By Kath Gannaway
Powelltown is celebrating two historical milestones in April, starting with the 90th anniversary of the Powelltown Union Church on Sunday, 9 April.
The Powelltown Hall will mark its centenary with a weekend of celebrations on 29 and 30 April.
Dawn Adams from the Public Hall and Union Church Committee said the celebrations would be an opportunity for the local community, and visitors with or without a connection to the historic timber town, to come together and see the restoration of both buildings that are ensuring their survival.
Powelltown Union Church, built in 1927, has high local significance as one of the few Union Churches remaining in Victoria.
Work on the church has been carried out over the past few years, topped off with a new roof, just recently completed. It has seen it reclaim its presence as a well-loved non-denominational place of worship and celebration.
“A lot of people have very generously donated to funding the church and restoring it, including a beautiful new kitchen, and the new roof, and we’re just thrilled with the whole thing,” Ms Adams said.
Lay preacher Henk Boer, who has been officiating at services in the church since the 1950s, will lead a thanksgiving service on Sunday at 10.30am, followed by a ‘bring a plate’ morning tea at the hall.
The gesture of thanksgiving is well deserved. Ms Adams said the church and the hall had survived a number of devastating bushfires, not to mention rising above potential enemies such as termites, and even progress!
Plans for the centenary weekend are very much more grand, and well underway, but Ms Adams said the church held a very special place in the hearts of many, and they were hoping for a good crowd to fill the church and more.
Locals and visitors are asked to take along a plate of food for a communal morning tea.
For further information, phone Ms Adams on 5966 7431.
