. Blackburn-rd., Koornang-creek to Main-rd’ Garden-st., off York-st. Hunt-st. Main-rd., off Blackburn-rd. Mitcham.rd., off Main-rd. Springvale-rd. | Springvale-st. Waldau-lane, Anderson’s Creek-rd. to Bismarck-st. Wilhelm-st., Anderson’s Creek-rd. to creek. Woodhouse-rd. York-rd. (now known as Springvale-rd). York-st. (now known as Springvale-st.). |
The maps stopped at Box Hill and there were a total of 34 streets listed for the whole of the Doncaster and Doncaster East region.
Inside the East Doncaster Methodist Church
Decorated for another wedding. Note the cushions at the rail ready and waiting and the lady in the doorway complete with hat and gloves.
Leaders Meetings
Leader's Meeting Agenda from the 1930s has stood the test of time.
Transcription:
EAST DONCASTER METHODIST CHURCH - AGENDA FOR LEADERS’ MEETING
1. Open with Prayer.
2. Members present, and apologies.
3. Minutes of last meeting, and business therefrom.
4. Correspondence, and business therefrom.
5. Business from the various societies and organisations of the Church.
6. Report from the Trust, and payments from Budget Allocations.
7. At 1st meeting after December Quarterly Meeting:
Detailed review of members’, junior and child rolls.
Review of budget allocations.
At 1st meeting after March Quarterly Meeting:
Reports from societies and organisations of the Church.
At 1st meeting after June Quarterly Meeting:
Appointment of the various officers of the Church.
At 1st meeting after September Quarterly Meeting:
Reports from societies and organisations of the Church.
8. Business listed on the Notice of Meeting.
9. Addition of names to the Members’ Roll.
10. Cases of sickness, poverty or discipline.
11. Business to promote the work of God in this neighbourhood.
12. Other business.
13. Next meeting.
14. Close with Benediction.
Sunday School Scholars of 1939
Sunday School Scholars of 1939, standing l-r, Betty Evans (nee White), Alice Latimer (nee White), Joan Sell, Mary Sprott, front, Beryl Bloom (nee Craig), teacher Doris (Doss) Burrows, Roma Crouch.
Mabel & Arthur Ireland
Mabel & Arthur Ireland (1986) were local orchardists and great supporters of the Methodist church in Doncaster East.
Quiz Time - 1930s Style
Entertainment at the time, when compared with today, was simple and uncomplicated, as demonstrated in the clues & answers to a typical quiz, set before church members on one particular social evening in the early 1930s.
As you can see, there is a very “local flavour” to the quiz, with each answer representing the name of a local resident Earlier entertainment was provided by local residents gathering in homes to sing, play musical instruments and recite poetry.
Clues and Answers
1. The Emblem of England Ans: Rose
2. A Sculler Ans: Aumann
3. The Pioneer of South Africa Ans: Rhodes
4. Lately used for traction Ans: Bullock
5. What all orchardists like to do Ans: Sell
6. A good breed of fowls Ans: Ancona
7. Animal of the class Ans: Buck
8. Gifted with second sight Ans: Fahey
9. C......round the curves Ans: Clingin
10. Food for a hungry man Ans: Pye
11. To lament Ans: Grieve
12. A native of Flanders Ans: Fleming
13. A British Admiral Ans: Blake
14. A cereal Ans: Oats
15 One of the British Isles Ans: Ireland
16. Stand and toll Ans: Standring
17. Quill driver Ans: Clarke
18. Bead threader Ans: Stringer
19. Killed in a lair Ans: Sladen
20. A bad tempered man Ans: Crossman
21. A joint Ans: Knee
22. Colorless Ans: White
23. What the potters use Ans: Clay
24. Enigma Ans: Riddell
25. A farrier Ans: Smith
Music
The Trust wished to further extend the musical accompaniment to worship, and in 1919 purchased a piano and later an organ. Members of the newly-formed Church Social Club were keen to play their part and directed their efforts towards helping the Trust pay for the piano. They decided that, with Trust approval, the money which they had raised from the Church Anniversary should be used for the piano debt to save interest on the loan.
The Trustees pondered the matter at length, and in February 1920 refused the Social Club’s offer. The Social Club was not deterred by this apparent failure with the Trust, going on to successfully perform other good works.
On Saturday, 20th February, 1920, a Jumble Fair and “Australian Tea” was held. The Social Club also encouraged ladies and gents to enter their nail-driving competition. Entry fee was 3 pence (3 cents) - the prize 2 shillings (20 cents). Softwood for ladies, hardwood for gents, a two inch nail to be used.
After this exhilarating competition, refreshments were served at 9 pence per head. No television, internet or video-linkup in those days.
The Trust accepted help in paying for the new organ and outside lighting.
The Social Club arranged for their payment of one shilling per week towards property cleaning costs.
Weddings
Most aspects of life centred on the local Methodist Church Here we have the invitation to the wedding of Ollie and Rose in 1919. Note Ollie's 24th Battalion colours at the top. Rose played the organ at the church for over 30 years, with Ollie holding most positions of leadership at some stage or other.
Transcription: Mr. and Mrs. G. Knee request the pleasure of Mr. and Mrs. J White’s Company to celebrate the Marriage of their Daughter, Alice Rose, with Mr. Oliver White, on Wednesday, September 14th 1919, at 3 o’clock, in the Methodist Church, Main Road, Doncaster East. Reception in School Hall. “Ica View”, Woodhouse Road, R.S.V.P. Doncaster East. 10 Sept.
Sunday School class of 1937
Sunday School class of 1937, having a picnic with the mode of transport being Ollie White's 1927 Chev truck, covered with a tarpaulin for traveling comfort. From l-r (standing), Unkown (sic), Edith Burrows, Joan Sell, Elsie Knee, Alice White (Latimer), Beryl Craig, (Bloom) Val McKenzie, Rosamond Crouch (Metcher), Unkown (sic), Joan McKenzie, front row, Frank White, Ollie White, Lindsay White. )
Ploughing in spring time
Ploughing in spring time, 1938 'with horses, Duke & Baldy. (Ollie White at the reins, Springvale Rd, current site of the Donvale Retirement Village)
Drama in the midst of War
In the midst of a World War and with so many church members and family in the Services, the 1943 Anniversary would have been a welcome relief from an ever-present sense of anxiety. Entertainment was a three act play entitled, "The Rebellion of Youth".
Transcription: DONCASTER EAST METHODIST CHURCH 77th Anniversary SUNDAY, 16th MAY, 1943 Services: 3 p.m. – Rev. F. K. Richards, I.Th. 7.30 p.m. - Rev. F. C. Boundy Special Singing by the Choir TEA and CONCERT. TEA at 6 .p.m. CONCERT at 8 p.m. TUESDAY, 18th MAY, 1943. Three Act Play by Mount Pleasant Concert Party Entitled “The Rebellion of Youth” Chairman: Rev. F. E. HAYNES Admission, 1/6; Concert only, 1/-; Children, Half-Price
In March 1925, the Shire Council advised that water was available for the Church property, the rate being 10 shillings per year ($1). The cost of laying 1/2 inch pipes to be £5 pounds 2/6d. ($10.25)
At the Diamond Jubilee celebrations Rev. J. Warren, Superintendent Minister for the Circuit and a regular visitor to East Doncaster, was the preacher at a special service, where the choir under the direction of Mr A. Hall sang anthems.
A young people’s guild was effective from 1927 to 1940, this being the commencement of active youth work by the Church in East Doncaster.
Members of the guild shared prayers and hymns, arranged games and competitions and exchanged visits with other guilds in the Circuit.
Best attendances for each evening were encouraged by recording the number of pennies placed in team boxes. Home & Overseas Missions were the recipients after the count. Average attendance throughout thirteen years activity was approximately twenty-four young people. Mr Bienvenu, Mr Dobson and Mr Hall assisted the minister when required.
Orchards Give Way
By the end of the Second World War, orchards and intensive horticultural activity covered much of the Eastern side of Melbourne. As the population grew, however, rural land gave way to suburban development, with the steady rise in council rates and taxes on the remaining orchards leading to the establishment of more and more housing sub divisions.
The “urban sprawl” brought new people and with them the need for better roads, more schools and a greater range of shops and amenities. Living standards rose rapidly, along with the expectations of a new generation. As the children of the post war baby boom era grew and established homes and families of their own, the transformation of the Doncaster & Templestowe region from rural backwater, to suburban metropolis, was complete, leaving just a few small pockets of remaining orchard in its wake.
Gone were the spray pumps, dirt roads and packing sheds and in their place rose multi level shopping centres, six lane freeways, night clubs and unit developments.
Bill Latimer - From the White family publication, "Fruits of The Orchard"
Property Developers Dream
Blackburn and Andersons Creek Rd intersection, 1945 and 1990. A property developer's dream.
Tram Excitement
Typical of the many humorous stories relating to the past is one telling of a visiting group from the Box Hill Christian Endeavour Society. They travelled to Doncaster by electric train, loading it beyond capacity. On the return journey down the steep grade in Tram Road (Station Street) the brakes failed. The Endeavourers, unconscious of the danger the increasing speed presented, were singing boldly “Hold the fort for we are coming”. The driver hung desperately to the useless brakes, muttering "Yes, you’re coming with this darned tram alright, but after we hit the bottom, I don't know where you're all going".
However, the tram miraculously took the curve at the foot of the hill keeping on the rails as it crossed the bridge over Koonung Creek.
The Ladies’ Guild
The Ladies’ Guild was formed in 1929. However, as was acknowledged at the time, the ladies of the Church had worked beside their men folk from the earliest of days.
A portion of the Trust Minutes (early 1900s) reads "That the ladies be approached about the social in aid of the renovations of the Church walls".
The Guild first met in June 1929, and until the first stewardship programme in 1957, the efforts of the ladies provided the main source of revenue for the Church during this period.
Foundation members were; Mrs W Handasyde, Mrs Bert Bullen, Mrs George Knee Snr., Mrs George Knee Jnr., Mrs W.J. Burrows, Mrs W. White, Mrs Gordon White, Mrs A.E. Ireland, Mrs Bienvenu, Mrs Fromhold, Mrs Frank Dobson, Mrs Oliver White and Miss Nellie Knee.
The ladies were enterprising in their efforts to assist others, whether locally or through Missions.
One of their ventures was to buy material to make pillow-cases, which in turn were sold to raise funds.
The ladies had struggled along without the convenience of a kitchen until 1933 when they wrote to the Trust asking for permission to build a kitchen onto the Sunday School.
Mr Arthur Ireland assisted in preparing plans and arranging to purchase materials. The building project was completed in 1934 at a cost of £60 pounds 5 shillings and three pence. ($120.53) Mr & Mrs Ireland served the church for most of their 90+ years, with Arthur being elected Trustee in 1931, filling a vacancy left by the death of Frederick Kent
After the 30's
The life of the Church continued in much the same way during the 1930s.
After the 1939-45 war, changes were taking place in the district. Land was sold for home building, with the suburban character emerging.
In 1946 a fund was started towards a new kindergarten building, the need for further accommodation being great.
The Trust was anxious to purchase land to the west of the Church, but the owner was unwilling to sell. However, an opportunity to purchase three blocks of land surrounding the Church arose early in 1952, and the Trust greatly enlarged the property in buying this land. The land bounded by Doncaster and Blackburn Roads and Beverley Street was sub-divided in October 1953. At this time Messrs, J. & H. Burrows, W. White and E Daws bought an extra two blocks, which they held for a number of years, later selling them to the Church at purchase price.
The kindergarten building was finally built in 1956, with Mr A.E. Ireland and Mr S. White each donating £100 ($200) towards the total cost of £1800 ($3,600).
Like "oil and water"
Like "oil and water" "alcohol and Methodists" were not supposed to mix.
The Young Australia Temperance League was particularly strong throughout the Methodist tradition with 12-year-old Alice White (later, Latimer) becoming a member of the Sunday School branch on 24/11/1935. “I promise to abstain from all intoxicating liquors as beverages, and to discountenance their use by others" (Possibly why so many people declared their drink was not a beverage, but for "medicinal purposes only").
Note the Secretary, W. White, was a long-standing Church trustee and son of Henry White, one of the founders
SUNDAY SCHOOL BRANCH OF THE YOUNG AUSTRALIA TEMPERANCE LEAGUE. This is to Certify that Alice White Promises to abstain from all Intoxicating Liquors As Beverages, and to discountenance Their use by others. Date 24/11/35. H White, Secretary. The Young Our Hope. ISSUED BY THE VICTORIAN PROHIBITION LEAGUE, CLYDE HOUSE, 182 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE
After the bush was cleared
After the bush was cleared and the orchards planted, the East Doncaster Methodist Church East Doncaster remained amongst the fruit trees up until the early 1950s. Other than the roads, there is very little from this photo, taken in 1945, that can still be recognised today.
“Talford Estate”. The foresight and commitment of long standing members enabled additional land to be acquired in 1953 when the "Talford Estate" came to market. The Wesley site today consists of 5 house blocks which helped to accommodate the expansion of the 1950s and 1960s.
"Talford Estate" EAST DONCASTER. 33 Villa Home Sites 33. Frontages to Doncaster Road Blackburn Road and Beverly Street; Each a made government road; also to Robert Street which is formed and gravelled to council specifications; water to every lot; electricity available; easy terms £25 deposit 40/- shillings monthly; interest quarterly; residue five years; further information Coghill and Son Proprietary Limited Swanston Street Melbourne and Canterbury
Recollections by Alice Latimer
Recollections by Alice Latimer, (nee White) great-rand-daughter of Henry White, joint founder.
My great-grand-parents, Henry White and Elizabeth Raney were married at the new Church of England church, St Peters at Eastern Hill, on November 23rd 1852. They met in Melbourne, but had both only recently arrived from England.
Soon after, in 1856, they moved to Doncaster and lived in a rented property until the mid 1860’s when Henry purchased 320 acres of land in Anderson’ Creek Road, near the Reynolds Road corner.
This was to become known as Deep Creek Farm, where a slab hut was built to accommodate their growing family. (They had a total of 10 children.)
Henry and Elizabeth were known to regularly attend the Wesleyan Chapel in Woodhouse Grove, Box Hill, after their arrival from Richmond in 1856. Quite a walk from the farm at Andersons Creek Rd, but their faith was strong and at times Henry assumed the role of a lay preacher. Worship services were also held in homes until it was decided that a permanent place of worship should be established.
A block of land was donated by James Kent on the corner of Blackburn and Doncaster Road, and a dismantled butcher’s shop was transported by bullock wagon from Warrandyte. This was erected on the site, and after the work was completed, opened for the Easter service of 1866.
To the early settlers struggling to make a living from the clearing of land, and establishing orchards and farms, the local Methodist Church became a vital unifying asset. Particularly in the absence of other social contact, it provided entertainment, learning and encouragement, which we take for granted today. It was much more than a place of worship for lonely mothers isolated all week on their properties. A call for afternoon tea by then-minister was a real social event in their lives.
My grandfather, Elijah, was the eighth of Henry White’s 10 children, with my father, Oliver being Elijah’s 3rd child (out of eight)
Dad married Rose Knee in 1919, not long after he returned wounded from WWI. He had strong religious convictions and being a teetotaler his commanding officer in France entrusted him with the rum keg.
Alice Latimer, (nee White) standing in front of mother, Rose (nee Knee), with father Ollie, big brother Jim (behind) and little brothers, Frank and Lindsay (sitting), out the front of their Springvale Rd home, 1929 (site of Donvale Retirement Village).
As a non-smoking, country lad with a good sense of direction he also assumed the role of runner and stretcher bearer.
Government soldier repatriation helped Dad start as an orchardist on 10 acres of land in Springvale Road, Donvale (now Donvale Retirement Village).
He was later offered a 32 acre block in Old Warrandyte Road by the Repat. Department, after the returned soldier settler committed suicide there. It took years of hard work to finish clearing the land and progressively plant fruit trees but by the 1940s it had become a very good orchard.
My early years, as far back as I can remember were organised so that our family went to church every Sunday.
My mother played the organ for over 30 years, it was a pedal bellows old style organ, but she made it work for its keep!
It was a well-ordered life and as I grew older, I worked in the house helping Mum, in the packing shed and also on the orchard. I went to the East Doncaster School (on George St), which meant a 3km round trip in all weathers. School was something I just endured without much enthusiasm. Highlight of the year was the Sunday School picnic.
The year 1954 was a momentous one for me, as in March, I was given a farewell at the Church, before I left Australia to travel by sea to Capetown, South Africa. Since 1950 I had corresponded with BilI after a chance meeting on a train while I was on a working holiday with a girlfriend. Bill’s parents had come over from New Zealand in December 1953 to meet my family, after which I accepted a proposal of marriage from Bill in Africa.
Farewelled by the East Doncaster Methodists, Alice Latimer, (nee White) was met by Rev Watson and the ladies of the Methodist Church, Cape Town, where she married Bill the afternoon the ship arrived, 13/4/1954.
The church congregation presented me with a blue mohair-travelling blanket (which I still have) to commemorate that occasion.
Nobody in our community had ever been as adventurous as this before, but it all went according to plan and the Capetown Methodist Church ladies and minister were very kind to us. I was married the afternoon the ship arrived.
We then travelled in Bill’s old car 3000kms North to Northern Rhodesia and my new home. It was all a great culture shock. I don’t think I’d even seen an aboriginal before - now here I was in a land outnumbered 10 to 1 by black Africans.
It was all a great new adventure, but Bill and I pioneered a bush block, and by 1959 had two healthy children (Andrew & Lorraine) who were baptised at the Lusaka Methodist Church in 1955 and in 1957.
Looking back. I’m glad I had come from pioneering ancestors, as my new life required a lot of new learning in the art of survival.
Five years after marrying Bill, my mother became very ill and I flew back to Australia with the children while Bill stayed to sell our property, and follow me to Melbourne by ship from Capetown.
