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Meet the moving church – one hundred years on

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Bacchus Marsh Uniting Church, The Buloke Times

This story starts in about 1880 when the residents of the small rural community of East Laen, about 10km southwest of Donald, decided to build themselves a Methodist Church.

Not much is known about this Church, but we can assume that it was a small wooden building, probably with a galvanised iron roof. This Church served its purpose for 45 years, but then, either because of its small size or its ageing structure, it was deemed no longer adequate, and the decision was made to build a new Church.

Thanks to the “The Donald Times” we accessed good records of the celebration of the opening of the new Church on November 16, 1924, and the following are excerpts from the words written at the time.

“…..warm sunshine prevailed on Sunday last, when the newly erected Methodist Church at East Laen was opened……. The new building erected beside the old Church, which had done good and faithful service for forty-five years and which has now been purchased by Mr H. Hancock, is walled with weatherboards and roofed with iron and is capable of seating a much larger congregation than the old one. Incorporated in the structure are a front porch, and vestry room. The interior of the building is nicely finished, being lined with fibrous plaster above the varnished Tasmanian hardwood dado, and ceiled with Wunderlich stamped metal, painted a light cream. Three stained glass windows of light amber shade and embellished with suitable symbols, executed in crimson and blue, admit the light and a raised dais has been provided for the choir. This is railed off in varnished Tasmanian hardwood of which the handsomely designed pulpit is also composed. The cost of construction was approximately ₤1000.”

A major feature of the new Methodist Church as mentioned above was the huge memorial stained glass window. This window is now recorded by Heritage Victoria and is best described in their words.

“The Memorial Window – On Sunday, November 16 (1924), the opening morning service was conducted by the Rev. D. J. Flockart and during the afternoon the Rev. J. W. Dean unveiled a stained glass window, presented to the Church by the family of Mr and Mrs C. R. Basset, in memory of their brother Maurice, who was killed in Ypres in 1917. Brooks, Robinson & Co. received an order from B.M. Basset in October 1924 for a window with three lights. The central light measured approximately 77 x 17 inches, and the two flanking lights were 66 x 17 inches. The subject of St George was depicted with head bowed and poised to slay the dragon beneath his feet. The emblems in the side windows represented Victory over Death and Peace.”

In the years following the opening of this Church little information has come to light. Maybe a decline in Church attendance and that rural population, and the closeness to Donald, led to its closing many years later. But a reprieve was at hand. Here at Bacchus Marsh, the small wooden Methodist Church built in 1890 was proving inadequate for the growing congregation, and in a light bulb moment, the decision was made to move the East Laen Church to serve as a new Methodist Church here in Bacchus Marsh. The move took place in 1961, and the East Laen Church, complete with stained glass windows, became the new Church, and the old Church became the hall. The location of these buildings was in Gell St on land now occupied by the shopping centre. So that became move one.

But more was to follow. In 1972, the local Methodist and Presbyterian Churches joined in preparation, together with the Congregational Church, for the formation of the Uniting Church of Australia in 1977. Now Bacchus Marsh had two Uniting Church complexes, and it became quite obvious that only one was needed, and that should be at the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian site. So, in another light bulb moment, it was decided that the Methodist Church (the East Laen one) should be moved to the St. Andrew’s site as an extra hall to help service the needs of a rapidly expanding town.

This shift took place in 1980, again with the stained glass window, and that became move two. Although it was suggested at the time it could be called “Wesley Hall” the name adopted was “Fellowship Hall”. In its new location, the Fellowship Hall (also referred to as the “Play Group Hall”) was put to use both to serve the newly combined Church as a Sunday School and also for refreshments following special services held in St Andrews.

In 1995 the old manse, which was located on the playground next to the Church, was demolished and opened up the space between the Church and Fellowship Hall. Then, in 2003, a decision was made to develop the Fellowship Hall as a play group centre for the Bacchus Marsh community and, together with a safe fenced-in playground where the old manse had stood, this is how we see the site today. Currently, there are 12 groups meeting in the course of an average week, catering for 80 to 100 families and at least 100 children.

