The Parish of Yeronga: centenary address
Homilies & Addresses
“There have been many amazing priests who have served as caretakers of our Lord’s home here at Christ Church, Yeronga. I think one should be remembered for his ability to serve our Lord with a significant disability. The Rev’d AW Gilbert had only one arm, but this did not deter him from any of his duties, including riding his bicycle around the parish back in 1923,” said Christ Church, Yeronga parishioner Mary Neeve in her recent centenary address
Christ Church was dedicated by The Most Rev’d Gerald Sharp, Archbishop of Brisbane, at 3pm on 6 May 1923.
Everything you see today in the church, from the chalice, altar cross, priest’s desk, baptism font and pews were donated by parishioners when the church first opened. Everything is still in good condition and when we need anything repaired, the parish comes together to find the funds, which are usually donated by parishioners.
You will notice a bust of Christ in the church. It was given to the church in 1968 by parishioner Mrs Birmingham and originally belonged to Bishop Edward Tufnell, the first Bishop of Brisbane, in 1859. Its location has moved around in the church; however, when The Rev’d John Spring came, he placed the head facing out so that Jesus is watching over people as they come into the church.
The period of 1928 to 1932 was in the time of the Great Depression. Many were out of work and those still in employment were on a much reduced wage. As a result, a great deal of the rector’s time was taken up in trying to alleviate the distress of those who lost everything, including their homes. The Rev’d Benjamin Arthur Arnold formed a small committee within the parish to ensure no one who was sick lacked medical care or necessary medicine because they were unable to pay for it.
He made repeated requests at services for clothes, particularly children’s clothing, and non-perishable food items to help support the Yeronga community. The commitment to helping people in need has continued over the years. In the late 1990s and early 2000s we also used to have a food bank to help people who needed food.
The parish has always been driven to work with the local community. I remember the Parish Council meeting to discuss if opening an op shop was a viable option. The treasurer, Noel O’Connor, was concerned that we would not get enough items to sell. Well, one million dollars later, we surely did have enough items to sell. We started off with a couple who were experienced in the world of op shops then Robin Blackson retired from her day job and took the op shop to the next level. A big thank you must go to Robin Blackson and her team of volunteers over the years. I have fond memories of Dad, Mum and me working in the two op shops we had on a Saturday because we originally had a furniture shop and a clothing shop.
During The Rev’d Trevor Butler’s time as priest, he wanted to find a way to link the church to the community. That was when the Yeronga Community Centre was formed in conjunction with a group of people in Yeronga who were keen to form an outreach for the area. The Rev’d Trevor also said that if we only have one person who comes to know God by us having the Yeronga Community Centre then it will be worth it. Well we sure did. It became a good revenue stream for the parish and it connected us with the community, bringing new people to the parish.
We have had a number of ministry groups in the parish over the years, including the Women’s Guild, Girls’ Friendly Society and Mothers Union. In the late 90s we ran in-home Alpha courses that were extremely successful, as well as in-home prayer groups and bible studies. A Bible study group still meets today.
We were blessed to have an Ethiopian community meet weekly for services until they moved on to bigger premises after a number of years. In 2003 we were also blessed to have the Sudanese community call Christ Church, Yeronga their home and they have been thriving here ever since and are a major part of the church.
It is important to mention that this church would not be here today if it was not for all the wonderful parishioners we have had over the years. The first services were held in 1889 in a cottage owned by Mrs Dickie on land near the railway end of what is now Christensen Street.
If it was not for the weekly offering, donations and fundraising throughout the years and the bequests, we would not be here today. One person whom I feel it is important to mention and thank is the lovely Jean Major. She worked many years running the office prior to my mother, and continued a lovely working partnership with my mum for many years as they ran the office together. Jean’s love for our Lord Jesus and the parish was evident when she bequeathed the sale of her home to this parish upon her death. If it was not for her generously, it is unlikely that we would be standing here now. It goes to show you how very important a bequest can be to the continued running of a parish. Thank you, Jean, for your gift to this parish. I truly enjoyed the time we spend together.
There have been many amazing priests who have served as caretakers of our Lord’s home here at Christ Church, Yeronga. I think one should be remembered for his ability to serve our Lord with a significant disability. The Rev’d AW Gilbert had only one arm, but this did not deter him from any of his duties, including riding his bicycle around the parish back in 1923. This was the only way he could get around to visit everyone.
So, I would like to finish with a big thank you to everyone who has made Christ Church, Yeronga what it is today. We might be a small parish, but our love for the Father, Son and Holy Sprit is truly something to be proud of. We will continue to do our bit to grow this parish so that our Lord can do his work. May God bless you all this day.
Author’s note: While this centenary address focused on past Parish of Yeronga clergy and initiatives, I would like to take this opportunity to honour and thank our current priest, The Rev’d Rebecca King, for her faithfulness, care, courage, generosity and wisdom.
Editor’s note: This address was given at The Parish of Yeronga on 7 May 2023. It has been amended for publication on anglican focus.
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