Christ Church Melton

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Our History

| Background | 1840-1869 | The Captain Moonlight Period | 1870-1880 | 27th October 1872| 1890's | 1900-1920 |1920-1954| 1960-Present |
|Ministers of Christ Church | Church Photos |


Christ Church Melton is a parish steeped in history, yet very much an active and on-going parish

The old bluestone church - now demolished

Background

Melbourne was settled by John Batman on April 26th, 1836, yet just over a year later the area, later to become the Parish of Djerriwarrh, was mapped out. Land sales were advertised for December 1840 however the previous October the Pyke brothers, William and Oliver, were already settling down on 5,437 acres at Penny Royal Creek. Bringing out two more brothers and a sister to join them in the 1840's.

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1840-1869

When the Melbourne Diocese was proclaimed on 25th June 1847 there was no place of worship at Penny Royal Creek. (Later renamed Toolern Creek and still running through the Melton Valley Golf Course.) By January 1849 members of the Protestant faith were meeting in Mr. Worthington’s Temperance Hotel. They eventually moved to a newly built Combined Protestant Church on the 5th July 1857. (This wooden building, pine lined with six windows was capable of seating 100 persons and cost 200 pounds. It was eventually sold to the first Presbyterian Minister nine and a half years later and was converted to a school.)

The rush to the gold fields saw people going through Melton to get to Ballarat, hence the first licensed premises started in 1856 and was known as the Golden Fleece. A Hotel is still on the site today. With new settlers in the area The Very Rev’d. Hussey Burgh McCartney, Lord Bishop of Melbourne, Registrar Mr. T. T. A’Beckett and others had gazetted one and a half acres of land on the comer of Unit and Yuille Streets Melton.

Building began on the 3rd October 1865 with the foundation stone laid by Mrs. Martha Staughton, Granddaughter of another earlier settler in the district, Simon Staughton. On only eighteen inch foundations the pioneers began to build our bluestone Church.

A donation of 200 pounds from the Estate of Simon Staughton was first used an when the money ran out in 1867 there were only four walls standing to show for it. In order to finish the building, the floor and the roof were provided by public subscription, after two years of the building being left vacant. The first service in the completed building was conducted in January 1869, the Parish being connected to Holy Trinity Bacchus Marsh.

1869 Toolern Vale Primary School 946 was built.

1870 Melton Primary School 430 was built.

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 The Captain Moonlight Period

The first preacher's records begin in October 1868 with the flamboyant Lay reader from Bacchus Marsh, Andrew George Scott, placing his signature in the Register. He subsequently held seven Services in the Melton district between 8th November and the 27th December 1868. He must have been popular as a preacher with the records indicating that on Wednesday 11th November he attracted 44 persons to a gathering at Rockbank.

In May 1869 Captain Moonlight held up the Mount Edgerton Bank and was recognized as Preacher Scott. Two innocent persons took the blame. Before the trial he bade farewell to Bacchus Marsh, being presented with a gold watch and chain by the parishioners as a token of their appreciation. He was eventually caught, charged and found guilty in 1872. He served seven years in total at Pentridge. After release in 1879 he found his way to the Wagga Wagga District of New South Wales, resuming bushranging, he was later hanged for murder on the 20th January, 1880 in Sydney, at the age of 37. A living link through his own handwriting in our archives.

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1870-1880

Ministers from Bacchus Marsh had to be tireless travellers in their many visits to outlying areas. For example Services in Exford commenced in October 1869, Rockbank October 1871, Yalok Vale November 1871 (now Toolern Vale*) and Commaida Lime Kilns in February 1872.

* Monthly services still being held there until December 1996.

27th October 1872

Bishop Perry consecrated the now fully completed Christ Church Melton for the uses of the Church of England forever. (84 persons being in attendance.)

Trinity College Melbourne also commenced in the same year. 

1873 The Diocese of Ballarat was established.

Within a 40'x 22' 6" bluestone edifice with a tower over the porch, with a temporary wooden cable and zinc covering, the Melton Church Of England members worshipped. They continued this way until 1903. Their building was nothing in comparison to the proposed St. Paul's Cathedral whose foundation stone was laid in 1880.

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1890's.

