The little Anglican church of St Thomas which has played a vital part in the lives of many Glen William families will close its doors at the end of this month when it will be deconsecrated.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The first church was built on the site in 1855 on land donated by the Lattimore family, and the current church was built in 1897.
In its 122 years history, generations of local people have attended the church for services of worship, weddings, baptisms and funerals.
A spokesman for the congregation, Steve Gorton, said the church will be sorely missed by many.
"We are very sad to be losing the church," he said.
"We had a committed congregation and our monthly services usually had a good roll up.
"However, recent changes within the Diocese have forced the closure of many small centres and it seems that these changes have finally caught up with Glen William.
"We are very proud of St Thomas’ efforts over the years. Many men and women have served on the Vestry and Guild and we once boasted a Sunday School.
"The church has made donations to community causes and has been a significant contributor to the Parish Mission effort.
"Many of our congregation have supported the Clarence Town Parish by taking on positions on Parish Council and acting as Synod representatives."
The church grounds include a well maintained cemetery, which is the resting place of many family and community members.
Even though worship will no longer be held on the site, the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle has determined that the cemetery can continue to be used as a burial site into the foreseeable future, with 47 reservations for the cemetery.
"We would very much like to see anyone who has had anything to do with St Thomas come and join us on Sunday, March 31 at 9.30am for the Deconsecration Service," said Mr Gorton.
"We will be presenting some cherished items from church back to families, and our World War 1 Honour Roll will be presented to the Clarence Town Anzac Committee.
"We will be concluding the day with morning tea and a final Harvest Auction.
"We feel that we have been very fortunate to have had our church for so many years, and even though it is a sad day, it is also an opportunity to for us to celebrate the life and work of our church of St Thomas."