Donvale was home once more and we were lucky enough to purchase my grandparents’ (George Knee) house on two acres at the end of Woodhouse Rd. Then in 1959 and 1961 two more children (Robert & Rae-Ellen) arrived.
We all attended the East Doncaster Methodist Church and Rev. Harlan Delbridge welcomed us warmly.
Our four children attended Sunday school and the State Primary School, as I did - the fourth generation.
I was happy to be back in Australia and I think Bill was too, especially for the children’s future.
We all gained a lot from being part of the Wesley congregation and I’m most thankful to those leaders who put in so much hard work over so many years.
Alice Latimer (nee White) lends a hand on the orchard. (1940s)
In their Sunday best, Alice Latimer (nee White), with brothers (l-r), Lindsay, Frank & Jim. (1930s)
Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (60 years) were recorded in the local newspaper of the time, the Reporter, 15 Oct 1926: Transcription: METHODIST SUNDAY SCHOOL. DONCASTER EAST. DIAMOND JUBILEE ANNIVERSARY. 3 p.m., Rev. J Warren. 7.30 p.m. Rev. T. A. Biddle. TUESDAY, 6 p.m.—TEA and PUBLIC MEETING. Admission 1/6; Children half-price. Meeting only, 1/- Sunday Oct 17
Transcription: The Diamond Jubilee of the Doncaster East Methodist Sunday school will be celebrated on Sunday. Sixty years ago Methodist services were first held in the district in Mrs. Mayo’s house, and were conducted by the late Rev. J. H. Brown, Primitive Methodist minister, of Heidelberg. A chapel at Anderson's Creek, the services having been discontinued, was removed to the corner of Main and Blackburn roads, Doncaster East, and served as a church and State school for about 18 years. Another church was erected in 1884, at a cost of £300, and was speedily cleared of debt. This was during the ministry of the late Rev. J. H. Kearns, who worked very earnestly. The Sunday school was opened by Mr. J. Kent, assisted by Mr. H. White, who afterwards became superintendent, and was ably assisted by the late Mrs White and family. Many other deserving names might be mentioned. Until 1911 the old chapel was used as a Sunday school, when it was replaced by the present School Hall. The number of teachers in the school Is 12, with an excellent average attendance of ten, and the number of scholars is 49. There is no debt on the properties. Mr. Frank Dobson is the superintendent, and is in a worthy succession. The services on Sunday will be conducted by the Rev. J. E. Warren at 3, and the Rev. T. A. Biddle at 7.30, and a tea and public meeting will be held on Tuesday, when old scholars are specially invited. G.P.R.
Reporter Oct 15 1926
Recollections by David Jenkins
My qualifications for commenting on the present Church are that I have been associated with it all my life.
In 1920, the Methodist Church at Templestowe closed down and my father and mother and their five children relocated to East Doncaster Methodist Church. It was not long before my father had the job of taking up the collection - a job he held until he died in 1941.
My brothers and sisters and myself attended whilst growing up. Two of my sisters married from the Church.
My wife, our three children and myself were part of the Church Life, regularly until the early 1980s. I had held the office of Senior Steward on two occasions. My only interest now is through the Men’s Group.
My childhood memories of the Church and Sunday School are quite vivid. In the 1930s, the Minister was Mr Crean and it was the end of the horse and wagon era. The Hall and Bienvenu families came to Church in a draught horse and wagon outfit. The horses were unyoked and put in a stable at the back of the Sunday School. You would occasionally hear one or the other kicking the dividing wall during the service.
There was a Blackburn Road pick-up by the Burrows family - first in the 1920s by Mr Burrows Snr. in his horse and wagon, then by Jack Burrows in his 1935 orchard truck.
I guess the Sunday School and Kinder would have numbered about 50 or 60.
The Sunday School Anniversary Tea Meeting was followed by a Concert with items by the pupils. The Church Anniversary Tea Meeting was, of course, a feast, and it was held in May, with entertainment.
The Harvest Festival was held in early February. The display included cases of peaches, nectarines, apples and pears, as well as smaller lots of vegetables, eggs, etc. The produce was then carted off to Home Missions in Inner Melbourne suburbs.
I remember the Sunday School Summer Picnic was held at Mordialloc. A couple of orchardists’ trucks supplemented the transport.
Sunday School in the 1930s and 40s was held at 2 p.m. and just one Church service was held at 3 p.m. Mrs. Dobson was the Superintendent at this time. Doris Bullen was my Sunday School teacher.
As the Sunday School numbers grew through the 1950s, the Anniversary Concert was moved to the East Doncaster Hall with the platform borrowed from the Box Hill Methodist Sunday School.
Eventually the orchard land surrounding the Church was subdivided and about four of the orchardists members of the congregation bought surrounding blocks to hold for future development. (The names I think involved were Jack Burrows, Harry Burrows, Ted Dawes, Bill White)
They also bought a block on the corner of Doncaster Road and Rupert Street for a parsonage, but later sold the block. The initial parsonage project on the corner of Rupert Street was abandoned because it was felt to be too close to the Church.
There was a ‘Bring out a Briton” project initiated about 1955 and the Fieldings were an early family. They lived in an Army hut erected on a block in Beverley Street.
Until the late 1950s, the Church was run to a large degree by pioneering orcharding families. About 1956 things started to happen, and the land surrounding the Church was bought for cost, and the big all-purpose hall was planned and erected. There had been a make-do toilet block erected previously.
Bruce Marshall of Lines, McFarlane & Marshall designed and supervised the building of the all purpose hall, capable of being used for Sunday School, Church and Youth activities with a sub-stage area.
Ministers that come to mind from 1935 are Crean, Haynes, Bradbury, Harvey Perkins, Gibbs, Delbridge, Collins, Honey, Secomb and from Box Hill: Clarke, Brimacombe, Byard, Chambers and Benjamin.
East Doncaster had local preachers on an average of every third Sunday. Members picked up the local preachers.
On two occasions Rev V.R. Bradbury blotted his copybook. Once he served up the same sermon a fortnight apart. And on another occasion he announced the collection twice during the same service.
The Sell brothers owned about a 40-acre pear orchard adjoining the Church on 3 sides. After the service, the entire male members of the congregation would climb over the fence to examine the progress of the pear crop.
The taking up of the ‘Wells Campaign” of pledged giving was a big shock to the Church congregation. Charles Pouter was the first Director. After three years, the Methodist Stewardship Campaign occurred under the direction of Arthur Venn.
The orchard life of Donvale and East Doncaster quickly gave way to the housing developments of the 1950s and 1960s and the influx of new people.
Expansion, 1951-1980
Based on the content of the Centenary Publication 1866-1966.
In 1957 the East Doncaster Church was taken from the Mitcham Circuit and joined with Woodhouse Grove to form a pastorate in the Box Hill Circuit with Rev. F.H. Delbridge as the first resident minister.
A vast change was taking place at this time in the Church’s life.
The closely knit country community with services at 10.00am and 3.00pm, to fit in with the milking of the cows, found itself swamped by suburbia.
The orchards were being subdivided, young families were moving in and after decisions of schooling were attended to, the next logical step at the time was to locate the nearest Church.
Before long Church giving increased from £12 ($24) to £30 a week and the Trust was enabled to proceed with the building of the large hall to cater for the ever increasing morning congregation and the work with young people.
The opening of the new hall in April 1961 coincided with a considerable change of Sunday timetable. In small committees and many congregational meetings, the Church had given much thought to the question “How may Sunday best be used to promote the worship and Christian growth of all our people?”
With the advice and encouragement of the Methodist Department of Christian Education, the Church entered on a programme of Christian training to include the whole congregation.
All the Church family met for worship at 9.30am and then the adults went to their groups, while the children went to theirs.
A creche was commenced to look after the tiny ones from 9.30am to 11.45am
The afternoon service gave way to an evening service on the first Sunday of each month and the Pleasant Sunday Evening, which was introduced in 1950, continued but with diminishing attendance.
The reasons for the collapse of the All Age Sunday School are complex, but contributing factors were the immense numbers of children needing teachers in the Sunday School and the lack of awareness among some in the congregation that adults need to learn about and discuss their faith.
To a certain extent this need was met by various study courses for groups meeting in homes for a specific number of evenings.
Trying to work out with others the practical implications of their faith involved people in sharing some of their deepest thoughts and the members of the groups came to love and understand each other far more.
In the field of youth work, the Church did some valuable pioneering. Under the leadership of Mr Roy Johnston, leaders were enlisted and trained.
The first full time, resident minister; Harlan Delbridge, arrived in 1957 and sought to challenge, encourage and teach the congregation. Here Mr Delbridge presents three important questions through the monthly church magazine "PIVOT":
Transcription:
PIVOT - EAST DONCASTER METHODIST CHURCH - Minister Rev. F. H. Delbridge, B.A., 108 Beverley-st., E. Doncaster. 842 1511. Editor: R.V. Clough, B.Sc., 138 Blackburn-rd., E. Doncaster. 842-1562
The Minister puts…
THREE QUESTIONS
The Membership Service held in July taxed the seating in the Hall. Eleven young people who had been attending special classes were received into adult membership of the Church. In addition, the annual Member's Ticket was handed to each Member of the Church after the Member had received Communion.
The Congregational representative welcomed the young new members into full status as members of the congregation. The Senior Church Steward read the names of the many members received onto the Members’ Roll over the past fifteen months and expressed the Church’s welcome. The membership has more than doubled over the past five years.
However, there is real cause for concern in the case of some members who are no longer loyal attenders of their Church.
The minimum expected of members is set out on the back of the new Member's Ticket. There are many activities of great importance, for which members must take responsibility, or the Church and its work collapses.
In a Presbyterian Church In New Zealand there are asked questions additional to those generally asked when members are received into our Church:-
1 As a Church Member, at what specific place inside the Church organisatlons are you going to apply your weight?
2 As a citizen of this country as well as of Christ’s Kingdom, what piece of work outside the Church altogether will you be doing as your Christian contribution towards the welfare of the Community?
3 Is your employment consistent with Christ’s purposes for the welfare of Man?
These are good questions. Each member of our own Church could well ask hlmself or herself the questions and act positively thereon.
-F.H.D.
List of New Members – see p. 2
No 51 AUGUST 1962. TOTAL MINISTRY
Aptly Described
“Each of us in it, and all of us together working at it." We liked this description of “Total Ministry” which the Revd. Vere Heazlewood gave recently from the pulpit. He went on to remark that there is never a waiting list of applicants for jobs in the Church.
A Total Ministry study will be launched in this Church next March and it is anticipated that the book recommended by Conference in this regard, “God and His People” will be used. Groups will meet fortnightly, each at a time to suit the participants, over a period of approximately four months.
There need be no sense of mystery about the term “total ministry" — Mr Heazelwood’s statement really does just about sum it up. But do not start thinking that this is some gimmick to stir flagging interest in church-going as a socially desirable habit – it is meant for those who wish to take their Christian discipleship seriously.
Pivotext - Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God. -1 Peter 3:18
Harlan Delbridge as he appeared in the 1966 Centenary publication for the East Doncaster Methodist Church.
A Junior M.Y.F. (Methodist Youth Fellowship) was commenced which is reported to have become the largest in Victoria.
At the time five youth clubs operated for those aged between 9 years to young adults.
By a variety of activities, including camps and contact with Christian adults, the groups aimed to lead youngsters into a deeper commitment to Christ and to foster their mental, physical and social development.
The Youth Council co-ordinated the Sunday School and M.Y.F. work, instituting a committee which prepared the monthly evening services. Flexible orders of service and aids such as drama and modern hymns were introduced in order to help young people to worship with understanding and dedication.
The fostering of Christian family life was a primary aim of the younger women’s groups known as the Jenning Gherries, which at the time had over 100 women on the roll.
Through monthly meetings and other activities the group helped to develop a sense of fellowship which can be lacking when numbers are large and so many people feel new and strange.
The Newcomer Welcoming Committee also played a vital role in introducing new families to the life and membership of the Church.
“Pivot”, the Church paper, kept the various groups working within the Church informed of each other’s activities and was a point of contact for those only slightly connected with the Church.
The Bring-Out-A-Briton Committee, formed in 1958 helped families to settle into the Australian community.
The Rev Harlan Delbridge and Dr Delbridge, who came to the pastorate after twenty years in Fiji, became very much a part of the East Doncaster community, later retiring to Donvale after a period of service in East Malvern.
Stories of Mr Delbridge abound, with one from the time describing him clambering over Carr’s roof to clear out the gutters when bushfire threatened. Those who knew him would also recall the fun and games caused, (on a regular basis) by his ever-escaping cows, or the concern surrounding his desire to continue driving his car well beyond what some considered a “safe age”. Whilst struggling Sunday by Sunday to cut his lively sermons to the prescribed length Harlan Delbridge made a big impact on the lives of many people.
Through the women’s groups and Bible classes. Dr Delbridge too enriched the lives of others as she constantly fostered their strengths and capabilities.
The Rev Alan W. Collins, Mrs Collins, and their children Brian, Ruth and John arrived in January 1965. Six months later, with new baby Stephen, they moved into 104 Beverley Street; the new parsonage built next door to Mr A. Ireland’s old family home, which had served for eight years as a parsonage.
A Church Life Mission held in May 1965 involved fifty members of the congregation in serious examination of the purpose and effectiveness of congregational life.
As a result, the Leaders’ Meeting re-distributed some of its responsibilities and deep questions were addressed, such as "How may we really fulfill the vows we make as a congregation on behalf of the ever-increasing number of babies brought for baptism?"
Jenning Gherries
The newly formed Jenning Gherries presents the 1960/61 Syllabus, including movies, floral art, interior decorating and the controversial topic of whether to smack your children.
Transcription:
President: Mrs ROBERTSON; Vice-president: Mrs ROUCH; Secretary: Mrs J. CONWAY; Assistant Secretary and Creche Coordinator: Mrs J. GAY; Worship Committee: Mrs A. JOHNSTONE; Mrs D. McKENZIE; Treasurer: Mrs. G. TURNBULL; Pivot Representative: Mrs H. HOADLEY.
JENNING GHERRIES - EAST DONCASTER METHODIST CHURCH
SYLLABUS 1960-1961. ALL LADIES WELCOME. Meetings – Second Tuesday each month, 8 p.m.
Kindergarten Hall, cnr. Doncaster Road And Blackburn Road.
Nov. 9th – Discussion: The Working Mother - Mrs.Turnstall
Dec. 13th – Christmas Party
Jan. 18th – Discussion: To Smack or Not to Smack, Mrs. Headley
Feb. 14th – Interior Decoration - Mr. Doug. Phillips
Mar. 14th – Floral Art Mrs. Cameron
Apr. 11th – Movie Film
May 9th – Visit to Jack Henry Beauty Salon
June 13th – Service Speaker
July 11th - Travel Film Mr. Bruce Petty
Aug. 8th – Play Reading
Sept. 11th – Annual Meeting - Accidents in the Home - Dr. Dellbridge
In September 1959 an evening ladies group was formed and it was decided to find an aboriginal name suitable for a “ladies” fellowship. The name chosen was “Jenning - Gherrie” meaning Willy Wagtail, the gossip of the bush.
The fostering of Christian family life was one of the aims of this younger women’s group as well as Street Groups to develop fellowship between meetings. They started with quite a structured format with constitution, formal positions etc.
Jenning Gherries continues today, as a much smaller group, doing similar things as the foundation group like business, devotion, fun and fund raising, fashion parades, interesting speakers, helping needy families, overseas missions and many varied activities.
We at Jenning Gherries have been lucky to have so many young talented members and have been able to achieve so much with God’s help.
Pleasant Sunday Evening
Begun in 1950, the “PSE” was one of the first introductions to the life of the church for many newcomers.
The ‘Pleasant Sunday Evening”, 3rd Sunday of the month, began in 1950 with the objectives of worshipping, welcoming new people to the congregation and building friendships. Regularly covered in the local paper, each address featured an informative speaker and was much anticipated.
Transcription: From the Ladies’ Meeting.). Pleasant Sunday Evening to be held on 3rd Sunday evening in month commencing at 7.30. Opening Hymn; Prayer or Lord’s Prayer; Scripture; Community Singing (approx 15 minutes); Introduction of Speaker; Address; Closing Hymn; Benediction; Supper of Tea & Biscuits. Committee: President – Mr. O. White; Secretary – F. Emery; O. White, F. Emery, W. White, Mesdames A. Staples & W. White
Guest speaker and soloist, Frank Menzies, (brother of the Prime Minister) speaks and sings at the PSE. As the Crown Solicitor for Victoria, his chosen topic was "The Illegal Trial 0f Christ".
Transcription:
East Doncaster - Pleasant Sunday Evening
The usual monthly meeting of the East Doncaster Pleasant Sunday Evening took place at the Methodist Hall on May 18th, Mr O. White was in the chair and Mrs. C. J. R. Johnston assisted as pianist. The guest speaker was Mr. Frank G. Menzies, LL.B., Crown Solicitor for Victoria, and a brother of the Prime Minister, who chose for his subject “the Illegal Trial of Christ”, which proved both interesting and instructive to a well attended meeting. Mr. Menzies had a thorough grasp of his subject, and demonstrated by many references to the Jewish laws at the time of the trial, whereby a departure was often made from the usual strict observance of the law, in order to condemn Christ as an imposter. This was the second occasion on which Mr. Menzies addressed the P.S.E., and judging by the applause he received on being introduced, left no doubt as to his ability as a public speaker. Mr. Menzies also provided the harmony by singing three solos, ably assisted by Mrs. Menzies as accompanist. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. and Mrs. Menzies by Mr. A Hall, to which Mrs McKenzie eloquently acknowledged, after which the chairman invited all present to remain and partake of light refreshments. The next meeting will be held on the third Sunday in June when the guest speaker will be Mr. J. E. Johnstone, an experienced deep sea diver. A cordial invitation is issued by the committee to all interested persons to come along.
