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Services at Kenmore were held initially at 11.15 a.m. each Sunday and Holy Communion on the last Sunday of each month.
During this initial period, Kenmore remained part of the
Corinda-Moorooka Parish. It was left to each individual to worship in Corinda or Kenmore. The main reason for the commencement of service in this area was to serve people who at that time were not attending any worship at all. During 1972 there were 33 Services with an average attendance of 46 worshippers in Kenmore.
On Thursday March 1, 1973, members worshipping at Kenmore passed a motion to form a congregation at Kenmore. This decision came after some discussion on the needs of worshippers in Kenmore and the need to minister more exclusively to the people of the Kenmore region of the city. It was stressed in this meeting that this decision does not place the Kenmore people outside the Corinda Parish, but does bring them together as a separate congregation from the Corinda - Moorooka parish.
Sunday School started in 1973 on 11th February with between 20 and 30 children and 5 teachers.
In 1973, Sunday Service at Kenmore started at 7.45 am with Holy Communion the last Sunday of each month. Sunday school commenced at 8.45 am immediately after the service.
After the congregational meeting in March, the elders [Aub.Muller and Des
Pietsch] together with the Pastor considered a number of matters connected with the formation of the Kenmore congregation. Thus a constitution for the congregation was studied. The elders also suggested the formation of a Church Council to tend to congregational matters and make decisions on behalf of the congregation when required between regular congregational meetings. David Woodrow became Chairman of the Kenmore congregation.
In May 1973 the Kenmore congregation decided to celebrate the Lord's Supper twice monthly on the second and last Sundays in the month. This was to begin in June, when there will be service with Holy Communion on Pentecost Day and on the 24th.
As part of a city-wide tour of the Home Mission Centres, the District Home Mission Committee visited Kenmore and Corinda areas to become better acquainted with the areas and how they are developing. The Committee met with Pastor and members of the executive during May 1973.
At a congregational meeting on Sunday 17th June 1973, the Kenmore congregation did not reach a decision on a permanent site for a new church plant. However, it did decide that a move from its present worship centre in the old Presbyterian Church on Moggill Road should be made. Three factors promoted this decision:
1. The difficulty in getting the most suitable times for services and Sunday school at the present location, since the Presbyterians also use their old church for Sunday school.
2. Inadequate facilities for Sunday School classes in the old church
3. The unfavourable situation we have, being at a worship centre, which cannot be seen or advertised with a sign, since it is located off the street behind the new Presbyterian Church.
Members favoured moving to the Marshall Lane property and renovating the house there sufficiently to use it for services and Sunday School. This is to be an interim measure pending final moves to a new permanent site or establishing Marshall Lane as the permanent site sometimes in the future.
A meeting of the executive together with District Director of Church Development, Pastor G. Prove, looked at plans for renovating the Marshall Lane house - architect Bill Curnow had drawn up several plans last year. Meanwhile a suggestion was made through Pastor Prove that the Home Mission Committee looks into the purchase of a property in the Pullenvale area for possible future development. Plans to pay off the Marshall Lane property debt were also made.
The Home Mission Committee, which was currently looking at mission development in Brisbane as a whole, considered our congregation's plans and, after some discussion, approved the interim plans for Marshall Lane property. They agreed to further investigations in the Pullenvale area for purchase of property as a possible future site. An important part of their discussion for Kenmore people was that dealing with a proposal that the Ipswich plans for starting a new church in Riverview be altered and that land across the river in the Moggill area be purchased instead. This proposal would have the advantage, when the new bridge [at
Moggill] goes in (?) of being central in the future for Riverview people as well as for Bellbowrie and Moggill people. This would mean that Kenmore would not serve Bellbowrie with its church plant, but would rather concentrate its work in the more immediate area.
Kenmore Membership List on 31.12.1973:
BOESCH - Rev. Peter, Mrs. Coral, Richard, Andrew, Mark
BOWEN - Mrs. Isolde, Dirk, Bernhard, Corinne
CHESTERMAN - Mr., Mrs. Merle, David, Amanda
DOELLE - Mr. Horst, Mrs. Gabriele, Petra, Monica
FREUDIGMAN - Mr., Mrs.
GRAY - Mr. Harry, Mrs.
