Dec2014_Historic church gets a facelift

A piece of Dayboro’s history has received a long-awaited facelift, thanks to an army of volunteers and support from businesses.

Driving up McKenzie Street over the past couple of months, it was hard to miss the scaffolding surrounding St Aidan’s Anglican Church.

Members of the parish men’s ministry team rolled up their sleeves, and the building now has a fresh coat of paint for only the cost of the scaffolding hire and paint – plus a lot of elbow grease.  The church has thanked Dulux and Galraith Scaffolding for their contribution to the project. 

The weekly 8.30am Sunday service continued throughout, as congregation members entered through gaps in the scaffolding and enjoyed an after-church cuppa and cakes among paint pots and tarps.

Built in 1911, the church and its congregation have supported the community through droughts, floods and two world wars.  The little wooden building was knocked down by a cyclone in 1929, when current lifelong members Jean Heathwood and Hazel Fealy were only tiny tots.  The materials were stored under Hazel’s family home just down the road, and used to reconstruct the church the following year.

Theirs are not the only district families to maintain a connection to the church over multiple decades.  Several generations of the Bradley family recently returned to St Aidan’s for the baptism of one of their newest members.

Mod-cons like air-conditioning and data projectors have accompanied St Aidan’s into its second century, but the building retains a distinctive historic atmosphere, with its polished floor, historic pews and dark interior wood panelling.

The church is now being decorated in preparation for Christmas celebrations.  

A communion service with carol singing will be held on Christmas Eve, December 24 at 7pm.

“Everyone is invited, even if you don’t normally go to church,” said Acting Rector Bruce Worthington.  “We’d love to welcome you, and help get your family Christmas celebrations off to a joyful start.”