Transcription: PLEASANT SUNDAY EVENING. Methodist Hall, East Doncaster. A warm welcome is extended to all to be present at 7.30 p.m. on SUNDAY, 18TH. MAY In the Sunday School Hall, when MR. FRANK McKENZIE Crown Solicitor for Victoria, Will be the Speaker and soloist. Make a regular date for a friendly hour on the THIRD SUNDAY In each month.
Transcription: Dear Friend, The Pleasant Sunday Evening will be held as usual on Sunday next, Sept. 21., at 7.30 p.m., in the Methodist Sunday School Hall. The Speaker for the Evening will be Mr. J. E. Johnstone , a deep sea Diver, who, at a previous P.S.E. held a large audience enthralled by his experiences. Mr. Johnstone has chosen for his subject on this occasion “To London and back”. Our soloist for the evening is to be Mr. R. Tully, and we feel sure the evening will be very interesting to all. If you have not been to the P.S.E. before, come along next Sunday, you are sure to meet a friend there. The Pleasant Sunday Evening is held on the Third Sunday in each month.
Through a Divers Helmet
Through a Divers Helmet
Transcription:
The usual monthly meeting of the East Doncaster Pleasant Sunday Evening took place in the Methodist Hall on June 15. Mr. O. White was in the chair and Mrs. C. Bloom assisted as pianist. The Guest Speaker was Mr. J. E. Johnstone, deep sea diver of “Niagara” fame, who chose as his subject “Through a Diver’s Helmet”, which proved both interesting and at times thrilling to a well-attended meeting. Had the weather been kinder a packed house could have been expected. Mr. Johnstone in relating his long experience as a diver, compared the sea bed with the earth’s surface, and described in detail the beauty and magnificence of life on the sea bed. Mr. Johnstone is of the third generation to follow the profession of diving and his son and a nephew are following on, the latter two having commenced their training as servicemen during the recent world war. In 1938 Mr. Johnstone was associated with a salvage company engaged by the French authorities to salvage the steamship, "Pretty Maid” which was sunk at New Caledonia in 1909; during the Intervening years nature had turned this ship into a thing of beauty. Mr. Johnstone related some happy experiences he had in association with Dr. Beeble, a world authority on deep sea diving, and the holder of the world's record, bv descending to a depth of 3,080 feet. The groper Is considered by most divers as the most dangerous of under-water reptiles. Mr. Johnstone was one of the participants of a syndicate formed to salvage the "Niagara” which sank with 8½ tons of gold: the salvage operation continued for one year when 80 per cent of the gold was recovered. Some difficulty was experienced in locating the wreck of the "Niagara" which was eventually found bv trawling 16 square miles of the sea bed. Mr. Johnstone concluded his address by giving some humorous glimpses of his trip to America where he underwent seven months of training in the latest methods of deep sea diving, and referred briefly to his 30 years of pleasant memories aa a diver. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Johnstone, and a wish was expressed that at some future date he would again address the PSE. After partaking of light refreshments the meeting dispersed. These P. S. E. meetings are becoming very popular and the committee extends a hearty welcome to all interested persons to come along on the third Sunday each month.
A greater awareness of the need for Christians to demonstrate their faith more effectively in the community contributed towards the proposal to share property, ministry and a Christian mission with the local Anglican congregation, St Davids.
Whilst joint activities were conducted for a time no permanent, formal relationship was formed. However, it was seen at the time as one way of meeting the challenges presented by an ever-changing world.
As the children of the 50s and 60s grew into the youth and young people of the 70s and 80s the life of the church remained dynamic and vibrant.
Camps were held every 2-3 years, a diverse range of youth and adult groups were maintained and the "Fellowship Room” and new toilet block were constructed adjacent to the hall in order to accommodate a wider range of group needs.
The formation of the Uniting Church in 1977 through the coming together of the Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian churches saw the adoption of the name Wesley Uniting Church, in recognition of the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley.
Ministers to follow Alan Collins were Colin Honey, Howard Secomb, Paul Moore, John Adamthwaite, Achera Brunelli, Clive Skewes and John Connan.
Ladies Guild
Ladies Guild has been a very happy meeting time for the ladies over a long period of time. Over the years there have been many interesting speakers, also demonstrations.
As well as fellowship, the ladies were dedicated to fund raising for Missions and other worthy organisations, as well as raising money for Church funds.
The Saturday morning street stalls were always a good fund-raiser, as well as the trade table we always had at each meeting. We brought something from our gardens, home-made jam etc. or anything that somebody may like to buy.
Our birthday meetings in August were always a big event. Ladies from neighbouring Churches were invited, a basket lunch would be served, and the entertainment made a great day for all to enjoy and added to the funds which were allotted to several different organisations at the end of the year.
As numbers of members decreased and also aged, we were no longer able to manage the fund-raising. We still meet on the 4th Thursday of each month to enjoy the fellowship and speakers. Each lady gives a donation for the afternoon tea, which makes it possible to give a small gift or donation to our speaker’s cause, as well as a small sum of money to the Church funds at the end of each year.
We are intending to continue our meetings next year. [After the amalgamation with Deep Creek UC]
Couples Club - Social Group
The Couples Club commenced in approximately 1974 when a number of East Doncaster Methodist adults - mostly with young children - recognized the need to meet regularly together in a home environment, to share in social activities. The first Saturday night of the month became known as "Couples Club” night.
In time, to meet changed circumstances, the group changed its name to "Social Group”, and this group still exists with activities being varied to meet the changed needs of the now older members of the group.
As well as the adults’ monthly Saturday night activities, the group had twice annual caravan & camping weekends when many of the families were involved and where children and family friendships were strengthened.
For many years the caravan & camping weekends were held on the Labour Day weekend and the slightly longer Cup Day weekend.
Up to 12 families went to Balnarring for the Cup weekend for many years, with the Labour Day destination and more recently the Cup weekend destination varying from year to year. Some of the places where the group stayed included: Rosebud, Mt Martha, Marysville, Moe, Wonthaggi, Flinders, Ballarat, Lorne, Barwon Heads, Cape Paterson, Daylesford, Bendigo, Healsville, Point Lonsdale, Taggerty, Warburton, Warragul, Leongatha, Inverloch, Echuca, Kyneton, Cowes and Shepparton.
The group almost always attended a church service [usually Uniting Church], at or near where we were staying, and our numbers on many occasions substantially swelled the congregations at those services.
At the beginning of each year and normally at the February Pool Party, the year’s program was developed, with the programmed activities then being allocated to a particular family to organize.
Over the years there were favoured recurring activities such as cards [crazy whist], theme nights - including dress ups, games nights, ten pin bowling, theatre nights, craft nights, painting, dancing including square and line dancing, dinner parties with, on several occasions, the men doing the cooking, slide and video nights, boat trips, train or tram trips, educational city walks, trivia nights and play readings. Extra special events included a weekend to Sydney to see CATS and trips to the Ballarat live theatre at Sovereign Hill, live theatre at Geelong and spending the night at Jan Juc and a trip to the MAF [Missionary Aviation Fellowship] at Ballarat including a light plane flight for many.
The strong friendship and support developed within this group over the years, has been very important to all members, and without doubt, this will continue on in the future.
Ian & Dorothy Dower
Jenning Gherries - Secretary's Report - September 1963
At the commencement of this Report, let me bring to your notice again the Aims of our Group.
The Constitution states the Aims as follows:-
1. Fellowship one with the other
2. Introducing others into the Church through our Fellowship
3. Fostering Christian Family Life
4. Service to the Church
We are trying to fulfill all these aims in our planning, and have endeavoured to cover all the above points in the year’s activities.
Our programmes this past year, commencing October 1962, have included 7 invited speakers, the subjects all of interest to us as Christian housewives and mothers.
Such topics as Art in our Children, The Work of the Marriage Guidance Council, Diet for our Families, Floral Art and the Work of our Policewomen, contained something of value to all. Our Easter speaker showed us various aspects of religious art, both visual and musical. A book discussion to which we invited a lady commentator, was well attended and thought provoking.
Then, our own local talent was given an opportunity to egress itself in such topics as Home Sewing Problems, a Christmas Play-reading and a Mother’s Day visit to the elderly ladies at Annesley.
We trust this evening’s discussion also will help us in our family budgeting.
Purely social was our Beach Picnic, held at Carrum in January. One avenue in which we are able to give service to our Church, is by helping on the Creche Roster each Sunday morning. The fact that at almost every meeting we have new members enrolled, surety shows that our organisation is filling a need in the lives of the young women of our immediate community.
Our membership now stands at about 70, and although the average attendance each meeting is much lower, such problems as baby sitters and sickness in the home are surety greater deterrents to regular attendance than lack of interest.
I should like to wish the new Committee, and all our Members, a happy and successful year of Fellows hip and Service.
Budgeting on £20 per week
Transcription:
(Assuming £22 is average weekly wage for an Australian Family)
(£20 being amount in pay packet after tax and superannuation has been deducted).
Weekly.
House Repayments £4 / 0/ 0
Electricity, Gas & Fuel £1/ 10/ 0
Yearly Expenses (listed below) £2/ 0/ 0
Incidentals (listed below) £2/ 5/ 0
Fares to & from work for husband (5 day week) £1/ 5/ 0
Pocket Money husband £0/ 10/ 0
Clothing £0/ 10/ 0
Food £8/ 0/ 0
Total £20/ 0/ 0
CHILD endowment 2 children £36 per year.
Yearly Expenses:-
Insurance (House Brick) £3/ 15/ 0
(Contents) £3/ 5/ 0
(Life) £12/ 15/ 0
Rates (Municipal) £20/ 0/ 0
Licence (T.V.) £5 0 0
(Radio) £2 15 0
(Car – 2 people) .. £1/ 0/ 0
Hospital Benefits £8/ 10/ 0
Car (Registration) £16/ 10/ 0
(Insurance) £14/ 5/ 0
Total £98/ 5/ 0
This works out to approx. £1/ 18/ - per week.
Incidentals Include:-
Medical, dental, chemist 5/0
School requirements (books, donations) 4/ 0
Telephone 6/ 0
Church donation 5/ 0
(Hair cutting for family, makeup,
Stockings, drycleaning, etc.) 10/ 0
Pocket Money 2 children (including Bank, Church & S.S, Club)7/ 0
Petrol Car 5/ 0
Total: £2/ 5/ 0
A copy of the Budget presented by Jean Moebus at the September 1963 Meeting.
The preparation of a household budget by Jean Moebus for a Jenning Gherries meeting in September 1963 highlights the practical nature of the group's focus and just how much prices have changed as result of inflation The current average weekly wage by the 'way, is closer to $1,000, compared with the $44 back in 1963. Note the TV and radio licence fees.
Recollections by Ralph Madge
Emanating from a Church camp originally from Rev. Alan Collins, this Church’s Outreach Programme (the youth section) was started and resulted as follows:-
Chas Stevenson who at this time had a group of youths in the Church, remarked to me that he had observed from the Royal Melbourne Show, that the Egg Board had sponsored the Little Athletics Association which was started - with success-by Mr. Trevor Billingham, and remarked that this was quite a good idea.
Jean and I went to the Show and gained the necessary details, and from this a General Meeting was held (after some publicity) at the Church.
Mr. Trevor Billingham addressed the meeting and showed some slides - this was the start of the Little Athletics in the Shire (as it was then). Mr Neil Coote (a member of the Church) was elected President. I became Secretary. The greatest win we had was the recruiting of Mrs. May Bolton (a previous Registrar of Kew) as our Registrar - a very important position. I then had the job of canvassing all the schools in the Shire, and this was very successful.
Mr. Les Cameron, (a Councillor of the Shire) found us an oval - we were very grateful for this. A friend of mine gave us a tent for the officials. Thorald Merritt gave us extended credit for the equipment from his Sports Shop. This type of assistance we badly needed, and I personally will never forget this.
We also had a great amount of assistance from parents, teenagers and other volunteers. Stopwatches were obtained from “Purchasing Orders” of authorities who had tax concessions!
And from then it became very big - I resigned as Secretary after about 4 years, (in the way of my football duties!). Please note that I had never competed in athletics in my youth -1 was a swimmer.
The July 1967 edition of PIVOT introduces us to Joan Clough and family, comprising husband Ron and children Peter, Jenny and David (front).
Profile on Joan Dorothy Clough
"Boort has produced lots of famous people, you know", said Joan, thinking not of herself but of Rev. Harlan Delbridge and others who wore born in this northwest Victorian farming district. (Can you hear our Methodist Church, organist saying this, in her quiet, rapid-fire manner of speaking, and with a chuckle at the end which Is a mixture of her normal self-depreciation and of pride in her home town?).
Joan is the third of four children of Mr & Mrs Boyle, brought up on a wheat and sheep farm, and later educated at M. L. C. Hawthorn, at the same time as "Bobbie" Trembath and Dawn Phillips. She studied at Melbourne University for her Diploma of Music and was a contemporary of Ruth Hoadley while she was resident at the Women's College.
It was during her University years that she came to accept Christ as her Lord and Saviour, and thus discovered the proper significance of God In her life. Sport (basketball, tennis) and studies still left her time for executive interest in the Melbourne University Evangelical Union. The Evangelical Union introduced her to missionary work and to her future husband, then a Science (Physics and Electronics) student at the University.
This Interest In missionary work, particularly In New Guinea, was no passing student fancy. After finishing her University studies she took on a variety of things, such as a linguistics course, designed to equip her for missionary work.
Joan and Ron were married at the end of 1956, and were prepared to go anywhere, do anything, that God wanted of them. Although they had actively prepared themselves In the anticipation that their work would be overseas, it eventuated that this service was to be found in Melbourne, where Ron is Executive Secretary in Australia of the Unevangelized Fields Mission (with 150 missionaries in New Guinea). They have three children - Peter (9), Jennifer (7) and David (3).
Here is a family who desires its every activity to be subject to, and determined by, God's will. "If you belong to the Lord, each day and everything in it belongs to Him. None of my days turn out as I would plan them for myself. 1 think this is a part of life - you have to be available to do God's will and serve people - even if it means the dishes stay in the sink all day."
God's purpose is found by prayer, by an understanding of the Scriptures, by circumstances, and is confirmed by an inner peace and conviction. "We always pray for a moment, before the children go to school, or in the car just before an outing or shopping for instance."
Faith is deep and fundamental. "There is only one way to God, and that is through Christ, and the way is revealed to us in Scripture." And although this may sound hackneyed and pious to some people, to Joan this is reality itself -practical, everyday and alive.
Has God every directed you one way and Ron another way on the same matter? "Never." (Firmly, unhesitatingly answered, quite unconsciously indicating how silly such a question is - as if God could ever be inconsistent.').
Ambition? To serve Christ - whether it be here in East Doncaster or in New Guinea, whether it be as wife, mother, organist and active member of our congregation, or whether it be in some other capacity.
Mostly seen (or not seen) playing the organ, here we see Joan Clough in more recent times leading a bible study and discussion group at a church family camp.
That engaging smile and supportive expression ensures, which, in partnership with husband Ron, reflects the deep love of Christ and a life lived in His service.
The story goes that after taking on the role of organist, in a temporary capacity back in the 2960s, Joan retires from the position this year after 43 years!
Husband Ron relates a story of a youngster wandering around behind the organ while it was being played, only to breathlessly run back to his mother to announce, "There's a lady behind the organ’"
1967: Thought provoking questions and issues were raised in PIVOT, the church journal of the time.
Transcription:
Official Journal of the East Doncaster Methodist & St. Davids Church of England
PIVOT Number 5 July 1967
The Church should go to Hell. Where on earth os God ?
These look like catchy expressions, designed to entice people to read on and find out what the writer is getting at.
But they are more than attempted journalistic sensationalism. For it so happens that a large measure of truth is to be found in these seemingly irreverent phrases.
We should, of course, define our terms, but this is no place to begin an academic analysis, so let’s get straight to the message.
There is no doubt that God’s healing and reconciling influence is needed wherever there is evil, badness, illness, unwholesomeness, separation.
People nowadays are seeing ever more clearly that the church should be present in these situations, carrying out God’s mission by serving people in need. In other words, people are seeing that the church should go to hell!
But people are also realising more clearly that God doesn’t do ALL His work through the official, organized forms of the church; in fact there are times when God’s work seems better able to be done right outside the formal structures of the church.
Rev. Alan Collins demonstrated this in a sermon at a recent Methodist-Anglican service. He illustrated his sermon by referring to specific people in our congregation and to some of their activities – activities which must be seen to be God’s work, even though they may be quite outside normal church activities.
God IS on earth, exercising His influence not only through the church but also through people and activities which seem to be completely unrelated to the church.
And it seems that another very important task of the church is to discover where God’s reconciling influence is needed, to try and discern where on earth God is already working, and to announce this for the understanding and guidance for us all. It should then be realistically assessed whether the church, through its formal structures, should take up od’s work, or whether God’s mission might not be more effectively carried out by individuals working in their own right and through their own initiative; and if the latter, it then becomes a task for the church to support and encourage these people in their fulfilment of God’s purposes.
Ladies Fellowship
For 30 years Ladies Fellowship has met weekly on Thursday mornings for the purpose of Bible Study, prayer and support for one another.
Gatherings have been in various homes, including Gwen Heuston’s, Grace Hillier’s and currently Jean Mayberry’s. The plan is to continue next year.
The format has remained the same: Sharing over a cuppa at 10 a.m., Devotions, Prayer Time and the study of God’s Word.
Over the years many have been helped by a special verse of Scripture: “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” Deuteronomy 31:8.
JETS
As a spin off from the then Couples Club in the late 1980s the JETS were formed. The JETS [Juveniles Every Third Saturday] came about when older teenagers and young adults - children from Couples Club parents - got together on the same night of the month as Couples Club, for Social activities in many ways similar to the parents.
Some of the activities were: pool parties, progressive dinners, ten pin bowling, theatre nights, car rallies, video nights, theme nights, and a trip to the drive-in theatre, in a hired Mini Bus.
The JETS group continued for three to four years with many of these people still keeping in contact and supporting each other even though they now live a considerable distance apart and family circumstances have changed.
