Auchenflower-Milton - Anglican Church Southern Queensland

Anglican Parish of
Auchenflower – Milton
Location
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The Parish of Auchenflower – Milton
Contents
Vision Statement for the Parish of Auchenflower-Milton
Parish History
Demographics of the Parish
Parish Staffing
Church
Active Ministries
Characteristics & Traditions
Financial Information
Photo Gallery
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Vision Statement for the Parish of Auchenflower-Milton
The parish exists chiefly to:
 Minister with people in the Auchenflower/Milton area, making opportunities for
outreach, worship, study and prayer and providing a centre where interest groups
may meet and contribute to the work of extending the Kingdom of God.
 To be a place of sanctuary in the midst of a busy and noisy city.
 To provide ministry with people and to be a place where they can celebrate their
important life events (baptisms, marriages, funerals and other occasions of
significance in their lives).
It is envisaged that Christ Church will be a more than ecumenical centre, where people
feel welcome and at home whether they have a Christian denominational affiliation, are
of some other religious persuasion or claim no religion.
Parish History
The Milton Parish was
founded in 1873. The first
services were held in the
mortuary chapel in the
Paddington Cemeteries, the
original public burial
grounds of Brisbane.
The first church, built in
1874 and subsequently
destroyed in an 1890
cyclone, was located next
to the Episcopalian Burial Grounds. A Memorial Cemetery Reserve (pictured) behind
the church is a reminder of that history. Christ Church has also been referred to as “The
Memorial Church”, due to its proximity to the cemetery and “The Garrison Church”,
because of its connection with and ministry to the nearby Victoria Barracks, which
housed the Queensland Defence Force.
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The present distinctive wooden church, with its two verandahs, dates from 1891. The
church furnishings, many of beautifully carved silky oak, and its richly coloured stained
glass windows, tell the story of early Brisbane, its pioneers and history.
A rectory, still standing, was built in 1883. It is a single storey, wooden building of the
Victorian Gothic style.
From the start, the priests and people of Christ Church were energetically involved in
the welfare of those living in the surrounding western suburbs. Some pioneering social
movements started by Christ Church parishioners include:
 In the late 1880’s the commencement of the Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS),
Church of England Boys’ Society (CEBS) and the Church Men’s Institute, all of
which greatly added to the spiritual and social lives of those involved;
 In 1891 the founding of the New Guinea Mission by Father Albert MacLaren,
priest of this parish;
 In 1904 formation of the first Mothers’ Union branch of this diocese and shortly
thereafter the organising of a district nursing service, including financial support
for this work, which eventually evolved into today’s Anglicare domiciliary
nursing service;
 In 1905 the building of a hall to accommodate the more than six hundred children
who attended Sunday School at that time.
Like many other communities, the parish has a long list of participants in The Great
War (1914-1918) and the Second World War (1939-1945). In recent times, apart from
severe storm damage to the spire, which required extensive repairs in the early 1980’s,
the parish suffered from the inner city problems of increased numbers of businesses
taking over residential areas and the encroachment of highways for increasing traffic
demands.
A large number of housing units are rising around us, which may be a new source of
communicant members, providing we can access these people.
We have overcome many obstacles in the past and continue to have faith in our future.
A few years ago, the parish of Milton amalgamated with St Alban the Martyr,
Auchenflower and St Mary Magdalene, Rainworth. Unfortunately, Christ Church is
now the sole church in the Auchenflower-Milton Parish.
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Demographics of the Parish
The residents of Auchenflower, Milton, Paddington, Rosalie and Torwood are
principally educated, professional young families. The business community includes
national and international offices of engineering companies, catering companies, the
historic Fourex Brewery and Suncorp Stadium (formerly Lang Park). There is also a
high profile sporting community in the area. The community is an unusual and exciting
mixture of developing high density residential units, original family homes, commerce
and light industry.
We have excellent transport links, with the Milton Railway Station close by and Milton
Road with its bus services, as well as easy access to the Inner City Bypass and
pedestrian overpass to the Barracks Shopping Complex, Petrie Terrace and Roma
Street. The new City Cat ferry terminal at Park Road will be operational by late 2014.
There is an eclectic mix of shopping, restaurants and cafes on Park Road and the
Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Caxton Street, Paddington and Rosalie Village.