HARPER - Mr. Brian, Mrs. Marj
KOCH - Mr. Errol, Mrs. Cecilie, Christina, Kirstin
HOLZHEIMER - Mr. Ron, Mrs. Linda, Kaja, Sven
KRIEG - Mr. Ross, Mrs. Shirley, Philip, Mary, Jane, Marcelle
MULLER - Mr. Auburn, Mrs. Ollie, Dawn
PIETSCH - Mr. Des, Mrs. Ella, Jillianne
POPE - Mrs. Connie, Helene, John, Cameron, Jane
PRESS - Mr. Don, Mrs. Dorothy, Dawn, Kyle
PROVE - Rev. Garry, Mrs. Gwyn, Peter, Jenny-Gwyn, Shari-Anne
SUTTIE - Miss Maylene
WENZEL - Mr. Oscar, Mrs. Norma, Anna, Nanette, Robert
WITTENBERG - Mr. Len, Mrs. Regina, Erika, Leonie, Monica
WOODROW - Mr. David, Mrs. Leonie, Robyn, Mark, Suzanne
On February 3, 1974 we welcomed two new members, Will Ballschmieter by baptism after a course of instruction into the faith, and Jenny Hawkins by transfer from a sister congregation. On the following Saturday both were married by Pastor Peter Boesch at
Boonah.
On 17th February 1974 Reverend and Mrs Reinhardt Mayer and family transferred their membership from Corinda to Kenmore.
Our application to the City Council for permission to use the Marshall Lane house as a temporary worship place had been reconsidered and approved. The Executive Committee decided to immediately draw up plans for a new church and to study the possible use of the house as a manse, Sunday school rooms, Kindergarten or for housing church workers. The results of this study may help us determine when to move, whether to convert the house temporarily into a worship place, or what.
David Austin was received into communicant membership on Palm Sunday April 7th, whereas John Pope and Philip Krieg had their confirmation service on Pentecost.
If you had been at 49 Marshall Lane in the last two weeks in May, 1974, you would have found yourself in a hive of activity surrounded by workers doing jobs of various descriptions on the house there. What has been happening is a renovation job to fix the house up for future use, either as a temporary place of worship or, as the church executive now recommended, an improved residence. The executive is also considering the choice of an architect to design a new church plan for Marshall Lane. The proposal was that the church should seat 200 people and have rooms for Sunday School classes. We were also considering the possibility and advisability of using the Sunday School area as a pre-school area for use during the week. Thinking was along the lines of a multi-purpose church unit that can be used not only for worship and Sunday School, but also for a wide variety of purposes, so that the church would be a bridge to the community rather than have only limited functions.
At a Voter's meeting after church on Sunday 19th May 1974, the congregation decided to change its original plan to use the Marshall Lane house as a temporary worship centre and rather to renovate it for use as a manse or for some other church purpose. The house is nearly ready for use.
Aub Muller was chosen as acting chairman of the congregation in the absence of David Woodrow in America.
Two meetings of some importance to the congregation were held in September - a Voters Meeting on 11th September and an Executive Meeting on 19th September 1974. Chief item on the agenda for both meetings was the planning of the new church at Marshall Lane.
A questionnaire handed to members of the congregation during the previous week was discussed and the results reported:
Questionnaire: The church to seat 200, this to include overflow space when Sunday School and hall is opened up for extra numbers. Most favoured the purchased of a pipe organ if a second hand organ from Southport was available at a reasonable price. Multi-purpose church favoured with a church section permanently reserved for services.
A motion was made at the Voters meeting that an approach be made to purchase the Southport Church of England pipe organ. Likely cost of the new church will be in the neighbourhood of $ 60,000. A loan application to obtain $ 10,000 from the District Church Extension Reserve Fund was made. It was agreed that a "Church Building Fund" be opened to which donations can be made. Members were invited to contribute to such a fund. An architect, Mervyn Byrne, was engaged to plan the new church.
The congregation also decided to have a Sunday in October - October 20th - devoted to a study of our congregation's educational
programme. The pattern of the Sunday will be based on the Education Synod earlier in the year held in connection with the District Synod.
Our Christian Study Group had its first meeting two weeks previously and planned to meet again at the
Kriegs' house on Oct. 1st to study Psalms 113-118. Meetings were held every second Tuesday.
The Adult Information Course will resume on October 14.