Weddings and more Weddings
The post war baby boom mostly began with a wedding and the East Doncaster Methodist Church was host to many.
Here are just three, all descendants of Henry White, showing the church buildings in the background.
Beryl Prowse & Ron Milgate 8/3/1958.
Margery Prowse & Rod Martin 1/11/1958.
Shirley White & Trevor Smith 12/10/1961.
m
1866 – 1966 East Doncaster Methodist Church Centenary. Cover of the Centenary publication 1966
Descendants Of Church Pioneers
A group of descendants of the founders of the East Doncaster Methodist Church pictured on April 3, the last day of the church’s centenary celebrations with a quilt bearing the names of many early Doncaster families. From left: Mrs. Henderson (nee White), Mr.s McKenzie (nee ?), Mrs. Richardson (nee Nellie Pyle), Mrs Barnett (nee Emily Pyle), Mrs. C. Sell, Miss Fay King, Mrs. R Sell (nee Millie Johnstone), and Mrs R. Sell.
The centenary celebrations of 1966 marked an important milestone and recognised the essential role the church had played in the local community.
Here we see (l-r) Alice Henderson, (nee White), Mrs McKenzie (nee White), Mrs Richardson (nee Nellie Pyle), Mrs Barnett (nee Emily Pyle) Mrs C. Sell, Miss Fay King, Mrs R. Sell (nee Millie Johnston) & Mr R. Sell.
AN APOLOGY
This apology, in the form of a poem, was written by an early member of the church, Mr Thomas A. Robinson, for the 50th celebrations in 1916. It later appeared in the booklet produced to mark the Centenary in 1966.
The poem tells of his regret at not making it to the celebrations, then reflects on the changes through the years, life in the district and the role the church has played.
Lines written by T. A. Robinson on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Methodist Church, East Doncaster, April 25, 1918
I'd like to be with you today to praise our Blessed Lord
And share with you his blessings sweet around your festive board
I'd like to be with you today to hear the children sing
Their praises to a God of love their saviour and their King.
But though I cannot be with you at this important time
I'll ask the Lord to bless your work and cause your lights to shine
And may he ever be your guide as in the days of yore,
Until we all may meet again with those who've gone before.
Sixty-four years have passed and gone since first I saw this spot,
The memory of those good old days will never be forgot;
Of course we were not idle then with plenty work to do
To fell the trees, and clear the roads and make things nice for you.
There were no Churches in those days, no buildings to be seen,
No not a house along the road from Richmond to Bulleen
Except Bill Thompson's old bark hut - two rooms - and very small,
That stood up on that piece of ground where stands your Shire Hall.
We had no buggies in those days, no motor cars, or bikes,
We worked from sunrise to sunset; we had no time for strikes.
And when our daily toil was o’er and we had done our best,
We'd have some damper and salt funk and then retire to rest.
Pianos they were very scarce in those bright happy days,
We never went to picture shows, we never went to plays;
The only music we enjoyed was at the cool of e’enes,
Just listening to the bullock bells belonging to the teams.
We were bright and happy band, and seldom went astray;
The only thing we needed was a house to meet and pray.
Our heavenly father saw our need and ere a year was spent,
He sent a house and preacher too, whose good name was James Kent.
He was the first to lead the way, and battle for the truth;
He taught the children how to pray, and tried to guide our youth.
But he has gone to be at rest, and here just let me say,
Thank him for the bright Christian homes that you enjoy today.
But others too have played their part, whose names I've not forgot,
The Band of Hope was started first upon this little spot;
And many were the happy nights together we have spent,
And from those meetings there arose the first Rechabite tent.
I've got the first certificate, framed, hanging on my wall,
Reminding me of days gone by when I was with you all;
But though we are too far away your face is now to see,
Please don't forget the Pioneers in your glad Jubilee.
I hope you'll all enjoy yourselves, your children and your wives,
And maybe speak the happiest Dave spent in all your lives;
But when departing for your homes I think you all might say,
God bless the grand old Pioneers for this bright happy day.
And in conclusion let me say what changes I have seen
Since Doncaster went on her own and left her Ma, Bulleen;
But should you ever wish to know the friend who wrote these lines
‘Tis T.A.R. of Collingwood, “At home” from nine till nine.
This Photo appeared in the booklet produced to mark the Centenary in 1966 and illustrates the times perfectly. The newly completed multipurpose church hall in the background, lots of neatly dressed children running around looking for cordial and the last of the biscuits, a mixture of old and new members standing around chatting, plus an abundance of well pressed suits.
To the right of the photographer stood the old church, built in 1884. The space where everyone is standing was enclosed in later years to become the Fellowship Room.
Sunday School Recollections by Lorraine Beyer (nee Latimer)
The 1960s was a golden age for children. It was the baby boom period when so many of us children were being born to populate Australia and so many migrants were also flooding in to swell the numbers.
During the 1960s in East Doncaster it was rare to see a new migrant. Children however were another matter. Mary of the surrounding orchards were converted to suburban estates and young families moved into the district in their droves.
I remember 1967 there were fifty-four of us in the one grade 5 class at East Doncaster Primary School! Similarly there were large numbers attending Sunday School at the then East Doncaster Methodist Church.
I was baptized at the church in 1960 and attended Sunday School and then youth group until 1978. My first experience of the delight of hundreds and thousands sandwiches was at the Sunday School Christmas Party.
Having led a sheltered and fairly isolated existence in Africa and then at my mother’s birthplace in rural Donvale I remember clearly being astonished at the numbers and antics of other children -particularly when devouring the food from the long low Sunday School tables at Christmas!
I can’t remember any individual teachers but they must have taught us well because I can still remember the songs we were taught as five and six year olds.
Particularly moving to me was the hymn "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me!"
Then at the end of every Sunday School session we would sit cross legged in front of the teacher and sing with gusto: "Now Sunday School is over and we are going home. GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE, for we are going home!"
Delightful too were all the Bible stories we learnt. When we got older - 8 to 12 years old - we had classes after the church service in little corrals in the main halL While this happened the grown ups would stand around in the open courtyard where the Fellowship Room is now. All the grown ups wore suits and the ladies always had hats and gloves.
My mum kept Marie biscuits wrapped in tissues in her handbag and when the church service was half way through and we kids started getting restless she used to give us one each.
I have wonderful memories of Church Anniversaries where we Sunday School children would stand on tiered seating to sing our songs to the congregation.
Exciting too were the annual Sunday School Picnics. Attendance at these was huge and the local media would attend. When I won the sack race one year I had my picture in the local newspaper; I still have the clipping!
Yes church was a great social and spiritual hub and in many ways reflected the changing times.
By the mid to late 1970s the East Doncaster Youth III youth group was in full swing and controversial I remember because many of us no longer went to church services as a matter of course. We even had camps away with mixed facilities and only junior leaders! This I gather shocked many of the congregation who were probably grappling with the freedoms of the youth of the day! Could we be trusted to behave! Ye of little faith! Yes we did behave and I think made a difference to the lives of many who joined us from troubled homes and from institutions such as the Tally Ho Boys Home.
And so it was in the 1990s I took my husband Peter and children Maxine and Russell back to Wesley to become the sixth generation of our family to attend church there.
Unfortunately numbers in Sunday School could be counted on one hand at the time but we still attended services for a number of years and gained a lot from the experience.
And yes I did take biscuits in my handbag to keep the children quiet during the sermons and it worked just as well a generation later!
Sacks full of fun
What's a Sunday school picnic without a sack race? Lorraine Lattimer, aged eight, was the winner of this event at the East Doncaster Methodist Sunday School picnic, held last Saturday at Deep Creek Reserve.
Sunday School Picnic action-shot from the1960s sees 10-year-old Lorraine Beyer (nee Latimer) win the all-important sack race.
Commemorating the Inauguration of the Uniting Church in Australia
Synod of Victoria. 22 June 1977
Basis of Union
The Congregational Union of Australia, the Methodist Church of Australasia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia, in fellowship with the whole Church Catholic, and seeking to bear witness to that unity which is both Christ's gilt and His will for the Church, hereby enter into union under the name of the Uniting Church in Australia They pray that this act may be to the glory of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They praise God for his gifts of grace to each of them in years past; they acknowledge that none of them has responded to God's love with a full obedience; they look for a continuing renewal in which God will use their common worship, witness and service to set forth the word of salvation for all mankind To this end they declare their readiness to go forward together in sole loyalty to Christ the living Head of the Church; they remain open to constant reform under His word; and they seek a wide unity in the power of the Holy Spirit. In this union these Churches commit their members to acknowledge one another in love and joy as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, to hear anew the commission of the Risen Lord to make disciples of all nations, and daily to seek to obey His will In entering into this union the Churches concerned are mindful that the Church of God is committed to serve the world for which Christ died, and that she awaits with hope the day of the Lord Jesus Christ on which it will be clear that the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The prayer composed for the formation of the Uniting Church in 1977, speaks to us anew today.
Victorious God, we praise Your wonderful name and incomparable love.
As we unite:
Remove pride claiming we are superior: Remove values threatening our loyalty to Christ; Remove pre-occupations deafening us to Your commission.
Strengthen faith which trustingly acknowledges Your presence;
Strengthen hope which actively awaits Your final unity;
Strengthen love which means life to the world.
Remind us:
Yours is the Word confronting and healing; Yours is the World loved and entered by you; Yours is the Church acclaiming and serving you as Lord;
Yours are the Gifts liberally given;
Yours is the Life thankfully received.
By Your Spirit, and with exuberant joy, we give You all glory and praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Recollections by Ruth Hoadley
Some highlights of church life at East Doncaster Methodist church (later Wesley Uniting Church).
Welcoming
The old orcharding families like the Burrows gave a warm welcome to the new suburbanites who arrived in the late 50s. Jack and Harry Burrows thoughtfully purchased land adjoining the little wooden church and held it until the congregation could afford to acquire it for the netball court and car park. Both David and Neralie were baptised in that little chapel. We lived with Rev. Harlan Delbridge and Dr Dorothy in Mr. Ireland’s old house in Beverley St in front of the Cool Store. Each Christmas Day Jack Burrows turned up with a box of beautiful peaches.
Worship
We were enriched by the ministers who gave generously of themselves and led us to deepen our faith and understanding of scripture.
First, my father, Harlan Delbridge whose heart and soul were poured into his reading of the scripture and whose sermons were always longer than the time allotted. (“Neverend Delbridge”, he called himself at his retirement farewell.) He was always among the first when practical heIp was needed. (David Jenkins was heard to remark when Harlan turned up at his orchard after the hail had destroyed his crop "Here comes the Man of God. He must be a Man of Faith"!).
Alan Collins led us in more varied ways of worship and facing difficult questions arising out of the interaction between everyday life and faith. He communicated to us God’s all-encompassing grace.
Colin Honey, fresh back from Cambridge took to pastoral work in his first appointment and raised our appreciation of liturgy and sermon research.
Howard Secomb opened the scriptures in a deeply thoughtful way. He did not use traditional ‘church’ language, hence some did not see him as sufficiently ‘Bible based’ in his preaching and teaching. There was a devastating split in the congregation.
Achara Brunelli undertook the difficult task of restoring unity. She enriched us with her wider cultural understandings and her deep conviction of God’s never-ending love for us all.
All these different worship leaders were ably supported by Joan Clough at the organ. (Each Christmas Day, David Hoadley would hang around the organ waiting for Joan to delight his heart with Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.)
Adult Education
The Jenning Gherries linked young women interested in family issues like toddler taming, or bringing up teenagers. I also remember the president of the Box Hill Gardening Club encouraging us, "Nothing wrong with Doncaster soil, it just takes twenty years to make." We heard from a dietician a talk entitled, "How to kill your husband the lemon meringue pie way".
Bible Study and Justice Education programmes were strongly supported by older folk like Faye and Rupert Johnston. Who can forget the memorable church dinner where we were randomly allocated to the silver service dinner group or the plain boiled rice group? (TEAR Australia initiative. Rich Man’s - Poor Man’s Dinner - Ed)
We tried to put into action what we learned. I remember the effort that people like Ian Townsend and Max Anderson put into the Conscription Advisory Service. Less controversial was the ‘Bring out a Briton’ program and the Vietnamese refugee family hosted by Trudy Cook.
Interchurch Action: Establishment Of Doncare
Rev. Alan Collins and others like Rev. Tom Keyte (Baptist) Rev. Brace Bateman took an initiative to have space in the new Westfield Shopping Centre reserved for a Community Advice and Counselling Centre. Counsellors were trained and Doncare established.
Young People
Jack remembers the church catering for 150-200 youngsters each week in 5 age groups. Some came from St. Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church. Harlan Delbridge worked in close cooperation with their priest. Some had no church experience but were attracted by the interesting activities.
Some of the senior youth groups were blessed with participants of outstanding character and abilities; people like Dennis and Pat Cooper, Marjorie, David and Jennifer Burrows, Bevan Ramsden, Bev and Rhoda Matthews, David and Lyn Willis, Andrew, Lorraine and Robert Latimer (and later Nila and Linda) Ken Greenwood and Robin, Leon Metzeling, Lindy Oliver, Jenny Phillips, the three Andrews and many others, David Hoadley among them.
There were many youth camps - study camps at a conference centre, adventure camps in as remote bushland as possible, and ecumenical camps with other church groups at Toe H at Point Lonsdale.
EDY3(East Doncaster Youth) adventure camps were memorable for a range of reasons. Hiking was always a central activity and culinary skills gradually improved.
Hiking at Wilson's Prom, (cl975) David Hoadley, Ruth Hoadley, Lindy Olver and Andrew Latimer at rear.
At Big Pat’s Creek I remember John Hall appearing when most had finished breakfast asking sheepishly, “Ever get lost on your way to the loo?" Nobody could miss the loos when the thunder boxes were travelling in style on the roof of Jim Nancarrow’s car! Precious in my memory is Easter worship at a Grampians camp.
I remember being very proud of the ‘A’ framed leader’s hut built by the Senior Youth Group at Mitcham Hills on the Methodist Church campsite. Jack provided back up and encouraged the young people to develop their leadership skills.
Sporting Clubs
Paul Moore remembers fondly the lively Tennis club that met at Donvale High school and some good camps with families at Balnarring, Daylesford and elsewhere. No doubt Ian Bennett recalls the Badminton club.
Neil Coote recalls that "Little Aths”, into which Ralph Madge put so much effort, arose as a result of a program considering community needs.
Disappointments
I am grateful for so many positive and formative experiences in the development of my adult faith life. I am disappointed that as a fellowship we were not better able to discuss our theological perspectives and thus deepen our own spiritual journeys. It required us to accept our differences and especially our different approaches to scripture. It is sad when some are excluded by others. God has so much to give us all. I continue to believe God’s grace is boundless.
Reflections & recollections by Jack Hoadley
Pre-1955: Faithfulness - Symbolised by Small Wooden Chapel
The Methodist Orchardists who had formed a community of faith some ninety years previously, faithfully worshipped each Sunday in this simple wooden building with its leadlight glass windows.
In the early years, local preachers travelled from as far as Lilydale to lead services. The main service was held at 2.30 pm followed by Sunday school and in the later 1950s the church would be comfortably full with 60-70 adults and children. Approximately twenty adults gathered for morning worship at 10.00am.
The pulpit was raised high in the centre of the south wall and the choir sat centre front behind the communion rail. There was a small pedal organ. The Sunday school hall was located behind the church on an east-west axis and linked to it through a door in the south-west corner of the church. In recent years the congregation had built a brick kindergarten and initiated a weekday kinder program.
1955-1959: Welcome - Symbolised by Our Own Minister
During the later years of the 1950s the first orchards were rooted out and the land subdivided for suburban housing as it expanded eastwards from North Balwyn. The congregations of the Anglicans, Presbyterians and Methodists began to swell.
Methodist conference responded to a request from the Box Hill circuit and appointed a full-time minister to the two congregations of East Doncaster and Woodhouse Grove with a parsonage provided in Beverley St.
Sunday school offered a full range of classes from kindergarten to mid-teenage years and a youth group met regularly on Friday evenings. The monthly Pleasant Sunday Evening regularly filled the Sunday School Hall on these Sunday evenings.
The annual Harvest Festival was an amazing celebration of what the soil of East Doncaster could produce.
1960-64: Expansion - Symbolised by Families
As the speed of land subdivision gathered pace, the congregation showed a steady increase in numbers. Some of the old orchardist families moved to new properties to re-establish their lives, but many of the core families continued with their apple, pear and peach trees, waiting for the Council rates to force them to move.
With extraordinary generosity the leaders of this rural community welcomed the new comers with their suburban life -styles and urban ideas of church life. New faces were elected to the Leaders and Trustee councils, and meetings were marked by harmony and enthusiasm for the "work of the Lord”. New ideas for church activities were constantly being discussed. The prospect of needing larger facilities began to exercise their minds. In the meantime, in typical 'working bee’ style, the chapel worship centre was rearranged with the pulpit moved to the south-east corner and all the internal walls painted. The Centenary celebration marked a significant point in this story of faithfulness.
1965-69: Transformation - Symbolised by The Multi-purpose Hall
Growth accelerated, an architect was commissioned and a loan taken out to build the multi-purpose hall with the space for a sanctuary to be constructed later between the temporary east wall and the freestanding toilet block. There was provision for the under-stage area to be completed for Sunday school and general meeting purposes. The immediate need was to accommodate the numbers of children attracted to the already large Sunday school. The original weatherboard chapel and Sunday School Hall were retained for general use.
Some Methodist Trustees purchased additional blocks of land in Blackburn Road and Doncaster Road in anticipation of the day when the church would need to expand its facilities. Eventually the church was able to purchase these valuable properties.
The church’s weekday program expanded with five separate youth groups, basketball teams, a badminton club, and a young women’s group that complemented the long standing Ladies Guild. Sunday School Anniversaries were marked in the traditional manner with a huge collection of children arranged on the tiered platform at the end of the multi-purpose hall.
