St Lucia Uniting Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Lucia Uniting Church |
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St Lucia Uniting Church on approach
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| 27°30′04″S 152°59′45″E / 27.5011°S 152.9957°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Uniting (since 1977) |
| Previous denomination | Presbyterian {1952 – 1977) |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Lucia Presbyterian Church |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | May 1951 |
| Founder(s) | Presbyterian Church of Queensland |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Ronald Martin Wilson |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1952 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Lucia |
| Presbytery | Bremer Brisbane |
| Synod | Queensland |
The St Lucia Uniting Church is a special church building in St Lucia, Queensland, Australia. It is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register because of its history and design.
This church was built in 1952. It was designed by an architect named Ronald Martin Wilson. The church was first known as the St Lucia Presbyterian Church. It was built for the local Presbyterian community. Later, it became part of the Uniting Church. This was the first big project Ronald Martin Wilson worked on after World War II.
Contents
History of the Church
Before this church was built, the Presbyterian community in St Lucia had to go to the Toowong Presbyterian Church. As more people joined, they needed their own church closer to home.
Early Worship Places
In the late 1940s, many young Presbyterians had religious classes. These classes were held in a room at the local Ironside State School. In August 1947, a special event happened. An old army hut was moved to St Lucia. It was set up as a temporary place for the community to worship. Reverend James Frederick McKay preached there. Even though it was a temporary spot, the Presbyterian Church of Queensland knew a permanent church was needed.
Building the New Church
Plans were made for a new, permanent church. The budget for this new building was £6000. It was going to be built on two pieces of land on Hawken Drive in St Lucia. This location was very close to the temporary army hut.
The Architect and His Design
The main architect for the St Lucia Uniting Church was Ronald Martin Wilson (1886–1967). His family business was called R. Martin Wilson, Architect and Architectural Engineers. Ronald Martin Wilson, like his father, was an honorary architect for the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.
Wilson's Connection to St Lucia
The Wilson family moved to St Lucia in 1937. They were part of the church community at the nearby Toowong Presbyterian Church. Because of his strong ties to the community and his role in the church, Ronald Martin Wilson was a great choice for this project. His son, Blair Mansfield Wilson, shared that architects often got jobs based on their community connections.
Wilson's Church Designs
Ronald Martin Wilson was very good at designing churches. His design for the Ithaca Presbyterian Church in 1927 was a big inspiration. That church is now in Paddington. The St Lucia church was the first major church project for his firm after his father passed away in 1938. It was also the first big project after World War II ended. Over the years, Wilson designed other buildings for the Presbyterian Church. These included homes for children and elderly men. So, the St Lucia church was an important step in his work after the war.
Church Design and Style
Many Presbyterian churches in Queensland followed old building styles. But the St Lucia Uniting Church was different. It was designed to meet the needs of the Presbyterian community. It also helped solve the problem of not having many building materials after World War II.
Materials and Construction
Ronald Martin Wilson's son, Blair, said that bricks and other materials were hard to find. But his father managed to get them for the church. This was important, even if it made building a bit slower. Using bricks became a family tradition. Blair Wilson also used bricks in his later designs, like the Kindler Memorial Theatre.
Design for Worship
Wilson's design for the church focused on two main ideas of the Presbyterian faith:
- Equality: The Presbyterian faith believes everyone is equal. So, the church's pulpit (where the minister speaks) is only slightly raised. This makes everyone in the church feel equal. There is also not much decoration on the pulpit.
- Clear Hearing: It's very important to hear the minister's sermon clearly. The church has a short Latin cross shape. The transepts (the arms of the cross) hold the organ and choir. This design makes the church feel cozy. The dark brick inside helps create a quiet space. This way, everyone can feel connected to the minister and the sermon.
The community was very thankful for Wilson's work. They even put up a special stone to thank him.
Community Involvement
The people in the community were very involved with their church. Even before the current church was built, they helped out a lot.
Helping Hands
When the army hut was moved from Enoggera to St Lucia, many church members volunteered. They helped with the moving process. Later, when the new church was being built, they couldn't help with the construction itself. However, a professor from the nearby University of Queensland, Mansergh Shaw, built the belfry (bell tower) in his free time. He gave it to the new church in 1953. The original bell tower is no longer there.
A Popular Place
The church was very important to the community. At its official opening ceremony, more than 150 people had to sit outside. The inside of the church was completely full!
The Church Today
Since it was built in the 1950s, the St Lucia Presbyterian Church has changed ownership. It is now part of the Uniting Church of Australia. The church is now called the St Lucia Uniting Church. Reverend Mandy Smith is the current minister, and she preaches every Sunday. The church community still has strong ties to the local Ironside State School. They help with the weekly religious education program there.