100 years on and the East Laen Methodist Church is still very alive and active and continues to serve the community as it always has, even though it took two shifts to achieve this in its first centenary.

Note: East Laen Church and the East Laen School were side by side in the paddock on the right hand side of the driveway to Robert and Debbie Adams’s current home. There is a plaque marking the school.

The “Donald Times” November 18, 1924

East Laen’s new church opening services and presentations

“These walls we to Thy honour raise; Long may they echo to Thy praise.”

In marked contrast to the weather on the occasion of the opening of the Swanwater West Jubilee Church, warm sunshine prevailed on Sunday last, when the newly-erected Methodist church at East Laen was opened. Long before the appointed time (3 p.m.) members of the congregation and visitors from Swanwater, Jeffcott, Cope Cope, Avon Plains, Traynor’s Lagoon, Watchem, Donald, Rich Avon, Laen and Litchfield began to arrive, the array of cars being most imposing.

After the singing of the Doxology by those assembled outside the building, Mr. C. W. Basset presented Mrs. H. S. Pope, who had been a member of the congregation for years, with a silver key, with which she unlocked the door of the porch. Miss Maggie Pope presided at the organ as the congregation entered the church.

Memorial window

A feature of the construction of the church is the fine presentation window which has been placed in the porch. The window, which is of stained glass, is in three panels, the centre division depicting the armoured figure of St. George, the patron Saint of England, standing with drawn sword. Beneath the figure is the following inscription:

“To the Glory of God, and in loving memory of Maurice Walker Basset, killed in action at Ypres on the 9th of August, 1917. This window is presented by the members of the family, 16/11/24.”

The sides are occupied by representations of the Dove of Peace, bearing the olive branch, and, on the left, by the Crown of Life. The window is a splendidly-executed piece of work, in which the colours employed blend to the best effect, and was very much admired by those present.

As soon as the large congregation was seated, the Rev. J. W. Crean called on Mr. A. E. Basset to make the presentation, which he did in the following words: “On behalf of my late parents, and my brothers and sisters, I present to the congregation of the East Laen Methodist Church this window, in memory of our late brother, who was killed in the Great War.”

In returning thanks on behalf of the congregation, Rev. J. W. Crean remarked that, by a strange coincidence, it was just six years ago, to the day (16th November) since the late Mr. C. R. Basset, the father of the family who had made the presentation of the window, had laid the foundation stone of the Parsonage in Donald. Their thoughts went back to the deceased gentleman, who had done so much to establish Methodism in this district, and who had stamped the youth of the district with his personality, and with the likeness of Christ.

It was a happy thought that prompted the donors to choose the figure of St. George. When Richard of the Lion-Heart returned to England after his Crusades, and wished to establish a knighthood, he chose St. George as its patron. History had it that the great saint slew the dragon in order that the sacrificial offering of children to the monster should not continue. In the same way the sons of Australia had answered to the Empire’s call to protect their loved ones at home.

Mr. A. P. Bath, senior circuit steward, congratulated the congregation on having been presented with such a worthy memorial and spoke briefly on the value of prayer. Prayer in days not far distant, when the enemy was pressing forward in great numbers. While our soldiers were fighting, the people were praying for peace with victory.

Just as we could see God in the waters of the sea, bidding the incoming tide come “so far, and no further,” so could we see His hand in the stemming of the enemy’s advance.

As they looked at the window which had been presented, they stood in silent and solemn admiration of the soldiers who fell in the cause of righteousness.

The members of the young generation of today should strive to remember and act up to the great name which their brothers had established and should also remember that, if they learned to rely more on the power of prayer, they had a great future before them.

Presentation of Bible

Before the commencement of the afternoon service, Mr. H. S Pope, on behalf of Messrs. Pope brothers, presented to the church trustees a handsome volume of the Holy Bible, congratulating them on having erected such a fine building. Rev. J. Crean thanked the donor, for their generous gift. Services were conducted both in the afternoon and evening.

The Buloke Times 21 January 2025

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 21 January 2025.

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