Hemmant Christian Community Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hemmant Christian Community Church |
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Hemmant Christian Community Church, 2015
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| 27°26′56″S 153°07′35″E / 27.449°S 153.1265°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Union: non-denominational (since c. 1990s) |
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| History | |
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| Status | Church |
| Dedicated | November 1866 |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1865 – 1866 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Timber |
The Hemmant Christian Community Church is a special old church located at 69 Hemmant Road in Hemmant, Queensland, Australia. It's considered a heritage site, which means it's an important historical building. This church was built between 1865 and 1866. It started as a Methodist church and has been known by a few names over the years, including Hemmant Methodist Church and Hemmant Uniting Church. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
How the Church Began
This church first opened its doors in November 1866. It was originally called the Tingalpa Wesleyan Methodist Church. It served the Tingalpa area, which included Hemmant.
The Tingalpa district started to grow with farms around 1859. More people moved there after new rules for growing coffee and sugar came out in 1864. Many people started sugar farms along Doughboy Creek and the Brisbane River.
In 1865, a church leader named Reverend Beaizley asked for builders to help construct a Wesleyan Church. The church was officially opened in November 1866. Local people were very involved, including Angus Gibson, who was a church trustee for 50 years. This church, along with the Hemmant State School built in 1864, helped create the heart of the Hemmant village.
Changes Over the Years
At some point, the church building was made longer by about 5 meters. In 1947, many of the windows and most of the furniture inside were replaced.
The Hemmant Methodist Church became the Hemmant Uniting Church in the mid-1970s. This happened when the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches joined together in Australia. However, in 1988, the church closed because fewer people were attending. Luckily, a local community group saved the building from being torn down. It was then reopened as the Hemmant Christian Community Church, which is a non-denominational church, meaning it's open to all Christian faiths.
What the Church Looks Like
The Hemmant Christian Community Church is made of timber planks called weatherboard. It has a rectangular shape with a small porch at the front. On top of the front roof, there's a small structure called a bellcote that holds a bell. The roof itself is made of corrugated iron.
The front of the church has decorative timber pieces called scalloped barge boards. Along each side of the building, there are six windows designed in a Gothic style. These windows have special colored glass called leadlight and are memorials to the families who helped start the church. There are also two similar windows at the front.
Inside the church, the walls and ceiling are covered with horizontal timber boards that fit together tightly. A folding timber screen can divide the building into two parts. This separates the main church area from a meeting room.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Hemmant Christian Community Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it's recognized as an important historical place for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed: The church was built in 1865–66, making it one of the oldest churches in Brisbane. It shows how Methodism started in Queensland and how the Tingalpa/Hemmant area grew as a farming community in the late 1800s.
- It's a great example of its type: The building is a good example of a simple, 19th-century timber church built in the Gothic style in Queensland. For over 130 years, it has been a central part of the community.
- It has a special connection to the community: The church has been a community hub and a recognizable landmark for more than 130 years. It holds special meaning for the people who live in the area.
