Planning is underway for a grand event to celebrate St Mary’s Anglican Church’s 170th anniversary, and organisers want to hear from those who have a connection to the church.
“We would be interested in hearing from people who may have some connection to St Mary’s especially if parents, grandparents, great grandparents were baptised, married or buried at St Mary’s,” Celebrations Committee coordinator Sandra Marriott said.
The church was consecrated on November 4, 1848 and the celebrations will take place from November 2 to 4.
The occasion will be marked with a Eucharist All Souls Day and morning tea on November 2, a Long Table Anniversary Dinner with guest speakers and entertainment on November 3, and a combined celebration Eucharist with returning Bishop Tom Wilmot.
Bishop Wilmot started off Cliff’s Kitchen and was instrumental in the establishment of Georgiana Molloy Anglican School.
Parish administrator and acting warden John Morris said St Mary’s had grown to be more than a church.
“It was the first major building in Busselton – it wasn’t even fully complete when the first service was held, it had a dirt floor,” he said.
“Early settlers such as the Bussells and Molloys were involved so it has been an extremely important part of the community for a long time.
“These days, as traditions have changed, our major role is helping those in the community that need it most with things like Cliff’s Kitchen, which does 110 meals every Wednesday.”
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