THE St James’ Anglican Church 150th celebrations start on the night of Saturday 5 July when the church community gathers for a gala dinner.
The dinner will be staged at Waverly Golf Course, 82 Bergins Road, Rowville. Tickets are $55. Contact Margo Hartley on 0419 888 426.
On Friday 18 July a celebration concert will be staged at the Drum Theatre.
The entertainment program includes church organist Jeremy Smith, folk duo Folk Us, harpist Claire Patti, Daughters of the King choir, the City of Greater Dandenong Band, the Savoy Singers and The Parkers, a quartet comprising Father Parker’s four children, Rebekah, Tom, Penni and Prue.
The concert will be compared by young St James’ members Jacob Wright and Tatiana Devendranath.
Tatiana said for her St James’ offered a blend of both traditional and more relaxed practices.
“While our church is steeped in tradition and history, the easygoing people and clergy create an atmosphere of vibrancy and fun.
The congregation is a family; we delight in each other’s joy and share the pain of each other’s sorrows.
Our culturally diverse community allows us to enjoy the traditions of different cultures, especially through food and language.
“As a young person, I particularly appreciate how our community is multi-generational.
“I enjoy learning from the people around me of all ages; from the children at Sunday school who cannot read yet, to the seniors with countless stories to tell.”
Jacob has been attending St James’ his entire life, having been baptized there in November 1991 by The Reverend Alan Baker.
Jacob has also been a supporter of St James’s outreach programs to the local community, being a joint compere, alongside Ian McDonald, in the 2009, 2010 and 2012 St James’ concerts, and narrator in the 2011 and 2013 St James’ Christmas pageants.
Tickets for the gala concert are adult $25, concession $20 and children under 12 free.
Contact Ian McDonald at imcdonal3@bigpond.com.au.
On Sunday 20 a procession starts a full day of celebrations.
The procession will leave the Jim Dandy Hotel at 9am and make its way to the church in Langhorne Street.
The Jim Dandy Hotel, which was previously Dunbar’s Hotel, was where the first Anglican church services were held in Dandenong.
Reverend Parker will lead a special church service at 10am followed by a luncheon. There will be a second church service that evening at 7pm.
Celebrations continue in September with a flower festival on the weekend of 20 and 21.
Two books have also been produced to mark the sesquicentenary – one on the history of St James’ and another on the church’s magnificent stained glass windows.
– Narelle Coulter