Several schools, including the popular and expanding Milton State School, Petrie
Terrace State Primary School and Stuartholme Catholic Girls’ School are within our
parish. Several kindergartens and pre-schools, including a Montessori Kindergarten in
Auchenflower are also within the parish boundaries. Brisbane Boys’ College and Boys’
and Girls’ Grammar Schools are in neighbouring suburbs. The Kelvin Grove campus of
the University of Technology is close by.
There are excellent recreational facilities in the parish, including Gregory Park, a large
new park and public tennis centre at Frew Park, the Ithaca swimming pool, Neal
Macrossan Playground and an adjoining skate park – all very popular with young
people. The stadium houses the PCYC. The Roma Street Parklands and South Bank
beach and pathways are very close to the church site. Nearby bikeways cross the city
via many park and river routes.
There are excellent cinemas at the Barracks and Rosalie. There are many art galleries in
Paddington and the Royal Queensland Art Society has its headquarters and galleries on
Petrie Terrace and almost next door to the Arts Theatre which stages plays. La Boite
Theatre is beside the QUT campus at Kelvin Grove. A short drive across the river
delivers you to the Queensland Performing Arts complex, Queensland Art Gallery,
Museum and Queensland Gallery of Modern Art.
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The closest private hospitals are the St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital at Spring Hill
and the Wesley Hospital in Auchenflower. Two small private hospitals are situated in
Auchenflower and Toowong. The public Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is a
few minutes’ drive away via Hale Street.
Parish Staffing
Clergy: the parish currently has a locum priest on a part time basis of two week days
plus Sunday.
Paid staff: the parish administrator manages the office twenty hours per week from
Monday to Thursday.
Volunteer staff: there is a highly active, hands-on team. The wardens, priest and
administrator have a weekly team meeting and work closely together in the management
of the parish. A volunteer prepares and prints the weekly pew sheet and monthly
newsletter.
Church
Christ Church sits in an historic site on Chippendall Street, providing an oasis of
tranquillity in the bustling inner-city.
Weekly Eucharist services are sung on Sunday at 8.30am and said on Wednesday at
9.30am, when it is followed by a study group. Recent initiatives are ‘Come for a
Cuppa’ and ‘Mothers Meet’, which provide outreach opportunities once a month.
The Old Rectory, of Victorian Gothic design and built in 1883, is now the oldest
building in the complex. Both the parish and priest’s offices are there. It also houses
two community-based tenants. One is a specialist consultancy and the other is an
advocacy agency working with people from a non-English speaking background who
have a disability.
Within the Old Rectory is the Hardman-Perry Room, an elegant 19th century drawing
room with original fireplace and lath and plaster walls. It is hired for functions and
serves as a parish meeting place. The Old Rectory is fully air-conditioned.
Paying tours of the church and cemetery will be introduced from 6th December 2014,
following the successful tours conducted during the Brisbane Open House weekend on
10th-11th October 2014.
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St Alban the Martyr Church, Auchenflower will be deconsecrated in early 2015. Public
and parish meetings are being held on 4th December 2014 to start the process.
The St Alban’s hall continues to be hired out regularly to local community groups and
its rectory is also rented on an RTA lease.
Active Ministries
The parish has a very small, loyal congregation.
 We are compliant with the requirements of the Diocesan Policy & Procedures for
the Protection of Children.
 We currently hold a Kids Club twice monthly as part of developing our youth
ministry and interest in families and youth.
 Metanoia, a discussion group for the consideration of current Christian concerns
following a shared evening meal, is held on the last Wednesday of the month.
 Our ministry to the elderly includes a monthly visit to Rosalie Nursing Home.
 Home communion is provided to housebound parishioners.
 We host the Salvation Army for a weekly service titled ‘God’s Sports Arena’ on
Sunday evenings, which attracts 60 to 80 people.
 We are developing ministry with the sports community.
 We actively support the Bush Ministry Fund, the Australian Board of Mission
and Anglican Aid Abroad.
Characteristics & Traditions
The parish uses ‘A Prayer Book for Australia’ and ‘Together in Song’. The Kawai
piano and the Whitehouse pipe organ, dedicated in 1922, enhance our worship.
The parish maintains an Anglo-Catholic tradition.
Within the church, there is the Lady Chapel dedicated to Florence Barton, who founded
the Girls’ Friendly Society in 1887. The Warriors’ Chapel houses the memorial board
dedicated to those who served in the Great War. Other memorabilia refers to the
parishioners’ involvement in the Second World War.
