Most locals and visitors to Kiama see the Anglican church – the little white church on the hill at the eastern end of Terralong Street – not only as a piece of heritage but as a notable landmark of the town.
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Home to a weekly service at 8am each Sunday, it also hosts many weddings, funerals, memorial services and baptisms each year.
The largest funeral in 2018 was Ian Farquhar, director of custodial corrections for the southern region and the largest service was in September to honour and acknowledge the great work of NSW Police.
It’s not the first Anglican Church built in Kiama. The current building replaced an earlier small church built of local cedar at the corner of Bong Bong and Manning Streets.
The current white church was built of blue metal rubble and plastered to resemble stone, and was opened and dedicated on January 13, 1859.
So, January 13, 2019 marks its 160th anniversary.
Since construction many changes have been made.
A unique ceiling was constructed in 1872 in the shape of an inverted ship hull. As well, the bell tower was added in 1922 (as the Soldiers’ Memorial Tower to honour those who fought in WWI). A pipe organ (now 105 years old), many stained glass windows and a gallery were added before construction of a Sunday School Hall in the grounds and a Rectory in 1896.
Inside are memorials to many former parishioners dedicated on windows, tablets, plaques and church furniture, and of note outside there is a small grave proudly housing First Fleeter, Corporal James Gowan.
To celebrate the 160th anniversary, there will be a special service on Sunday, January 13 at 8am to which everyone is invited.
The church will remain open all day for guided tours or casual viewing.
From tiny beginnings recorded as early as 1827, worship was held in barns, on verandahs and in private homes before Kiama was gazetted as a town in 1829 to the ‘service’ conducted by the first Minister, Rev Frederick Wilkinson at Black Beach under the Moreton Bay fig tree in 1836, Anglicans have a proud history of serving the community.
“Whether you have a faith or are just interested in heritage listed buildings, we hope you will help us celebrate 160 years of that little white church at Church Point by visiting on Sunday, January 13,” Senior Minister Steve Stanis said.