1970-74: Outreach/Social Action -Symbolised by: Doncare
Theologically we understood Christian discipleship as being Gathered and Scattered.. The community of faith gathered for worship and bible study so as to be nurtured and strengthened for our journey of faithful living.
The laity was then scattered to participate in the life of the world in our homes, in our work-places and in the wider community.
Increasingly we became involved in community services such as school committees. Little Athletics and Community Aid Abroad. Collaboration between the various churches led to the Westfield Corporation making space available for a Community Advice Service to be established in the tower building of the initial Shoppingtown development. Several members of the congregation were trained as voluntary advisors or counsellors.
The Conscription Advisory Service was established and operated in the evenings from the Kindergarten Hall Its purpose was to provide unbiased advice on the options available to young men faced with the possibility of conscription for military service in Vietnam.
For a period of two or three years we hosted the new Anglican congregation of St David’s and experimented with the possibility of a future shared development of the property. Some of us hoped that we might be able to demonstrate to the wider community that ecumenical cooperation was possible as well as pragmatic.
1975-79: Union - Symbolised by: “Wesley”
Over the past decade several new congregations had been established in the area including Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics and Congregationalists. A new Methodist cause had commenced in Doncaster and another was proposed for Deep Creek.
The Presbyterians, long established at Templestowe and Donvale, had also expanded rapidly as people moved into those areas.
After years of discussion and negotiation the Basis of Union was finally accepted. In the Leaders Meeting and in the congregation we seemed to have been considering the prospect of Union for over a decade.
We welcomed the final vote and opted to remain a single congregation. After much discussion we took the name Wesley to signify our Methodist heritage. By that time our congregation numbers had stabilised. As some moved out of the area others moved in. The theological perspective of the congregation’s leadership shifted. Piety and Holiness as the marks of Christian discipleship became more influential in shaping the life of the congregation. Social Justice and involvement in the world began to receive less emphasis.
Internal division began to emerge as the cracks opened up. Those with an internal focus for the Christian life distinguished themselves from those with a more outward understanding of the Gospel.
1980-84: Healing - Symbolised by the Fellowship Room
A careful pastoral ministry enabled these different perspectives to learn to work together. Theologically we put our faith in the processes of reconciliation and our trust in Christ’s promise of transformation.
The ‘cracks’ were papered over but the divisions remained. The life of the congregation as a whole was acknowledged to be more important than our different understandings of discipleship
For many years the Leaders and Elders had discussed the possibility of enclosing the space between the multi-purpose hall and the old Sunday school hall. We wanted a weatherproof space where everyone would want to linger and talk in fellowship on the wet and cold mornings just as we did on sunny days. All agreed that the Fellowship Room was a great addition to our suite of buildings.
Despite our differences we did live and talk together. Furthermore it quickly became used for a variety of activities including a Day-care Centre for aged/incapacitated local residents.
Recollections by Andrew Latimer
These are a few photos from various adventures had with the youth group at East Doncaster Uniting Church throughout the 1970’s.
The youth group was an important part of growing up for many of us. I started in Youth 1 at about 11 years of age and progressed through Youth 2 and Youth 3 during my teen years. In fact youth group became such a part of our lives that many of our peer group continued to socialise into our mid twenties.
Youth 3 (EDY3) focused on having a diverse range of activities that were both enjoyable and a way to foster personal development Most of the activities were generated by the members of the group.
Many of the members started out shy and reserved and too timid to suggest anything. Over the years everyone gained confidence and the youth group became very dynamic. It was hard to keep up!
During my time at the church in the sixties and seventies, East Doncaster Uniting Church was bursting at the seams; a real hive of activity.
On a camp near Yea, L to R Lorraine Beyer (nee Latimer), (hat?), Nila Latimer (nee Zaiinu’ddin), Catherine Piggott, (?), (?).
There was a succession of wonderful ministers I recall - Harlan Delbridge, Alan Collins, Colin Honey and Howard Secomb.
There seemed to be difficulty in obtaining leaders for Youth 3 and so in the end we took to running most things by ourselves, with generous support and encouragement being provided by many, including Ruth and Jack Hoadley, along with mum and dad (Bill & Alice Latimer).
For some time we met each Sunday in Hoadley’s home and then later at Mr Secomb’s; at the manse.
I gained a lot from the youth group and I’m sure it acted as an avenue for many to develop and grow in a safe and supportive environment.
All together to receive instructions while on camp.
L to R David Hoadley, Ken Greenwood, Andrew Edgoose, Anita (?), Ruth Hoadley, Lindy Olver (behind Ruth), Andrew Latimer. (My, haven't the fashioned changed!)
Camping at Halls Gap, L to R Barry Crouch, Andrew Latimer, Peter Brown, Leon Metzeling.
Hiking at Wilson's Prom, L to R Ruth Hoadley, Lindy Olver, David Hoadley.
On Sugarloaf, 1976.
Steamboat night, 1978
Dinner at the Sullys', 1978
Building the Fellowship Room October 1980
Ann Freeman offers Peter Borrell a biscuit during the 40 Hour Famine, mid 1970's, while others look on
Achara Brunelli, (20/12/1945 to 9/3/2002) was the minister between Feb 1979 and Nov 1983
The old toilet block is no more, 1980
The Wesley Social Group, March1975, at Flinders on the way to Cape Schank.
Church family picnic, October 1973, by train from Box Hill to Healesville. (Can't do that any more!)
Church family picnic, October 1973, by train from Box Hill to Healesville. (Can't do that any more!)
Let's hear it for the ladies in the kitchen, Sullys' home 1978.
Church concert introduces men's ballet June 1982 - paving the way for Billy Elliott?!
Wesley Social Group, Hastings, Easter 1979.
New Year's Eve - at the Sullys.
Wesley Badminton Premiers, 1982.
Wesley Boys’ Basketball, approx. 1985.
The Second Hundred Years
By Rev Alan Collins on the occasion of the Centenary Celebrations, 1966. This message from 1966 seems just as relevant today as the church looks at its place in the world and in particular here in East Doncaster.
The opportunity, which such a significant milestone as a Centenary gives to become more aware of the heritage from the past, is valuable indeed. One of the strengths of this particular congregation is to be found in the fact that our roots have been established here for these many years. It is true that in recent times, many new branches have been grafted onto the old stock, resulting in vigorous growth and some worthwhile fruit-bearing, but in large measure this has been made possible by the way in which the old has received and welcomed the new, and shared its life with it readily. This has been no mean achievement.
As we end the first hundred years of our life as a congregation, we are particularly conscious of the demands made upon us in this rapidly developing suburb. While we pay sincere tribute to the work of the past, we know that for the future, we must constantly be seeking for ways in which the Church’s message may become more meaningful in today’s world. In the process, it may appear that we are being critical of the past. This is not the case. If past patterns of thought and long established ways of doing things are gradually changed, it is simply because the Church must always be open to what is happening in the world, and at the same time be open to what guidance we receive concerning our life in this place.
As we enter our second century, we are conscious of the considerable responsibility that is ours. In response to the new development of the past few years, our Church is in large measure making a new beginning. Some of the possibilities opening to us for the future give great promise of enlarged opportunities for our life and work in the midst of this community.
As we enter into the future, let us do so in the confidence that Christ will unfold to us what we should seek to be and do in the unknown tomorrows, provided we seek faithfully to follow and obey Him. Looking to the past we are able to see His work here. Let us pray that we too may be obedient in the future.
A.W. Collins
Changing Times, 1981-2004
A diverse range of groups and activities were maintained within the life of the Wesley congregation throughout the 1980s and 90s; despite a steady decline in attendance and resources.
Groups such as the Wesley Men’s Group, Jenning Gherries, Ladies Guild, Ladies Fellowship, the Social Group, Badminton and Carramar (a weekly activity group for the elderly started in the early 1980’s under the minister at the time, Achara Brunelli, KUCA (Kids of the Uniting Church) were active.
In addition, Sunday School and youth groups continued their vital work while numbers allowed.
The important role Wesley played in the life of so many people is seen in the personal recollections documented in these pages.
The decline in church numbers at Wesley can be put down to many factors - children growing up and leaving the district in pursuit of careers and cheaper housing - parents entering retirement and embarking on travel and other interests - a lack of commitment to institutions generally in the community, plus the preservation of a more traditional worship style at Wesley, less attractive to the “church-seekers” of the current times.
In a sense, the easy route for Wesley might have been to do nothing. To simply limp along and let nature take its course, following several more years of decline and increased fatigue on the remaining members.
The issues and trends, however, would not go away and needed to be faced squarely.
These included:
- The retirement of the minister, John Connan at the end of 2004.
- Declining numbers and the lack of “energy" associated with an ageing congregation. Reduced giving.
- Uncertainty of future church property rental income.
- Mobile congregation, many who travel regular
- Difficulty in filling important admin, roles and positions on rosters, as many people seek to reduce their commitments.
- Possible increasing property maintenance costs in the future.
- Increasing pastoral care demands.
Through a process of review and discussion, over the past five years, the congregation at Wesley has assessed many future options.
- Some of the options included:
- Become a preaching place in association with a nearby Uniting Church, with minis try provided from that congregation.
- Merge with one or more Uniting Church congregations and relocate to their premises.
- Share the property and facilities with one or more Uniting Church congregations.
- Share the property and facilities with one or more congregations of a different denomination.
- Form a single regional Uniting Church congregation by merging congregations to allow specialist staff with one or more ministerial placements.
Through much prayer and interaction with other congregations in the area, an assessment of Wesley's current situation was made, looking at the strengths and weaknesses ...
Strengths
- Prominent location on the corner of Doncaster & Blackburn Rds.
- Multipurpose facilities, plus manse.
- Christian outreach through CRE at Beverley Hills Primary School.
- Active KUCA youth pro gramme.
- Involvement with LinC (a network of churches working together with service agencies to support people in need in our community}.
- No debt.
- Strong fellowship and mutual pastoral support within congregation.
- Strong tradition
Weaknesses
- Older congregation. Declining numbers. Mobile congregation, many of whom travel regularly.
- Reducing income.
- Departing minister at the end of 2004, whose wife Ann also runs the youth and children’s programmes.
- Lack of effective evangelism.
The minister, John Connan, negotiates the overhead projector screen (1990s)
Ann Connan delivers a story during the children's address
The old is remembered alongside the new at the entrance to the Wesley Uniting Church. Editor: These plaques to Henry White and James Kent were originally installed in the arch inside the entrance to Doncaster East Methodist Church in 19??. They were donated to the Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society because the church property was sold.
Church Family Picnic, Maroondah Dam, 1994, tug-of-war.
Church Family Picnic, Maroondah Dam, 1994 tug-of-war.
Church Family Picnic, Maroondah Dam, 1994, the traditional group shot
Current activities and programmes at Wesley are summarised below:
Fellowship
|
Activity |
Meets |
|
Social Group |
3rd Sat, monthly |
|
Ladies Group (Jenning Gherries) |
3rd Tue, monthly |
|
Ladies Fellowship |
Thurs, weekly |
|
Men’s Fellowship Dinner |
1st Tue, monthly |
|
Carramar (Age care activities) |
Tue, weekly |
|
Badminton |
Tue, weekly |
Discipleship
|
Activity |
Meets |
|
KUCA (Kids of Uniting Church) |
Fri, weekly |
|
RE at Beverley Hills SS |
Weekly |
|
Sunday School |
Weekly |
|
Bible Study |
Easter & other times |
Congregational Profile
|
|
1998 |
2003 |
|
Average attendance at services |
65 |
48 |
|
0-19 age |
7% |
10% |
|
20-29 |
2% |
2%* |
|
30-39 |
2% |
2%* |
|
40-49 |
8% |
10%* |
|
50-59 |
33% |
10%* |
|
60-69 |
30% |
26%* |
|
70+ |
20% |
40%* |
|
Ethnic composition of congregation |
90% Anglo Australian |
90% Anglo Australian |
|
Property owned by church |
Church buildings comprising 5 blocks on cnr of Doncaster & Blackburn Rds. Manse at 104 Beverley St Condition of properties - Good |
|
|
Yearly income – Offering & donations |
$55,000 |
$50,000 |
|
Yearly Income – Giving |
$24,000 |
$20,500 |
|
Total Income |
$79,000 |
$70,500 |
|
Cash/Investments |
$21,000 |
$8,500 |
Worship
The style of worship is generally of a formal nature, involving expository preaching. The current practice normally is to follow the Lectionary Readings.
Ministry
Needs-centred pastoral care to assist members as required.
Evangelism
Passive and centred on building relationships. Notice board with Christian messages facing Blackburn & Doncaster Road intersection
Assessing the future options for Wesley and the prospect of change, has been a challenging and painful time for many.
Especially change that may result in the re-location [or closure] of a congregation and Worship Centre that has shown faithful Christian service to the local community for nearly 140 years.
It can be a sad time, with feelings of failure and guilt.
Alternatively, it can be a time for each one of us to celebrate the wonderful part Wesley has played in our lives and to look forward with a sense of excitement at where our Christian journey might be leading us.
Christian witness, and the way churches have organised themselves down through the ages, are no strangers to change, as they have adjusted to the social and economic conditions of the time -same Christian message, different surroundings.
The traditional Christian Church model, as we have come to know it, however, is under pressure from a range of forces including:
- Society's declining respect for [and willingness to join] traditional institutions.
- Increasing demands on people’s time and the fast pace of life.
- Materialistic culture and focus on “self’.
- Growth in the search for “spiritual meaning” but outside traditional church structures.
"Animal Sunday" was one of the many ways variety was introduced into Sunday Worship by John and Ann Connan
Recollections by Anita Curnow (nee Vimpani)
Although my Cradle Roll certificate is headed “East Doncaster Methodist Church” my memories of Wesley are all of its Uniting Church branding.
I attended Wesley from birth until age 22, when I married Ross Curnow. I never would have met Ross except for Wesley because his family attended there until he was seven, and we (the Vimpanis) kept in touch with his family after they moved to the country.
Of course churches are great places to meet marriage partners, and I know Wesley has had its fair share. But the church is special to me for more reasons than providing a place for our paths to cross. It is mainly special to me because it is the community in which I met an even longer-term partner, Jesus.
Through God’s Spirit working in the people of Wesley, I had Jesus introduced to me, and for all intents and purposes considered myself a Christian from the earliest age.
When, in 1980, Heather Sully and Barbara Fielding led a study in Christian Endeavour that taught me we needed to make a decision to follow Jesus, I was compelled to make that call. Walking home afterwards, I turned to my friend Judith and asked her to pray the prayer with me - it was next to the Telecom building on the Blackburn Rd/Pine Way intersection.
Apart from having a new spring in my step, the moment didn’t sweep me away, but starting to tell people was hard (at age nine!).
Anita Vimpani discovered that church was a great place to find a fiuture husband Here we see Anita with Ross Curnow, 1992 (7:45pm on 25th July to be exact).
I remember (and probably- still have) the letter Mrs Fielding sent me afterwards saying how excited she was about my decision and explaining about prayer - teaching me the ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) prayer framework which I still recall today.
In those early- days, Sunday School was also a great pleasure - I loved singing (nothing’s changed) especially when David O’Dempsey played the tuba. Those songs with spelling in them (It’s G-L-O-R-Y to know I’m S-A-V-E-D) and the “where” songs (a woman came to fill her waterpot - Where? Down at the bottom of the well!) were personal favourites that I still remember word for word.
The change to high school brought its challenges for me. While Achara Brunelli was still minister, I didn’t have the heart to stop coming out for the children’s talk, because there weren’t that many of us by then. But when Clive Skewes started I decided it was time to bite the bullet. I remember sitting still in my seat squirming, wondering whether anyone would notice that I had not gone out with the kids.
Attending Monday night CE was a shock at first. The male-dominated, boisterous group was a whole new world to me. The newspaper hockey game was quite a challenge, but I appreciated the efforts of the leaders (notably- Geoff Hayman whom I think actually loved the opportunity to re - live his younger years) to involve even the non-sporty people like me.
Clive’s era at Wesley was the time during which my faith became solidified, and his teaching was no small part of that I became determined to provide him a meaningful comment when shaking his hand after each service, and this therefore required me to listen carefully, even take notes, while he spoke.
Of course, a diet of good teaching will not keep one alive and growing as a Christian, and the relationships I started to build with mentors, peers, and the role models I watched were exceedingly important to me at this time.
The arrival of the Crew family, followed by the (John & Estelle) Johnston family provided two female peers who attended most weeks - Vanessa and Jenni. We became inseparable for a while, and their friendship and acceptance of me was crucial to me being happy staying at the church through adolescence - they and (as time went on) the boys who began to feature more strongly in our social lives.
For a little while, we used to meet after school up at the church, riding bikes or walking and just sitting and chatting on the “platform” outside the lower hall door. Young people can be easily led astray, but we were ably guided by our youth leaders, particularly Colin Oates, Chris Orton, Les Semple, John Crew, Rob Latimer, Elise Latchford (who later was more friend than leader!).
The countless bible studies we shared and the social activities we enjoyed allowed us to individually grow as Christians, encourage one another and for me at least, what I learnt at this time was critical to the perspective I had of the “secular” life I was otherwise immersed in. God was so gracious allowing me to be exposed to “positive peer pressure” at that time.
So many people were role models for me - for example my elder, Alison Latchford (and Elise!), the Cloughs and Semples.
I want to mention Joan Clough in particular. When the youth started asking for more modern music in church, Joan accommodated us by meeting with a few of us once a month (Frank Johnston was also involved), where we would go through the next month’s lectionary, select appropriate “modern” songs from the church’s investment in the Scripture in Song books and overhead slides, as pre-service songs.
I learned so much from those meetings, in which we prayed, really thought about what the words of the songs were saying, and read the bible together.
We also practised the songs together - the sound of my sister, Linda’s flute never quite matching the out of tune piano in the lower hall!
It was nice to feel we’d made a difference, albeit a rather small one, to the way church was done.
Throughout I was acutely aware of Joan’s Godly approach and marvelled at how much thought she put into the music.