On 12th December 1974 a meeting of all Southside congregations with the Home Mission Committee was held at 7.30 pm at Corinda concerning the realignment in the southern suburbs with Kenmore and Corinda being mainly concerned. The District Home Mission Board proposed towards the end of this year to the whole Parish that a new alignment of congregations in the area be considered. Briefly, it was suggested that we consider opening new congregations at St. Peter's College and/or Middle Park and closing Corinda and Kenmore. The possible movement of the Kenmore congregation to St. Peter's had been discussed previously by David Woodrow, Chairman [and a staff member of St. Peter's] with Headmaster Carson
Dron. Corinda decided against the suggestion, and at present Kenmore is considering its reaction to the suggestion. The architect has stopped work and we are considering whether to move to St. Peter's College and/or Middle Park, and to abandon services at our present location or to continue with our previous plans.
Pastor Peter Boesch stated in his 1974 report that several things are becoming clear: "We will have to look ahead at the long-term effects of any decision we make so that future members will not have to live with our mistakes. We will have to decide how we may best serve both the people in our present congregation and prospective members with special reference to the many St. Peter's College families living in this part of the city. We will have to consider the cost of a new church and our capacity and willingness to serve a large debt. We will have to consider our work as a congregation in cooperation with sister congregations in the city and the District. But most important of all, we need to place our decision-making into God's Hands."
At the Annual General Meeting of the Kenmore congregation after service on Sunday 2nd February 1975, a lengthy discussion took place on where to situate the congregation - i.e. Marshall Lane or move to St. Peter's College. The final decision made was to delay the final decision until there could be a meeting of the executive with St. Peter's College Council and until sketch plans for Marshall Lane could be seen and cost estimates obtained. The architect has proceeded again with sketch plans.
It was also decided to have three (3) Kenmore Services at St. Peter's College Chapel on 13th, 20th and 27th April, whereby the last service will be with St. Peter's students and those who come to College services regularly.
The purpose of the three trial services was to get the "feel" of worshipping at the College, since, it was felt at that time, we will very soon thereafter have to make the final decision about whether to build at Marshall Lane or to withdraw in favour of St. Peter's. The services were scheduled:
13 April - 8.30 am with Holy Communion
20 April - 8.30 am
27 April - 9.30 am
Sunday School will be held at 7.55 am as before, only it will be at St. Peter's.
To move or not move, that is the question for the Kenmore congregation on the next congregational meeting Sunday May 25th, 1975. After three services at St. Peter's College to get the "feel" of worship in the College Chapel and of Sunday School Classes in College class rooms we should have a better idea of what it is like to worship there. We can project in our minds the situation of a congregation in that situation from Sunday to Sunday. We did not experience everything of church life in a new location, but it gave us a 'taste'. Now we have to decide.
At the last service at St. Peter's an outline of the case for staying and building at Kenmore and for that for moving to St. Peter's College was handed to members. Consider the points in the outline and others you may think of. We have probably a number of alternative possibilities. We could remain at Kenmore and build at the Marshall Lane site. This is expected to cost $ 92,000 according to the estimate of the architect. We could move our whole activity to St. Peter's College. We could also move to the College for part of our activity (worship and perhaps Sunday school), and have our meetings, youth work and other activities in Kenmore, either in houses or local halls. Whatever our decision, one thing is clear: we must be on the move doing the Lord's work now, wherever we are.
The Kenmore Church Executive met to consider among other things the advisability of remaining in Kenmore or moving as a congregation to St. Peter's College Chapel. Following are some guidelines that formed the basis of the discussion at the meeting:
Matters, which ought to be considered in arriving at a decision to move or stay:
1. Where are the people we serve now and where are prospective members of Christ's Kingdom coming from, i.e. what suburbs;
2. We should consider what effect a move to St. Peter's would have on a) our sense of unity as a congregation;
b) our awareness of the task Christ has given us as a congregation; and
c) our level of congregational activity for the Kingdom and participation in Christ's work.
3. What is the comparative cost of staying in Kenmore and building and of moving to St. Peter's ? Can we afford to build ? How should we put our money to use for God in order to serve His Kingdom's purposes best ?
