Shannon Methodist Church
| Type of organisation: | Religious
|
| Street name: | Corner of Long Plains Road and Lyons Road |
| Town or locality: | Calomba South Australia |
| Date established: | 1873 |
| Ceased operation: | 1957 |
| Established by: | Primitive Methodist people |
| Business or purpose: | Religious services, religious education, social gatherings |
An official program printed for the Jubilee of the Shannon Methodist Church held on July 15th 1923 includes the following information:
"If it be true that we live in deeds, not years, then the men who pioneered the mallee lands of Dublin (known as the 30 mile scrub) must surely deserve honour. Fifty years ago these fertile plains, now the envy of the agriculturist, securely fenced and subdivided, dotted here and there with comfortable homesteads, many of which have electric light and all modern conveniences, were covered with dense mallee scrub. The adventure proved the acid test of character, and of some it must be said "weighed in the balance and found wanting" but some endured to the winning of success.
Of the enduring few there were some who, while keen on the conquering of the mallee and the growwing of wheat, believed that "man shall not live on bread alone" and believed in the communion of saints - saints who countered for something on the business end of a grub axe in the biting cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer, who could make bread and sew in a pine and pug one-roomed hut and wear a smile seven days a week.
But the temple of God made by hands was not as yet built, there was no lofty spire bidding man to look upward to higher things, no sweet music to charm him from the rough conditions of his daily enviroment, but there was something within him that compelled , like Israel's sweet singer to cry: "As the hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee o God."
Men with haearts big enough to face a mallee allotment are not likely to want something very much for long. We expect them to act, "Act in the living present, heart within and God overhead', and these men acted with the result - Shannon Church.
The real church - a body of men and women who seek to follow their Lord was "born again" (not built) some time previous to building operations starting, and Divine services were held in the homes of disciples.
The homes of Messrs Baker and G.N.Johnson were ever open for the assembling together of saints (and possibly a sprinkling of sinners) with the late Rev. S. Gray being the minister. The growing cause soon demanded a home of its own, and the Rev. S. Gray and Mr. N.Lindsay set forth to spy out the land, and after many inspections decided on the present site.
The ground was donated by the Messrs Wright Bros., but the present trust has quite recently purchased at a nomial figure from Mr Rowe, the fine V-shaped block in front of the church.
Plans and specifications of the original building were prepared by the Rev. J.S.Wayland. The stone work was carried out by Mr. Jonathon Porter, the wood work by Mr. Joseph Smith, and Mr. Uffindale made the furniture.
Messrs G.N.Johnson., N.Lindsay, J.Davis, Stephen Davis, J.T. Sutton, R.Cooper and C.Carslake were on the first trust. The present trust is composed as follows: Messrs G.N. and A.H.Johnson, N.W.Rowe, E.Johnson, H.G.Clark, H.F.Johnson, E.Young, C.W.Burnard and F.Pritchard..
Opening servicesss were arranged for July 17, 1873. The building (although incomplete) was dedicated to the glory of God, and then on the completion of the work, these Israelites (in whom there couldn't possibly be any guile) did it all over again. The opening services were conducted by Rev.J.S.Wayland and S.J.Nicholls and proved wonderfully successful.
What a record. This is the year of the jubillee - fifty years of the unfailing goodness of God!
To be continued
External Links
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Sources
- Shannon Methodist Church Jubilee Souvenir 1873 - 1923
Memories of Shannon Methodist Church
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