Joan and Ron were also the ones who pointed me to the Christian Union when I was starting at university, organising a meeting with the Monash staffworker and six of us who were finishing school to start at university in 1990.
That turned out to be critical in me maintaining my faith in the mysterious world of university, and brought the Bible (which I thought I had worked out by then) into sharper, clearer focus. In some ways, it took me back to zero, really challenging the shape of my faith and bringing me to understand that my own works do not move me closer to heaven: God doesn’t keep count of how many leadership positions I hold, committees I belong to, or people I speak to about Jesus.
One final thank you to Joan - at our wedding, I was 25 minutes late, and she kept pumping that old organ with wedding-related music the whole time I wasn’t there. And the amazing thing about her is you can tell her works are genuinely motivated out of love, not done because of duty. She and Ron act as servants, not wanting any reward on earth. I can only imagine their joy when they do finally get to meet their maker in heaven!
Those crazy last few years before I was married are a blur of organising youth group, leading something called WHAT! (We Have A Title) on Sunday afternoons with Carolyn Oates, obtaining a Council grant for (and running) a coffee shop on Friday nights, dealing with young people whose backgrounds and life perspectives were so very different to mine that I had to wise up very quickly, running a fortnightly girls Bible study, the ongoing music role, helping to organise youth services (which I relished), even pioneering a couple of night-time services.
Oh, and of course there was the netball team -Wesley Wombats, later renamed Warriors and eventually becoming two teams. The one game I missed was the 1992 Grand Final - I was on a short-term mission in Fiji and the girls brought home the premier’s trophy.
Five years earlier the umpires used to give us a 20-point head start for each game (not that we won them anyway). Heather Griffiths, Deanne Younger, Narelle Stainkamph, Lisa Manthey, Vanessa & Jo Crew, Jenni Johnston, Linda and I were (among others) long-term Wesley netballers.
Upon leaving Wesley, I felt sad, knowing that the church was going through change (Clive left at the same time), not being there for the new era and knowing that things would move on, people would change.
Ross and I settled in a new church community (Glen Waver ley Anglican Church) where we still worship today, ten years later, and where Ross is now the Children’s Minister.
It’s a much bigger church, which is good in that it allows lots of different ministries to be supported, but the community is therefore not as tight-knit as a p lace like Wesley can be.
Remembering that a church is its people, and that the Bible is not particular about a definition of church, I think the community that was Wesley
Uniting Church East Doncaster will still carry on, as we are part of a wider church, of God’s family.
While the same individuals will not keep meeting in the same place at the same time, who we are individually won’t change and we have the ability to keep the church alive by staying faithful to Jesus, continuing to depend on him and being open to new church environments and opportunities.
As for the building, I guess 111 always say to my kids when we drive past, “That's where Mummy & Daddy got married". Not knowing its future does pull at the heart strings a little. After all, like a house you’ve lived in, you get to know the building very well and it holds fond memories. It becomes a challenge, then, to see the church God’s way, with the buildings being a functional resource, and the people being the church.
May God bless all who feel sad at this time, and may we all hold our memories dear as we seek to keep on walking with our Maker.
Another exciting youth camp, full of energy, adventure and "faith-searching"26/4/1992.
Reflections by Kate & David Wilson
Four and a half years ago we set off to find ourselves a friendly- Church where our children could grow and where they could receive the community and spiritual guidance we thought they required. Being relatively non-denominational we made a plan to visit one local Church each Sunday until we found the one where we felt the most comfortable. Our first visit was to Wesley, and we have never left.
We felt instantly welcomed that Sunday morning and we knew we had found the community that we had been seeking. The thing that impressed us was the air of warmth, love and caring amongst the congregation. These first impressions were not wrong and we certainly had a chance to test them over the next few years. Our son Jack was very sick for the first two years of his life and faced many life threatening hurdles. We could not have got through this period without the love, support and prayer that we received from our family at Wesley.
The Wilsons at home. David holds Charlie, Kate tackles Jack and Alexander stands out front. "Whilst we feel a sadness at the closure of Wesley, there is a great sense of anticipation for an exciting future at Deep Creek."
Ann Connan leads the Nativity Play, 1998.
The understanding and love that our Church family have continued to bestow on Jack has helped shape him into the well rounded little boy that he has become. Likewise, when Charlie was born and faced major health issues, it was the power of prayer that pulled him through and gave us the strength to deal with yet another child with major health issues.
Our eldest son Alexander has a very loving nature and a growing self confidence that is due, to a large extent, to the time he has spent at Wesley. Church is a place where he feels totally at ease to express himself fully and where he is loved by all.
The impending move to Deep Creek is both exciting and sad for us. Sad in the sense that we will have to face the world outside our “bubble”. Our church family at Wesley understand and love our boys because they have been through all our issues and have seen them survive and grow into the beautiful boys they have become. On the other hand Deep Creek has many young families and will give our boys the chance to forge friendships that will hopefully last them a lifetime. We have certainly-felt very welcomed at Deep Creek. Every visit has found us meeting new people who have shown nothing but compassion and warmth for our family. Whilst we feel a sadness at the closure of Wesley, there is a great sense of anticipation for an exciting future at Deep Creek.
Recollections by Stan & Carolyn Vimpani
In reflecting on our years at Wesley our thoughts will be based loosely around the themes of 40 Days of Purpose. Many members of the congregation this year, 2004, are involved in this study, which challenges us to look afresh at our faith.
Wesley has been our family church for over thirty years, more than half our lifetime.
The first aspect is Worship
Using Rick Warren’s model is already becoming complicated! Worship is living a life pleasing to God. For the purposes of this story we want to focus on one aspect of this commitment, namely, Sunday Service.
This has been central to our involvement at Wesley. Over the years the Sunday service has undergone little change. One interesting era was the monthly All Age Worship in the Lower Hall. Along with the Hoadleys, Gays, Matthewsons, Hornblows, Phillips and others we explored our faith in creative ways.
We have been privileged to be served by some amazingly gifted people in ministry. The quality of sermons has been consistently challenging. Each minister from Rev Collins through to our current John Connan has provided unique perspectives. Many touched our lives in a special way, but it was probably Achara Brunelli who led us to a fuller understanding of what it means to be a Christian. She gave new insight into the power of the Holy-Spirit working through us to accomplish God’s purposes. She challenged us as individuals to use our gifts for the kingdom.
Through Howard Secomb’s ministry we came to understand outreach to those rejected by society and the importance of a compassionate heart.
Colin Honey and Clive Skewes gave us an understanding of the history and liturgy of the church and guided us through the thinking of scholars. John Connan has taught us the importance of being part of the worldwide fellowship of believers.
When we moved to Doncaster East area we were a one driver, one car family and saw attending a local church, in walking distance of home, as central in choosing our congregation.
The first time we attended Wesley, Ruth & Jack Hoadley invited us to their home along with Max and Lesley Curnow.
Thus began years of fellowship within the Methodist & subsequently the Uniting Church.
Fellowship is the second emphasis in the 40 Days of Purpose.
Sharing in small group studies, being part of camps, fellowship teas, a pastoral care network and young mums has provided us with the opportunity to share in our growth as Christians with some wonderful people.
Sadly, over the years, many of our contemporaries moved out of the congregation for one reason or another.
During the mid to late nineties we went through many changes as a family with our children maturing and moving out of home, as well as the daily care of an aged parent.
This proved to be a time when it became difficult to maintain contact with the life of the church except for attendance at Sunday worship. We don’t regret this but we were altered by the experience. We came to value the faithfulness of people who spent time in visiting us and enabling us to maintain essential contact with the church family.
We have been able to serve the church family over the years in various roles: Stan as Church Secretary and Parish Council member and Carolyn as Elder and Christian Endeavour Leader.
Stan was also involved in organising the Wesley Badminton Club at a time when there were eight teams playing.
Through the provision of small group Bible studies. Ladies Fellowship, Prayer Triplets, Sunday preaching and special events such as retreats, family camps and visiting speakers the opportunity has been made available to understand what it means to know and follow Christ, to be His Disciples.
For our children Philip, Anita & Linda, the teaching within Sunday School, Christian Endeavour and Youth Groups led them to a position where they too could understand what it meant to be a follower of Christ. We are very thankful for the leadership provided by so many, especially Ron and Joan Clough.
Within the congregation of Wes ley the issue of Ministry to people in the local community who are disadvantaged, suffering, grieving or broken has always had a high priority. We have been involved at varying levels with some of these activities.
Over the years members of our congregation have been prime movers in the development of agencies such as Doncare and LinC. Activity for elderly community mernbers has been provided through Carramar.
We have been involved in some of the Ministry programs of the church such as refugee resettlement, food support, Care Broadmeadows, gifts for disadvantaged children and other community support.
Carolyn and Stan Vimpani help out at a Church Family picnic 1996 (Point Cook).
Operation Newstart with Robert Latimer leading, welcomed newcomers to the area.
The South African support program, “Aussie South Africans” enabled settlers to establish new networks in a new country.
Over twenty years ago Carolyn was asked to represent the congregation on the Manningham Council Disability Advisory Committee, a position she still holds.
The task of evangelism in Wesley has, at times, centred around special efforts. “Operation Good News” is one example, where our congregation visited every house in the local area, under Stan’s careful planning, and distributed New Testaments.
Supporting two missionary families, who attended Wesley, Rowena Connan in India, TEAR Australia and the Shoppingtown outreach are some of the ways our congregation has been able to contribute to the Mission task of the church.
Closer to home, under Ann Connan’s special touch, KUCA Club (Kids of the Uniting Church Aust) is a wonderful local outreach as is Christian Education in the local School (Beverley Hills Primary).
These recollections only touch o n a small part of our life at Wesley and we have only mentioned some of the special people in our church life.
"No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:11.
Part of the Newstart initiative at Wesley involved reaching out to the newly arrived South African community to assist them in making friends & establishing networks. (2002) Several functions were held at which up to 200 people attended to discuss issues of concern, socialize and watch rugby on a big screen; in this shot, the Wesley BBQ works overtime. It is pleasing to note that the group, which Wesley seeded, continues today and is run by a group of dedicated Aussie South Africans
Recollections By Hazel Astley
Bob and I moved to Doncaster in 1965 and joined the East Doncaster Methodist Church where each week we were greeted at the door by Harry Burrows who was always smiling!
Alan Collins was Minister at the time.
I attended Jenning Gherries and later the Street Groups and met other young mums. I was a Sunday School Teacher and also used to type up the Church Notices until 1968 when our first child was born.
The Church had a creche in the Kindergarten and we had many little ones to care for whilst the service was on. Church services in the 60's were very well attended and we faced the cross on the wall. In the early 70's the seating was changed around.
Alternate Family services were held in the Lower Hall too.
Church Family Picnics were something to look forward to, as were Concerts and Christmas Carol services at the end of the year.
Bob has been involved in the Church operating the sound system, with the Men’s Group, being a Steward, an Elder and helping at the many Working Bees.
Now the children have grown up, married and moved away, our numbers have diminished considerably, and it is with sadness we see the Church having to amalgamate with Deep Creek after such a long time on the same site.
However, God's hand is in all this; change was inevitable and we face this challenge with His help.
Church Council and Elders
We have accepted that we needed to change and now we go forward in Faith as those who had a vision and established the first church here at East Doncaster when beginning a witness to this area as a Methodist Church and then becoming a Uniting Church with union.
We look back and give thanks that those members in 1866 who had conviction and put their trust in God, just as we do now by taking this big step forward facing up to the future. We also must put our trust in God for this is His will, the trust is what God has given us to manage His creation and we will be rewarded when called to be with Him.
The book “The Purpose Driven Life” written by Rick Warren was used during “The 40 Days of Purpose” a series of study, and teaching that the Church Council agreed to participate in. The book explains some very interesting statements of how God works, we all have a purpose in life and a plan to follow that was in existence before we were born. Then if this is what we believe we need to consider, search and find the purpose and ask for God’s help so that we will achieve the success that is the basis of the planned witness in this community.
The Church Council and the Administrative Committee have over time been able to achieve so much because we always did receive the support from the Congregation of “Wesley”
The Church of today’s world is given a task to perform, a purpose for being the church and possibly arguably it is even more complicated than when most of us began as a Member of this church.
We must accept that education, retailing, sporting fixtures and attitudes have all moved forward and people having other pressures very easily use them as the excuse or comfort to themselves. This is why their involvement has changed toward the church and their commitment to serve the Lord.
The challenge is placed before us, and it is now our choice to take that challenge and seek to do what is planned for us, to be part of the ongoing witness of God’s love shared with all who accept and wish to follow God as their way of life.
The church known as “Wesley” East Doncaster will change structure, the form of worship and the place of worship, but will not change the pastoral support for each of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ This support will continue no matter what, this gift from God given to us in trust to use it but we will be accountable in the end.
We all have a sadness in our hearts and for some very deep as time has been long in our association with this church. We all have memories all deeper entrenched in our hearts. There will be good times and not so good times that we have given to the work of God on this site. Our journey continues with some changes but the opportunity to serve the church just as we have here at Wesley for the call is the same, the belief and need of others is the same, our task is to share love that comes to us.
We trust the Church Council and the Elders have served you as true and faithful servants of the church, as we continue to serve the Lord and do His work.
Ian Bennett
Chairperson - Church Council, and Elders
Ladies Guild Christmas Party, Nov 2001
Recollections by Eddie Russell
Eddie and Hilary Russell started worshipping in February 1961 in the old Church building. The Revds. Mr Chambers and Mr Brimacombe of Box Hill Methodist Church, then Harlan Delbridge ministered to us.
For a few years Hilary and I, on Saturday afternoons, would set up the kitchen for tea and coffee for after the service on Sunday.
Rev. Colin Honey’s time with us was a “htf’ with the youth of the then Methodist Church in East Doncaster. He had the hall at the back of the old Church painted black inside for the youth club.
Recollections by Louise Joy
Coming from Warrandyte, why would we go to Church in East Doncaster?
I think it was the Presbyterian hymns which drove the Gault family back to Methodism.
We wanted to worship in our own community, but generations of John Wesley’s influence on our forebears in Northern Ireland and Manchester came through.
The Joy family was living in London, receiving letters from Auntie Adelaide, telling of the stimulating new preacher Rev. Colin Honey at the Wesley Uniting Church, East Doncaster.
Back in Warrandyte in 1972,1 arrived late at Wesley Church each Sunday with Adelaide Gault, dripping fresh hay from her horses.
We loved the hymns, the sermons and prayers, then Adelaide went on to Pony Club.
We did not become involved in Church life and no one knew that Dr. Adelaide Gault had started the Methodist Hospital for Women in Azamgarh, North India in 1926.
After Adelaide died in 1978, the Joy family drifted away from Church. Alma Salter invited me to speak at a Ladies Guild meeting in the mid 1990’s and it was through this encounter that I came back to Wesley.
I remember I spoke on the Christian Medical College in South India, where my parents. Professor Edward Gault and Dr. Edna Gault had worked. Over coffee and cake, Joan Clough invited me to join the Ladies Fellowship Bible Study. At the homes of Gwen Heuston and Grace Hillier, this small nourishing group read the Bible, prayed and shared.
Meanwhile, my son David, invited me to join him at the Melbourne Church of Christ, bubbling with young people, assertively evangelical, singing without an organ and meeting without a Church building in any hall they could find.
There were resonances here of early missionary-experience. David’s health deteriorated and I could no longer continue there.
Rev. John Connan became President, Friends of Vellore, Victoria, and as Secretary, I was constantly dropping into the Manse at 104 Beverley Street with correspondence and newsletters.
Soon I was back with the Ladies Fellowship, now meeting at Jean Mayberry’s house, and back at Wesley proper before the year 2000.
Each Sunday the Worship Services led by John and Ann Connan continue to inspire.
The prayers led by John Coombes, Frank Johnston and Bob Astley bring us close.
Ian Bennett has walked the difficult path on the way to our amalgamation with Deep Creek Uniting Church.
There is a happy blend of moving forward with a large congregation and a link to the founders of Wesley. Around 150 years ago the White family home, (“White’s Cottage”) and orchard was known locally as Deep Creek Farm.
Ladies Fellowship will continue to be led by Joan Clough with Jan Vanselow, Jean Madge, Isabel McCabe, Elizabeth Dowel, Jean Mayberry, Shirley Weir and me. No doubt rosters for Sausage Sizzles, Op Shops, Hymn Books and Morning Teas will not be far away.
Ann and John (Connan) have been leading a Frontier Services tour in Australia, and Ann has been at a World Methodist Church Conference in South Africa, with a Wild Game Reserve thrown in at the end for John and Ann.
At Wesley East Doncaster, Rev. and Jessie Weatherlake have been leading Bible Study, not forgetting the Wesley hymns and pastoral visits, a traditional past and an inspiring future.
10th September 2004
Friendship Group 1980's
I cannot remember who came up with the idea, but in the early 1980’s Mavis Butler and I started monthly afternoon tea gatherings for Wesley folk whose friendship went back many years, but who were no longer able to travel easily.
Mavis and I would provide most of the food although often the ladies would also contribute some delicacy for which they were renowned - we usually sat down to a ‘spread’.
Over the years people such as Arthur & Mabel Ireland, Rupert & Faye Johnston, Harlan Delbridge, Cliss Joynson, Grace Hillier, Trudie Cook, Florrie Uglow, Bessie Graham and Dulcie Carr were brought by car to the host home and what lively discussions took place!
They were such interesting people with a wealth of experiences to recall and they were so appreciative of the opportunity to meet together socially as Wesley’s senior members.
Alison Latchford
Alison Latchford leads Hilary Russell at the Carramar 20th celebration service led by John Connan, April 2002.
Wesley Men's Group
This group has been making a valuable contribution to the life of the Church for many years. Under the leadership of a series of dedicated people, the group has varied its meeting time and place but has maintained for members a lively forum for exchanging ideas and learning.