The high altar is backed by beautiful stained glass windows, which also feature at the
west end of the church. The font was donated in memory of Andrew Petrie, pioneer
(1798-1872) is the only item remaining from the first church built in 1873. Most
furniture is of intricately hand-carved Queensland silky oak. There is a Priest’s and a
Choir Vestry.
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The east side verandah, which is open access, often shelters homeless people. The west
side verandah with its panoramic views of the grounds, is used by parishioners each
week for refreshments following the morning service and also for our ‘Come for a
Cuppa’ mornings.
Church, west verandah and garden
We are currently in an ecumenical relationship
with the Salvation Army and would welcome
further relationships with others.
The parish vision statement says: ‘It is
envisaged that Christ Church will be a more
than ecumenical centre, where people feel
welcome and at home whether they have a Christian denominational affiliation, are of
some other religious persuasion or claim no religion.’
The font donated in memory of Andrew Petrie
is still in regular use
The parishioners, Parish Council and wardens are
seeking for their new Priest-in-Charge someone
with a proven record of empowering leadership
style, who: exercises an inclusive ministry which is
mainstream Anglican;
 consults with parish members & their
leaders in decision-making;
 encourages & supports the ministries of
the parish;
 is a knowledgeable teacher and leader,
who challenges people to learn more about
God and their faith;
 is compassionate and approachable & who
gathers people for the worship and the
service of God;
 encourages questions and exploration of the Christian faith and practice;
 appreciates art, beauty & church music – both traditional & modern;
 has good interpersonal skills & can sensitively manage conflict;
 actively engages with the local community;
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


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will develop ministry with children and young people and their families;
will develop a ministry with sports people;
has good time management skills;
will further the aims of the Vision Statement of this parish.
Our new Priest-in-Charge will be working in a part-time capacity three days per week;
two working week days, preferably Wednesday as we traditionally hold a short
Eucharist service followed by morning tea discussion group. The second working week
day is open to negotiation and Sundays would be set aside for the parish.
The parish has embraced the Going for Growth initiative and uses the prayer on a daily
basis.
Financial Information
The parish is financed by a combination of parishioner giving, revenue from the
popularity of Christ Church, Milton as a unique historical setting for traditional
baptisms, weddings and funerals. The Hardman Perry Room in the old rectory and the
tranquil surrounds attract members of the local community for their celebrations. The
function room and grounds are also used for events tied in with the neighbouring
Suncorp Stadium. The leasing of rooms in the Old Rectory along with rent from
facilities at the St Alban’s site provide essential income.
The facilities at St Alban the Martyr hall provide a regular source of income, both from
the residential lease on the rectory and from hall hire.
The parish has two bequests from benefactors sought to provide for the upkeep of this
historical site. Interest on capital from the sale of St Mary Magdalene, Rainworth
presently enables the viability of the parish.
Decreasing parishioner numbers, mostly from an ageing demographic, has seen weekly
offerings steadily reduce over recent years. The parish is at a critical point, with
finances sitting at a marginal level.
There are hundreds of residents in surrounding high rise buildings. More and more of
these developments are being built. Contact with them is problematic but not
impossible. The means of engaging with them has not yet been explored.
Our 2015 budget has been prepared and approved in principle by the Parish Council.
Whilst it has a positive outlook, there are some challenges ahead. Auchenflower-Milton
parish is uniquely located in the midst of a thriving, diverse inner-city population; one
of the key challenges we face in mission and ministry for the future is to develop new
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ways to form a synergy between our Anglo-Catholic traditional practices and the everincreasingly secular society. Underpinning this challenge is the harsh economic climate
where people are time-poor, cash-poor and more inclined to use social media as a means
of connection.
Throughout the year, the parish engages in successful fundraising activities, for
example, the Melbourne Cup lunch. Income generation will need to rise through an
increase in parishioner numbers, promotion of the site for functions and increased
fundraising.
Christ Church and rectory are heritage-listed and there are plans to introduce regular
paying tours from 6th December 2014.
The part-time priest will be provided with clergy housing allowance, parish car, mobile
phone and computer.
Photo Gallery
The gardens & Old Rectory
Our eastern verandah
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The Hardman-Perry Room prepared for the Queen’s Jubilee dinner
Peace and serenity at Christ Church
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Inside Christ Church
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Old meets new
Hale Street side of church
We look forward to welcoming you to Christ Church
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