27th June 1897 The Rev'd. F.W. Gibb records that an afternoon Service to celebrate the Diocesan Jubilee was held, 34 members being in attendance with an offering of one pound one and threepence.
20th March 1897 He also held a Temperance Sunday with 35 in attendance.
27th March 1897 The first regular evening, services commenced with 26 worshippers.
23rd October 1897 Hospital Sunday was observed.
5th January 1899 Golden Jubilee Celebrations of worship in the district.
23rd April 1899 Harvest Festival was observed. The Sunday School hall was built in 1899, it is now the Opp-Shop in the current Church. An organ was also purchased in that year.

 

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1900-1920.

1st January 1901 The Rev'd. J.W. Prentice records a special Service to commemorate the inauguration of the Commonwealth Of Australia. 36 people were in attendance on this occasion.
27th January 1901 A Commemoration Service for the death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.
2nd February 1901 A Service was held for the burial of Queen Victoria.
10th August 1902 A Celebration Service for the Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII.
2nd September 1902 Kneelers were first used in a worship service.
29th May 1903 Whitsunday, a dedication of the Captain Tom Staughton Memorial Window by his widow. 58 in attendance at a Morning Service.
3rd October 1903 The foundation Stone for the new Chancel was laid by Mrs. Staughton the widow of popular MLA Tom Staughton. He had died earlier in the year of peritonitis at the age of twenty seven. Canon Henry Lowther Clark, the new Archbishop Of Melbourne, signed the Register. Also present was the Prime Minister Of Australia Mr. Alfred Deakin who was also the Federal Member for Ballarat. The Chancel. completed in 1904, was designed by architect W.A.M. Blackett.
1906 The Parish of Christ Church Melton separated from it's Mother Church. Holy Trinity Bacchus Marsh.
1907 A weatherboard Vicarage was erected. This building housed Vicars until 1954 and was demolished in 1985.
15th April 1909 A Confirmation service was conducted by Archbishop Clark.
27th September 1911 Confirmation was again conducted by Archbishop Clark. Services were also commenced at Melton South in this year.
1912 Saw the installation of eight acetylene lamps in the Church.
January l9l7 Services commenced at Sydenham West. It was recorded that a horse and buggy were donated by the parishioners to the Vicar to assist his transportation.

The call of King and Country came in 1914-1918. Men of the Parish who volunteered are perpetuated on a memorial tablet which is located in the Narthex of the Church.

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1920-1954.

1923 The Melton South Primary School No.3717 was established.
1939 The following summary is an extract of the Annual Reports: "65 Services conducted at Melton, 21 at Melton South, 10 at Exford, 10 at Mount Cotterill, 3 at Rockbank and 3 at Toolern Vale."
1940 Electricity was connected to the Church as a result of a bequest.
1947 The 75th Anniversary Service for the Parish was attended by Lady and Sir Edmund Herring.
1954 The last resident Vicar of the weatherboard Vicarage, the Rev'd. W.G. Vizard departed. Returning us to the fold of Bacchus Marsh. This arrangement was maintained until 1971.

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1960-Present.

1968 The future of the bluestone Church became a discussion agenda at Vestry Meetings.
1970 Plans for a new vicarage were proposed.
1971 The restoration of the bluestone Church was deferred due to costs estimated at approximately $150,000.00.
1972 Centenary of the Consecration of the Bluestone Church
Centenary Consecration Service and Information Booklet
(pdf  1.1MB) 
The Young Wives Group was formed, called Caritas, an arm of the Mother's Union. 
The Vicarage was completed in November, in time for the induction of the Rev'd. Christopher Shields. 
1973 Saw the review of the old vicarage and its usage.
1975 The bluestone Church continues to deteriorate; increased movement in the foundations enlarges the visible cracks in the walls.
1976 The old vicarage is renovated to a functioning Sunday School, Meeting Rooms and Vicar's Office.
1977 The Sunday School Roll records 100 attendee's.
1978 A new Organ was purchased. Work on a Memorial Garden was commenced.
1980 The Vicarage was fully paid for.
1981 Discussion commenced on a possible new worship centre. The bluestone Church was deteriorating rapidly.
1983 The plans for a new worship centre were publicly displayed.
1984 November saw the laying of concrete foundations for a new worship centre. The Diocesan Engineer and Architect have by now declared the bluestone building dangerous for occupancy. Archbishop Penman conducted a Confirmation Service in the building at which pieces of plaster from the ceiling of the Sanctuary fell upon his person. Following this event the layout of the Church was reversed so as to conduct services from the western end of the building.
1985 11th August saw the dedication of the new worship centre. 
Dedication Service for New Worship Centre (pdf 1.3Mb) 
Local newspaper article on Worship Centre (pdf 650kb) 
Church Scene article about Worship Centre 23/8/1985 (pdf 345kb) 

The weatherboard Vicarage was demolished.
The new worship centre is fully utilised
1987

Playgroups are established. After-School programs are commenced.