For most of its life, the group has been meeting on a weekday evening and for several years it gathered at local restaurants in Warrandyte and Blackburn. Over the last twenty years however, the venue has been our Fellowship Room. The Ladies Jenning Gherries group has been ready and willing to prepare and serve the meals. Their wonderful support has been most appreciated. This has been part of the ladies’ service and fund raising efforts. Together our two groups have been responsible for raising at least $ 1000.00 each year from the “Dinner Nights”.
After the Dinners we have enjoyed listening to a great band of speakers. Most of our members have been called upon to tell their own stories or recount their business and holiday travel.
Many outstanding ministers of the Uniting Church and other denominations have visited us.
We have invited other men’s groups to our meetings and these activities have broadened our understanding of the wider Church. We have conducted Sunday Services and participated in numerous Church Concerts. The “Men’s Choir” with only a minimum of preparation always brings the house down.
Men’s Groups were once operating very successfully right across all the Churches. Today there are not many groups existing that can rival our record. We are quietly confident that the group will continue to operate once the amalgamation with Deep Creek Church is completed.
We are already cementing a close bond with a group of the men from their congregation.
We thank God for the ongoing work of the Group and pray that he will guide us into the future.
Peter Scott-Young
Christmas 1999 at Wesley. A cast of thousands, with Ann Connan guaranteeing a costume is on hand for everyone.
An after-service congregation shot 14 March 1999.
Children's and Youth Work
Several thousand children and youth have passed though the different groups and activities that Wesley have conducted over the years.
Always the underlying purpose was to win children for Christ and provide wholesome fun and activities in the process.
• The activities have included
• Sunday School
• Sunday Youth Groups
• Weeknight Youth Groups
• MYF Groups (Methodist Youth Fellowship)
• Sporting Groups-Basketball, Netball, Tennis, Badminton & Tab le Tennis
• Christian Endeavour (CE)
• Boys Club
• KUCA (Kids of the Uniting Church in Aust)
• Camps, hikes, outings & picnics.
Some of these activities continued year after year, while some were short lived, meeting a particular need and then closing down.
Any work is only as good as the people who are the leaders.
From the early times, leaders were mostly drawn from the rank s of our young people and parents. Sometimes we invited others to join us and provide leadership. We have also had a wonderful record of training our own leaders.
Youth have married and later resumed leadership positions when their children were older. Some leaders have never stopped leading, moving from group to group and helping to fill the vacancies wherever they occurred. Many of our young people having grown up are now playing vital roles in churches and community all over Australia and beyond.
There are many stories starting from when Harry Burrows arrived by horse & cart at the Church in 1920 as a tiny babe in arms. He later became Sunday School Superintendent (SSS) and David Jenkins became the Treasurer of the Sunday School for a time.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, families, children and youth came flooding into our area.
After conducting Sunday activities at the new Beverley Hills school, Wesley became the place for a combined Sunday School, once the new Church Hall was erected.
Over four hundred children attended regularly, under a team of teachers with Bill Olver and Alan Robertson as Superintendents. When Chas & Joyce Stevenson arrived they immediately signed up as teachers.
There were also MYF Groups for different ages and Ian Bennett became the busy junior group leader. Geoff Chandler was another SSS and helped organise the first annual picnic at Healesville, the whole Church travelling together by train.
Many people have given selfless service as Teachers & Leaders over the years.
To name a few;
• Cliss Joynson - Boys Bible Class Leader,
• Alan Ferryman, The Tunk Family,
• Bill & Vera White, The Cooper Family,
• Ruth & Jack Hoadley, B.Ramsden,
• Frank & Wendy Johnston, The Latimer Family
• The Johnson Family, The Vimpani Family
• The Haymon Family, Shirley Smith
• Joan Clough & Family, The Lois Smith Family
• Heather & Colin Oates, Peter Scott -Young
• The Butler Family, The Astley Family
• John Coombes, Heather Sully
• Jenny & Les Semple, Graham Peters
• Ann Connan, Rowena and Andy, Glenda Goodwin.
There are many others whose wonderful efforts will certainly be remembered, when the role is called up yonder.
Peter Scott-Young
KUCA (Kids of the Uniting Church Australia) Club is well attended, with Ann Connan's (below) involvement with Beverley Hills Primary School having generated much interest and enthusiasm.
Ann Connan
Recollections by Charles (Chas) Stevenson
After moving from Box Hill in 1959, Joyce and I, with daughters Wendy & Lynette, attended our first service in the old building at East Doncaster Methodist Church.
We received a warm welcome from all. I was asked to teach Sunday School and Joyce to help Mrs White in the Kindergarten.
Wendy & Lynette were enrolled in Sunday School, and this started a very busy time in our life.
It was like a happy home-coming for me. I had been brought up in the rural community at Boho where we had exactly the same type of church and rural congregation. I felt grounded after many years of Naval Service and happy to settle down and become part of the Doncaster community. Joyce had a busy time as Cradle Roll person, meeting young Mums and delivering birthday cards. Our son Philip was born on August 18th 1963. He was baptised by Harlan Delbridge and became part of the growing church family.
Things moved quickly in our church and we soon outgrew the dear little church and Sunday School. Building Plans were discussed and a decision made for a general purpose hall with stage, kitchen, and downstairs room. This moved quickly with the financial help of the Irelands and Finance Committee and the building expertise of our members.
Sunday school continued to grow and a need for a youth group was identified and set up under the banner of M.Y.F Senior, Intermediate, Junior and Mighty Midget groups and ran successfully for many years. I, together with Pat Cooper, ran the Mighty Midget group with an attendance of 50+ each
Friday night, 6:30-8:00pm Rev Harlan Delbridge became our No. 1 member at the request of our young club members.
Memorable nights at our club included Harlan Delbridge's Magic Lantern Show, using a very old, hot and smokey projector with large square glass and black and white slides. It was so successful he was invited, with loud acclaim, to come back the next week.
The local dog catcher, together with Mr Jack Thompson, our Shire Secretary of the day, came to talk to the children after hearing of their unhappiness about dogs being caught in the school grounds. The children were invited to air their views; they gave them heaps!
The re-enactment of The Last Supper, led by Mr Delbridge and acted out by senior MYF members took place in our lounge room at 2 Roger Street. It was a very moving experience.
Film nights with Ron Clough, bushwalking and swimming nights were always great fun.
Also a "Drama Night” included role playing led by Rev K Tinkler (then of Bayswater Church). Our annual camps at Mitcham Hills were happy learning occasions for both leaders and campers.
At our first service, Ruby Willis played the organ and Arthur Willis led the youth choir which met at the Willis orchard for practice each week.
I sometimes pause and hear again some of these great sounds created in our hall.
Joan Clough's wonderfully sensitive organ playing, speaks to us all through her music.
Sunday School Anniversaries, some being trained and conducted by Doug Phillips and Don Iverson. The sounds vibrated through me, from the stirring march on music to the closing vesper, and on through my life.
Sunday School concerts were always a great event. Henry Gay always came up with a good item. One I remember well was based on songs and skits from "Oliver”.
The Ramsden family organised many showcase concert style events, which were always well presented and supported.
Doug Phillips, with Methodist Youth singers and main supporting singers, presented an Easter Oratorio, "The Crucifixion”. That was a very moving experience.
The Barbera Players did a full dress presentation of "The Mikado”. The sound was magnificent; a great musical treat.
Carol nights were always a joy to take part in, led by various choirs and bands.
The Church picnic, when the steam rail train was hired to transport church and Sunday School families from Blackburn to Healesville.
What a trip!
Much tooting and puffing by the engine and chattering by the passengers. When we arrived we walked up to the church for our church service.
The first hymn was "How Great Thou Art” and how great was the singing. It still echoes in my mind.
Church Camps became a popular way of sharing thoughts and experiences and to come to grips with our place as a Church in East Doncaster.
As a result of some of these camps, our outreach groups became very active in our community.
After one such camp held at "Cleveden”, we were reporting back to the congregation at Sunday service when Rupert Johnston put his hand up and said, "We have heard all this before. What are you going to do about it?”
I remember Rupert very well for another reason. Arthur Willis had just taken communion and the bread became stuck in his throat, causing him difficulty in breathing. Rupert resolve d the problem with a mighty slap on Arthur's back.
One of the most humorous events I can remember was a social church basketball match when Harlan Delbridge turned up to play in long johns, singlet and braces, with his false teeth removed. He played very aggressively, broke all the rules and refused to leave the court when ordered to by the referee.
It was very difficult to keep a straight face in church next day.
The Church became involved in a sticky situation when our anti-Vietnam outreach group, led by Bevan Ramsden, resulted in a visit to our building by the Federal Police.
As a result, Bevan made himself scarce for a number of weeks.
Carramar became another outreach group started about 22 years ago. Joyce’s mother. Ivy Godber, was one of the first members. Joyce worked on the kitchen roster from the beginning. I joined in at the request of Estelle Johnston about ten years ago and now work with Doncare who are responsible for running this group.
I look forward to joining with Deep Creek in the ministry and outreach of East Doncaster Uniting Church. I feel at home there, having worked on orchard properties in that area. Joyce & I enjoyed the warmth of their welcome on the day we worshipped with them.
Recollections by Elise Mann (nee Latchford)
When I first started going to Wesley (or the Methodist church as it was then) with my family-, I think I was just four years old. Those memories are impressionist at best.... of Sunday School in the Kindergarten room, of weaving my way through lots of well-dressed Sunday legs, of getting up the courage to go into the old, musty (I was convinced, spider-ridden) original wooden church .... Oh yes, then there is the memory of my brother sitting on top of the roof of that old church helping to wrap it for a Christian Television Association commercial! But probably the most enduring memory from my childhood at church was the Christian Endeavour Anniversary celebrations - the crowds, the music and sitting on the rickety tiered stands to deliver our concert! It was great.
I remember looking forward to growing up and attending the active and large CE groups, and YP (Young People).
So it was a little bit disappointing that by the time I got to those ages the crowds had dwindled in line with the general trend of the suburban population. But it was in this that God would teach me one of the best lessons of my faith .... that you can’t be a passenger waiting for someone else to show the way, faith is active, a challenge, that takes full participation not just spectating. And so began my involvement in leadership roles that would bring me wonderful friends, trials and triumphs and my fondest memories of Wesley.
We had some great times at youth group ... a kaleidoscope of memories ... of carwashes and camps, trips to Donna Buang and running Youth Services, of pool parties at the Crews, Sunday morning Bible studies and painting the downstairs room! It was a time of growing and learning, of high energy and creativity; it was hard work and not without its sad and hard times but I am richer for it - in my understanding of myself, in the friendships that endure to this day and most importantly in the strong and sure foundation it gave my faith. And there were some wonderful teachers and role models along the way.... my mum, Les Semple, Achara Brunelli, Ian Jenkins, Leonie Prescott, John Crew, Jenny Clough, Colin & Heather Oates just to name a few.
I am thankful for my years at Wesley -not for its walls and pews or that it was the perfect church, but thankful for its people, its teachings and that the Lord touched my life in many ways through His church. Enjoy the celebrations and may God continue to bless and grow Wesley in its new united home.
The many faces of the youth group at Wesley in the early 1990s
Recollections by Ian Bennett
As I begin to write my thoughts immediately go back over 40 years - a long time - but they are filled with every aspect of our life as we journeyed, having faith and walking never alone. The strength comes from two sources - one the Lord there beside and then the other and this has been very important - friends and brothers and sisters in Christ, a term that I don’t use lighter for it is through these avenues I have found strength as did Lyn.
My early memories begin back when Lyn and I moved to Meryl Street East Doncaster and began our married life together. We had both been very involved in the church at Williamstown and being firmly entrenched in Methodism we looked for a church to attend, choosing the East Doncaster Methodist Church. Our choice was right and over 40 years have had a very rewarding and full life never dull or boring because of our activities and involvement in the Church at East Doncaster. This will never be regretted, and never will words fully convey the thanks or what we have gained.
We thought shortly after arriving that we should attend the Church Sunday Family Tea and service after. It was bring your own food to share so we came with a plate of sandwiches, parked in the old car park and sat to watch who was going in. We not long after started the car and drove home when we saw the families of church members; the orchardists arrive with their baskets of food, (we did not appreciate the number in their families), which gave us weak knees and a strong urge to go home. We did however go back the next Sunday to the worship service at a time when you needed to be early to get a seat.
My early involvement was in youth work and I was elected as Leader of Intermediate Youth Group.
The group included youth that were looked at strangely when they came and spoke to us as we shopped in Doncaster Road on Saturday mornings. In reflection I remember a Church Leaders Meeting where the Church denied the youth a club and night of activity because they weren’t the right type.
There was one boy I remember who belonged to that group and came each week, a very quiet person. He was later taken to Court and charged for protecting his mother from his father. The Minister of this church went to Court and spoke on his behalf, the charge was dropped, and the boy began a new life. He went into the Army serving overseas and dying of complications caused by his early life.
This was the church reaching out in early times but not that long ago, and now we talk about a history of memories - matters that this church has influenced or acted in some way to help others.
I have this memory - a stepping stone - and would never want to turn youth or any person away from the church as it has been a witness to God’s love and filled a role in the community.
The good times have continued and now will follow a different path with new challenges and a chance to start again when we amalgamate but which ever or whatever it will be God’s will.
Wesley East Doncaster has something to share which is very real to me, having received the pastoral care that comes when needed, my life changed and now I walk not alone but with the knowledge that as the memories are flooding back since Lyn was called to be with her Lord.
We as a family lived in the strength of friendship given by Brothers and Sisters in Christ members of this Church and we shared as I share the support and caring that is difficult to equal in any other similar group.
I remember the laughter we shared at Church, the camps now knowing who snores and how loud, the problem of finding car keys when someone has them in their pocket.
I think of the working bees at Wesley and the work that was undertaken and what we achieved we have to show for that commitment, if in comparison you look at other similar properties.
I think of the families that have been associated with our Church here and the children of the families.
I think of the sad times when friends were called to be with their Lord.
I think of the time spent in meetings and reflect on the outcome when decisions were made.
I think of the preaching and give thanks for sharing my thoughts and works God chose to share with you.
I think of this our church that has witnessed for so long but now begins again but still the same purpose to share the Love of God.
I know that some of my memories were shared with some of you - in fact a great number and for this I thank God and continue my journey of Faith.
I pray that you will all remember some of those matters mentioned and that our journey will continue to grow in Faith.
Palm Sunday procession 1995.
Do you remember when ...
... the Sunday school was so large that there was a concern that priority for Sunday school attendance might need to be given to children of parents who attended Church. Thankfully this did not eventuate.
The number of children attending our Sunday School was over 400.
There were so many babies and toddlers on a Sunday that there was a creche, which operated during Church, and also there was a creche roster.
Baptisms were a regular event - it seemed like every few weeks with multiple baptisms on many occasions.
There were so many Sunday School children that some classes were held at the rear of the old Church building [now demolished] with children sitting on the floor.
The main hall and sub stage room dividers were used for Sunday School classes and study group activities.
After years of planning, the building of the Fellowship Room took place in 1980. The construction took place using sub-contractors and with substantial voluntary labour of our Church people on almost every Saturday for a period of months. This was a major achievement and is obviously one reason why so many of our number have a real connection with the building which they physically helped, build.
The toilets were outside the building. The indoor toilets were included in the Fellowship Room development in 1980 and have been much appreciated. There was upset within the Church when the Sunday school was closed for a period, and when Christian Endeavor was commenced on a Monday afternoon/evening.
The car parks were unconstructed and in winter they tended to be very wet and muddy.
The Badminton Club played in the evening in the main hall twice a week with both social and competition being played.
Over the years the Wesley East Doncaster Methodist Church Badminton Club won a number of pennants. A ladies group has also played social badminton on a weekday at our Church for over 35 years.
Social Group Camp, Moe, 1976.
A group of enthusiastic ladies still play social badminton at the Church during the day on Tuesdays.
We had a number of flower shows in the main hall. The displays were magnificent and a lot of time and effort was put in to make these shows a success. Children participated in the shows by making theme scenes on plates and boards.
We had annual ladies Church services, with choir and special music all planned and provided by the ladies. These services provided an opportunity for all of our ladies to be involved and for treasured memories.
The construction and sealing of the car parks was carried out in various stages, to meet planning requirements, and within the financial abilities of the Church.
There was a lawn-mowing roster for men using their own mower to mow the church lawns 3 or 4 times per year.
Ian & Dorothy Dower
Past Ministers
- 1862 - Rev J.H. Brown - very first service conducted in Mrs. May’s house in what now is King Street.
- Various Ministers over the years, including Rev. H. Heathershaw, Nixon, Gilbert, H. Robinson, J. T. Pithouse, Scott, Hickson, W. H. Walton, G. Gray, Pryor, Chivers, J. T. Kearns, W. Moore, A. Madson, W. Goyen, T. Copeland
- 1866 - First Service in the Doncaster &Blackburn Rd corner site
- 1884 - Rev J. Kearns
- 1902 - Methodist Union was effected.
- 1907 - Rev H. J. Lavers, Green, J. J. Brown, Clenhall
- 1908 - Rev H. Moore
- 1909 - Rev J. Nicholson
- 1910 - Rev R. W. Thompson
- 1915 - Rev G. H. Cole
- 1916 - Rev W. J. Palamountain & Rev Warren
- 1917 - Rev E. Little of Ringwood, W. Fletcher
- 1918 - Rev W. Binks
- 1919 - Rev B. Crisp
- 1920 - Rev W. H. Hotham of Box Hill
- 1921 - Rev Abbott
- 1924 - Rev S. C. Blainey
- 1925 - Rev T. A. Biddle
- 1926 - Rev D. Proven
- 1931 - Rev L. L.. Lovell
- 1935 - Rev J. W. Crean
- 1938 - Rev A. Benjafield
- 1939 - Rev F.E. Haynes, A. Blankstay
- 1944 - Rev V.R. Bradbury
- 1945 - Rev Richards
- 1949 - Rev. D.C. Gibbs
- 1953 - Rev H. Perkins
- 1957 - Rev F.H. (Harlan) Delbridge
- 1965 - Rev A.W. (Alan) Collins
- 1970 - Rev Colin Honey
- 1975 - Rev Howard Secomb
- 1978 - Rev P. Moore, Rev J. Adamthwaite,
- 1979 - Rev Achara Brunelli
- 1984 - Rev Clive Skewes
- 1996 - Rev John Connan
Recollections by Ian & Dorothy Dower
Concerts were held over the years with so many of the Church people, including children being involved. One of the more memorable items was perhaps the rendition of Swan Lake by many of the men of the Church. The item proved so popular that it made a return to the stage for a repeat performance in a concert a year later. It is fortunate for those involved that there was no video available at that time
Our Church family picnics have been held over the years. They have been many and varied and involved, to a large degree, the whole congregation. With the Healesville rail line having been closed for so many years it is hard to visualize one of our very special family picnics to Healesville. The whole Church including Sunday School and many adherents traveled by steam train to Healesville for the day. We also attended a Church service at Healesville. Other family picnic locations over the years have included Jells Park, Wattle Park, Bacchus Marsh, Maroondah Dam, Sugar loaf Reservoir, Kinglake, Point Cook & Hastings.
