The
monthly Anglican Diocese of Bendigo
august 2015
issue 112
End of an era: Members gather outside All Saints’ Old Cathedral as Bishop Andrew reads the deconsecration certificate
All Saints Old Cathedral farewelled Hugh Elphinstone
O
ne hundred and sixty years of Christian history came to an end on Sunday 5 July, with the closure of the View Hill Fellowship (VHF) and deconsecration of All Saints’ Old Cathedral.
Bishop Andrew Curnow deconsecrated the church building at the close of the final communion service, which was celebrated by the Revd Eddie Barkla. The congregation formed a procession and lit candles representing Jesus Christ the Light of the World, as they left the building. Outside the building, Bishop Andrew read from Revelation 3:7: “He who has
Inside:
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the key of David, He who opens and noone shuts, and shuts and no-one opens.”
cathedral following the establishment of the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo in 1901.
“As one door closes another will open,” he said. “We go forth as your people – may we be your messengers of hope bearing Christ’s light into the world.”
The building was extended in the 1930s, when plans were drawn up for a new stone-clad Cathedral with a large spire, however, the new Cathedral was never finished due to a lack of money and the start of World War Two.
The doors were then closed for the last time. A history of All Saints’ The first Anglican service was held in a tent on the site in 1851 with the first church built there in 1855, but it was blown away in a storm four years later. The stone wall facing Forest Street is part of the All Saints Church that was built in the 1860’s and consecrated by Bishop Charles Perry of Melbourne. All Saints became a
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The church was All Saints Cathedral until 1981, when St Paul’s in Myers Street became the Anglican Cathedral for Central and Northern Victoria. Unfortunately All Saints closed in 1989 due to a lack of members. The View Hill Fellowship (VHF) has worshipped in the building for the past 25 years.
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