1990 The Church Army commenced a Youth ministry in the Parish.  Captain Bruce Ollington Church Army Officer.

Youth Linkage, a ministry to youth on the streets.
T.G.I.F. (Thank God It's Friday) for teenagers ranging from 16 upwards.

Y.A.C-P.A.C. (Young Adult Christians with a Personal Awareness of Christ) ranging in ages from 12 to 16. Conquerors. (Older Sunday School children Bible Study Group)

Emmaus a 16 to 22 year old discipleship group being a few of the initiatives undertaken during the ministries of Captains Bruce Ollington and David Woodyard.

1993 July 23rd saw the dissolution of Christ Church Restoration Steering Committee. This committee had explored many avenues towards preservation of the bluestone building. Unfortunately time and economics were against their endeavours.
1994 The Shire of Melton took out a Make Safe or Demolish Order against the bluestone building. The Shire engineers stating, that the west wall was now freestanding. If it were to fall the debris line would be inside Melton Primary School Playground. The building, was demolished in May. The stained class windows went to St.Matthews Albury. All memorial plaques, tablets and stones have been kept and will be incorporated into the proposed Memorial Garden.
1996 Saw the completion of the Memorial Garden.
1997 Saw the restoration and erection of all memorabilia from the bluestone building incorporated into both the new worship Centre and the Memorial Garden. The west garden was further developed through installation

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Ministers of Christ Church

October 1868 A.G. Scott. Licensed Layreader
June The Rev'd. F.W. Henry Cooper
13th June 1869-1872 The Rev'd. John Gorlick
16th June 1872-1879 The Rev'd. A.J. McCausland
1879-1897

The Parish was incorporated into the Parish of Holy Trinity Bacchus Marsh

March 1897-1901 The Rev'd. Frederick H. Gibbs
July 1901-1902 The Rev'd. H.B. Hewitt
January 1902-1903 The Rev'd. Frederick William Rettie
November 1902-1903 The Rev'd. Stanley Cragg
January 1904-1905 The Rev'd. C.L.H. Cox
January 1905-1906 The Rev'd. S.E. Maxted
May 1906-1911 The Rev'd. A.S. Dendy
May 1911-1915 The Rev'd. Perry Martin
August 1915-1917 The Rev'd. J.H. Allen
April 1917-1918 The Rev'd. F.S. Love
September 1918-1919 The Rev'd. George B. Rogers
September 1919-1927 The Rev'd. A.R. Cambell
April 1927-1929 The Rev'd. H.L. Kendell
May 1929-1930 The Rev'd. D.D. Carruthers

1930-1937

The Parish was incorporated into the Parish of Holy Trinity Bacchus Marsh

October 1937-1939 The Rev'd. C.J. Nash
July 1909-1941 The Rev'd. Frederick. Moling
October 1941-1944 The Rev'd. L.K. Dentith
March 1944-1947 The Rev'd. Colin J. Cohn
January 1948-1952 The Rev'd. W.G. Vizard
1952-1962

The Parish was incorporated into the Parish of Holy Trinity Bacchus Marsh

1962-1967 The Rev'd. Phillip Adkins
1967-1973 The Rev'd. John (Jack) Goodridge
1972-1974 The Rev'd. Christopher Shields
Sept. - Dec. The Rev'd. John McGlashan
1975-1979 The Rev'd. George Knack
Sept. - Nov The Rev'd. Donald Palmer
1979-1986 The Rev'd. Roy Gabb
1987-1992 The Rev'd. Lynton Wade
January 1993- Sept 2001 The Rev'd. Robert Norman Presland
Sept - Dec 2001 The Rev'd. Lance Lawton (Locum)
18 Dec 2001 - present The Rev'd Bruce Ollington
11 May 2003 - present Trevor Bell - Community Pastor

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Researched by Mrs Carolyn Mac Gavin.
Information obtained from Preachers Register Christ Church Melton 1868-1962.
1962-1996 Mrs J.A. Bilszta. The 1997 Presedent of Melton District Historical Society.
"Melton: Plains of Promise" by Joan Starr.
"Christ Church Melton. 1872-1972" A Parish Booklet.