We had a string of joyful weddings involving many Church families when the Church was so beautifully set up and decorated with flowers and pew decorations, making our hall look magnificent.
Various congregation members and families started participating in the lighting of the Advent candle. This has been the practice now for years and for many this is a special memory.
Mrs Clough played the organ for almost every Sunday Church service. There haven’t been many weeks missed in the last 40 years. Joan has performed an exceptional service over so many years.
Our children were reminded that it was more blessed to give than receive, by placing a gift for the needy under the Church Christmas tree on Christmas Day. This practice has continued to this day and for many this was, and is still, a special occasion and memory.
Wesley was represented in the Victorian Baptist Basketball Association. Wesley had two men’s teams and one ladies’ team, which played in this competition. The teams kept many of our young men and women together for many years with a number of pennants also having been won by these teams.
The Wesley Warriors netball team existed. This team of young ladies represented our Church for a number of years and provided good exercise and fellowship for all who were involved. These young ladies had to be tough, often playing outdoors on asphalt at night in all weathers.
The Wesley Uniting Church Golf Days commenced. The Golf group which includes ladies and men has until recently been playing golf on the first Sunday afternoon in the month for nearly 15 years, generally, at Dorset Golf in Croydon. Changed circumstances have meant that golf is now played in the quieter Friday afternoon.
These are just some of the treasured memories we all share.
Christmas tea, 1995
Tennis Club
The Wesley Uniting Church tennis club provided a recreational outlet for approximate^1- 25 years between 1975 &2000.
The tennis club provided a purely social tennis opportunity for those who were able to spend some time on a Saturday afternoon at Donvale on either a casual or regular basis.
By arrangement with the then Donvale High School, later Mullauna Secondary College, the tennis club used up to four of the asphalt courts on most Saturday afternoons.
The Methodist and later Uniting Church tennis club members and their families enjoyed the Saturday afternoon tennis and the twice annual tournament which was held for many years.
Many players probably could still produce from the back of their kitchen cupboard a coffee mug, which they had won at one of the tournaments. Some players might be able to produce many such mugs.
Membership numbers fluctuated over the years with numbers ranging from about 12 to a high of about 35. Records show that 28 players actually played in a number of tournaments.
The closure of Mullauna College and eventual conversion of ‘Our Courts’ into a carpark, together with the ageing of members and their other interests, contributed to the winding down of and eventual closure of the club.
The club over the years provided a treasured recreational opportunity for so many families affiliated with Wesley with the following families at some stage having been represented on the courts through membership.
Bennett, Bowen, Briggs, Boyce, Burnell, Butler, Coombes, Clough, Crew, Crocket, Dower, Eichert, Farmer, Freeman, Hayman, Heuston, Jenkins, Johnson, Johnston, Latchford, Manthey, Martin, Mason, Mathewson, McGlinchey, Moore, O’Dempsey, Pearson, Quin-Conroy, Ranyard, Savory, Secomb, Stainkamph, Smith, Smith, Sully, Vimpani, Wright and Zander.
Members of the tennis club will no doubt have varying treasured memories and the interaction which brought so much enjoyment and pleasure to so many members and families on Saturday afternoons for some 25 years.
Ian & Dorothy Dower
Recollections by Robert Latimer
As I reflect back on the past 45 years and my time growing up within the Wesley congregation, memories are vivid, clear and strong. Whilst I don’t recall being baptized by Rev Harlan Delbridge, in 1959,1 do recall being ...
... dressed up in a crepe paper costume for a Sunday School Anniversary in the mid 1960’s, where Rev Alan Collins led the worship and we children faced the congregation from atop the giddy heights of the raised platforms.
... challenged by Rev Colin Honey in the course of my confirmation classes with the daunting task of reading and summarising a book on “Fundamentalism”.
... nurtured, guided and educated through Sunday School, CE and youth group by an array of dedicated leaders, in particular Joan Clough, Ruth and Jack Hoadley.
... supported through numerous camps and Christian discussions, in particular by Rev Howard Secomb, who opened his home each Sunday for the Youth 3 group to meet in the 1970’s.
... taught, through the examples set by Ron & Joan Clough, Stan & Carolyn Vimpani, John & Pam Coombes, Jack & Ruth Hoadley, Chas & Joyce Stevenson, Achara Brunelli and others, to seek to rise above issues of conflict and division through the adoption of a “Christ-focused” attitude.
Looking back over the years I recall the joy and strength that has come from our fellowship together at Wesley, the challenges and demands of leadership and the sense of belonging and assurance received through being a part of Christ’s family.
I am thankful too, for the way in which my wife, Linda and two boys, Matt and James, have had the opportunity to share in the life of the church.
Fond and lasting memories endure of my marriage to Linda at the hands of Howard Secomb and the baptism of Matt & James by Clive Skewes.
All on the same site where my great-great-grandfather, Henry White, helped establish Wesley as a place of worship, all those years ago.
Whilst being encouraged by the way Wesley is amalgamating with Deep Creek in order to strengthen the Uniting Church Christian witness in the region, I am at the same time saddened that a faithful tradition will come to an end and more importantly, the opportunity for outreach and evangelism may diminish at a time when the need has never been so strong.
Having lived in Ringwood North since 1982, Linda and I have finally decided that it is time to worship locally and so our prayers are with the members of Wesley and Deep Creek as they forge a new future together Electing Christ’s light to the world.
The baptism of James Latimer 10/3/91. We also see brother Matt and proud parents Robert & Linda. In the background is the plaque commemorating the life & work of Robert's great great grand- father Henry White, who died in 1894.
Rev Clive & Margaret Skewes, with their daughter Josie, after James' baptism 10/3/91
Rev Howard Secomb 1982, marries Robert & Linda
Robert Latimer was privileged to act as one of the leaders of a very special group of Wesley young people in the early 1990s. Here we see many of the young people towards the end of a camp at Belgrave Heights 1992. Two years before, at an evening's youth activity to the top of Mt Donna Buang, an unscheduled detour saw many in the youth group drop into the Mitcham Private Hospital, where Robert & Linda's new born baby, James, was passed around the eager arms while Linda sat up in bed recovering from having given birth two days before.
The Future, 2005 & beyond
The people of Deep Creek are delighted to join with the people of Wesley in a new amalgamated congregation. Many of our families have had a strong association with Wesley, and many friendships go back quite a few years. 1 believe this indicates well for our fellowship together. The Deep Creek congregation are aware of the pain and grief that many of the Wesley people will feel as they move from their familiar surroundings. It’s also difficult to leave a place that is a reminder of so many wonderful memories and happy times.
At Deep Creek we pray that this will be an enriching time for our fellowship in Christ There will of course be many areas where our congregations have done things differently, but I am certain that with goodwill and a sense of humour we will be able to offer a stronger witness to the community.
Our prayers and good wishes are with you all. May God Bless and keep you.
Keith Ellisdon, Minister Deep Creek Uniting Church, 2004
"We have certainly felt very welcomed at Deep Creek. Every visit has found us meeting new people who have shown nothing but compassion and warmth for our family. Whilst we feel a sadness at the closure of Wesley, there is a great sense of anticipation for an exciting future at Deep Creek"
Kate & David Wilson
“I look for forward to joining with Deep Creek in the ministry and outreach of East Doncaster Uniting Church. I feel at home there, having worked on orchard properties in that area. Joyce & I enjoyed the warmth of their welcome on the day we worshipped with them."
Chas & Joyce Stevenson
Deep Creek Uniting Church dinner gathering, 2004.
After assessing all practical options and considering the needs and priorities of the Wesley congregation, the Wesley “Future Directions Committee” recommended amalgamation with a neighboring Uniting Church congregation.
The choice, at the end of the day, was between Deep Creek (East Doncaster) and Pilgrim (Doncaster).
Both congregations expressed a strong desire for Wesley to join with them and both, [in the long term] appear committed to working towards a regional Uniting Church that would eventually combine most of the other Uniting Churches in our vicinity for more effective outreach and growth.
There was difficulty in finally choosing between Deep Creek and Pilgrim because both offered a...
• Strong vision.
• Vibrant, welcoming congregation.
• Out-reach programmes to families and youth. Younger congregational profile.
• Stronger financial base than our own. Multiple services to appeal to different worship styles.
• Desire to work closely with Wesley [its groups and programmes] to assist in the transition.
• Similar “Christian culture” and “personality” to our own.
• Broad range of activities and programmes that might appeal to the Wes ley members.
• Desire to retain the Wesley property as a place of Christian worship, [possibly by an evangelical church initially] and as a [possible] useful resource should a wider regional Uniting church emerge down the track.
In the end the Wesley congregation voted in favour of joining the Deep Creek congregation.
A range of joint activities were then implemented in order to further build friendships and understanding in readiness for amalgamation from the beginning of 2005.
Deep Creek Uniting Church
Ministry Team
Minister - Rev Keith Ellisdon revkeith@deepcreek. org. au
Youth Minister - Sam Charlesworth sam@deepcreek.org.au
Family Ministry Coordinator - Chris Bairstow chris@deepcreek.org.au
Worship Services
- 9:00am This service attracts young families who may be new to church and others who prefer to worship and participate in Christian learning in a contemporary all-age setting. A band leads the singing. Holy communion is celebrated on the second Sunday of each month. The duration of the service is approximately 45 minutes. The service is led by Keith and Chris.
- 10:15am This service caters for people of all ages who prefer to worship in a more traditional style. The choir leads the singing. Music is provided by organ and piano. Holy communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. This service is led by Keith.
- Morning tea is available between the above two services so there is an opportunity for both groups to meet and chat. There are some Sundays throughout the year when these services are combined into a single morning service.
- 7:00pm This is a service with contemporary music from our own band. The service addresses current issues through the minister and guest speakers and is led by lay members of the congregation. Holy communion is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of each month. A fantastic supper is shared at the conclusion of the service.
Church Programs
- Baptisms: Baptisms are celebrated as a part of the regular Sunday worship services of the congregation, because baptisms require a commitment by the congregation to help and support parents to raise their children in the faith. Requests for baptism should be made to the Minister or Church Council. An alternative service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child is also offered. Baptisms outside the normal worship service may be performed at the discretion of the Minister and Church Council.
- Confirmation: Classes are held by the Minister for those members who express a desire to have their faith confirmed.
- Planned Giving Program: A system of weekly envelopes or Direct Debit is available for people who wish to commit themselves to giving a regular offering for the work of the church. This money is used for work within our own parish and also the wider work of the church in Australia and overseas. Contact person: Jeanette Bernet pgp@deencreek.org.au
- Bands: A group of enthusiastic musicians and singers help us lead in worship at each of our contemporary services. Contact persons: 9am service - Marg Lewis; 7pm service - Drew Hanna drew@deepcreek.org. au
- Choir: The choir helps us to lead in worship at the 10:15am Sunday morning service and also helps at special functions. Everyone is welcome to join. Practice is on Thursday evenings at 8pm in the church and on Sundays at 9am in The Hut.. Contact persons: Gabriel Fuller Marion Ellisdon
- Young People: So what is available for young people? Check out the Sunday 7pm service! Year 7-12 Youth Group NMC This is a social group for young people. The program is held each Friday evening from 7-9pm. Some evenings are held at the church, while others are to places like rockclimbing, mini-golf and events such as The Amazing Race. Contact Person: Emma Cramer emma@deepcreek. org. au Lisa Imms lisa@deepcreek.org.au
Social Activities
- Family Nights and Picnics: Approximately once per school term special family nights are held. Anyone who attends Deep Creek or participates in any of our programs is invited to attend. These events may be purely social or for the purpose of fundraising but are always good fun. Contact Person: Debbie Christie
- Outreach
- Spotlight on Christmas: Spotlight on Christmas aims to bring the true meaning of Christmas to children. A series of four Advent workshops are held prior to Christmas for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6. They are held on Wednesdays after school until 5pm. Each week the program includes afternoon tea, singing, crafts and story telling. The program involves many people from Deep Creek and the local community and caters for 150 children each week. Contact person: Chris Bairstow
- Easter Discovery: At Easter Discovery, primary school children learn about Easter through drama, stories, music and craft. Easter Discovery is held just prior to Easter. Eighty children attend this program and forty people assist with running it each year. Contact person: Chris Bairstow
- Ministry to older people: Over recent years our church has recognised the growing number of aged care facilities in our immediate area Pastoral visitors visit these homes, ministering to both our own church members and also to people of other denominations who have little or no contact with their previous churches. Contact persons: Beryl Cunningham Wal McDonald
- Pleasant Sunday Afternoons: Each year the church organises two or three Sunday afternoon programs of musical entertainment and ministry for older people and others who have little opportunity to attend places of entertainment. The pleasant Sunday afternoons provide these people with an opportunity to get out and enjoy an entertaining afternoon with a delicious afternoon tea. This program involves many people from Deep Creek providing transport, afternoon tea, hospitality and entertainment. Contact person: Wal McDonald
Children
- Playgroup: Playgroup is held each Tuesday morning during school terms from 10-11:30am. This outreach group caters for Mums or carers and their preschool children and provides an opportunity to get together and chat over a cuppa while the children play, paint and make things. Contact Person: Chris Bairstow
- Holiday Programs: Every Easter holidays we hold children's programs up at the church, the time and day varies from year to year. We also have a holiday program in the June-July holidays. This year we had a Go For Gold Program which was very successful. Contact Person: Chris Bairstow
- Spotlight on Christmas: Spotlight on Christmas is held every Wednesday for the four weeks leading up to the Christmas Holidays. There are plays, crafts, a live band and heaps of fun. Contact Person: Chris Bairstow
- Church Groups: Evening Home Groups Home groups are groups of people who meet regularly at night for fellowship, evangelism, nurture, pastoral care, personal growth and learning. These groups have a dual social/study focus. Contact persons: Peter and Dorothy Elliott (every fortnight) Margaret Charlton (every Friday evening)
- Walking Group: A group of walkers that meet at the church each Tuesday at 9:30am for a one hour walk at one of the beautiful walks in our area. Contact person: Dorothy Elliott
- Camping: A group of dedicated campers and others who enjoy the outdoors have a number of week end camps during the year at different locations. Everyone is invited to these fun weekends of relaxation. Contact person: Dorothy Elliott
- Craft and Laugh: Meets second and fourth Wednesdays at 8pm at Debbie Christie's. Bring along your needlework, crafts, hand sewing, mending, etc. Gold coin donation. Contact person: Debbie Christie
Music is an important part of worship at Deep Creek Uniting Church
NMC Camp Dec 2003, Deep Creek UC.
Just as He has been for the past one hundred and thirty eight years, God is always out ahead calling His people at East Doncaster to more wholehearted commitment and to entirely new tasks.
It is God alone who may Judge this Church’s faithfulness in the past. Our task is to remain sensitive to His leading in the present and ready to follow obediently in the future.
Based on a passage in the
EAST DONCASTER METHODIST CHURCH
CENTENARY PUBLICATION
Source: Looking back - looking forward : Wesley Uniting Church - East Doncaster (formerly Methodist Church) : 138 years of faithful Christian service, 1866-2004. (also titled East Doncaster Methodist Church centenary, 1866-1966)
Published in East Doncaster, Vic.by The Church, 2004https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/259777965
62 p. : ill., ports. ; 30 cm. Illustrated
Subjects: Wesley Uniting Church (East Doncaster, Vic.) -- History.; East Doncaster Methodist Church (East Doncaster, Vic.) -- History.; Methodist Church of Australasia -- Victoria -- East Doncaster -- History.; East Doncaster (Vic.) -- Church history.
Notes: "The first three chapters of this booklet are based on the centenary publication, produced in 1966. Additional photographs and documents have been included from the archives, with some content coming from the White family history book, Fruits of the orchard, published in 1999."--p. 1.
"Published on the occasion of the amalgamation with Deep Creek Uniting Church"--cover.
Libraries Australia ID 64462560
Further Copies from Deep Creek Uniting Church. Writing group: Hazel Astley, Ron Clough, Joan Clough, Robert Latimer. info@manninghamuc.org
Schramm's Cottage Verandah Memorial Plaques
Editor: These plaques to Henry White and James Kent were originally installed in the arch inside the entrance to Doncaster East Methodist Church in 19??. When the church was sold in 19??, they were donated to the Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society and installed in the verandah wall of Schramm's Cottage
Schramm Cottage verandah
Transcription:
Sacred to the memory
Henry White
A founder of the Doncaster E Methodist Ch who died Dec 6th 1894
Aged 71 years
And their works do follow them
Transcription:
Sacred to the memory
Henry White
A founder of the Doncaster E Methodist Ch who died Dec 6th 1894
Aged 71 years
And their works do follow them
Scared to the memory of
James Kent
Ons of the founders of the Doncaster E Methodist Ch
Who died 23 May 1911. Aged 73 years
Be ye faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.
James Kent
Ons of the founders of the Doncaster E Methodist Ch
Who died 23 May 1911. Aged 73 years
Be ye faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.
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