4. What are projections for the future - future needs of the congregation, and of St. Peter's, where people are moving to in the suburbs, etc
5. What kind of congregational programme would likely result from moving to St. Peter's and what would result if we remain in Kenmore? Can we be partly at St. Peter's and partly at Kenmore
6. Where is accommodation most suitable for our worshipping and working congregation
Kenmore
Several arguments may be advanced for staying at Kenmore:
Most of our members live in Kenmore area or nearby. The area is also growing, especially northward
(Bielby estate and Chapel Hill towards Mt. Coot-tha) and westward (towards
Pullenvale). We already have a good property in Marshall Lane. Many St. Peter's students and their families live in the area. There appears to be a special need and opportunity for a youth ministry in the Kenmore area, and a lively congregation in Kenmore could carry on such a ministry.
Arguments against staying in Kenmore can also be advanced:
Clearly our present facilities in the Presbyterian Chapel are becoming more and more crowded. Building a new church at Marshall Lane is expected to cost $ 92,000, if we use the plan recently submitted by our architect. Paying a large debt off could be complicated by the erection of a new church at Middle Park, a move being seriously considered by the Mission Board. It could also be argued that there are already five other churches within a mile of Marshall Lane. Finally we seem not to have a large number of St. Peter's College students and families from the Kenmore area in our congregation, apart from those who have been members for several years, so is our mission to St. Peter's College students and families a good argument for remaining in Kenmore ?
St. Peter's College
Some reasons for moving to St. Peter's College and using the school facilities:
The college chapel is beautiful and spacious and available for use by us. There is opportunity to work in the Indooroopilly area among a growing number of flat dwellers, so that contrary to what might at first be supposed this suburb is also growing in population and opportunity for our church. There are special opportunities for a different kind of congregational ministry to students and their families if a congregation were situated at the college. Some link-up with tertiary students would happen more easily from a congregation based at the college. The expense of erecting a church would be totally removed, though it may be necessary to build a modest hall for congregational purposes.
Some arguments against moving to St. Peter's:
There is a danger that we could feel ourselves to be simply guests of the college, and not quite free to act with initiative. In a large church surrounded by students it could happen that our happy sense of oneness and team spirit could be lost with the result that a clear sense of purpose and mission could be lost or reduced. We would have to be careful that we did not become once a week Christians who could relax in church on Sunday and then leave without an awareness of congregational obligation. While it should not likely happen there could be some conflict of interests between school and congregation.
At a Congregational Voters Meeting after service on Sunday May 25th, Kenmore members decided to shift to St. Peter's College and to worship in the College Chapel.
Several factors led the thirty people present to vote for this move. One of them was the new church proposed for Middle Park (Jamboree Heights) by the District Home Mission Board. Middle Park is about 5 miles driving from Kenmore and several of our members come from the general area that would be served by Middle Park. Inevitably two congregations that close together would compete for at least some members.
Financially a new church at Marshall Lane would be very costly. The architect's estimate based on an actual costing of the proposed modest church in Marshall Lane is $ 92,000 by the time the church would be completed in 1½ years or thereabouts. This would mean a very substantial increase would be needed in our present level of giving to meet the repayments - about twice what we are now giving.
Then added to these reasons is the fact that a congregation at St. Peter's College can perform a valuable ministry in this new location without at the same time forgetting the Kenmore area and its needs.
With these facts before it, the meeting last Sunday passed the following resolutions:
1. That Kenmore congregation agrees to move to St. Peter's and that this move be subject to suitable arrangements being made for worship, Sunday School, and other congregational needs;
2. That work in the Kenmore area should continue (e.g. youth work, study groups, community services);
3. That the congregation seeks to meet with the Home Mission Board to discuss future work in the Kenmore area and beyond.
Some observations about the resolution are in place:
The resolution does not mean that the unity and friendly atmosphere of our congregation is lost. Moving to St. Peter's for worship services and Sunday School will, of course, mean a much larger place of worship and more people worshipping together, but we should remember that our basic unity is in Christ.
While a clear majority favoured the resolution last Sunday, a few favoured building at Marshall Lane. If you felt in favour of remaining at Kenmore and perhaps still think this way, then we pray that you will support in the continuing work of our congregation in Kenmore and St. Peter's. Let us realise that a church is people, not a place. To move to St. Peter's is not to cease to be a congregation or community of God's worshipping people. We have much work to do as His people, praise to offer together to him. Let us be united - one in heart and soul as the early Christians were who came to know the grace of God in Jesus Christ.
As a result of the decision of Kenmore congregation to move to St. Peter's College rather than to build a new church at Marshall Lane, a meeting was arranged between the Kenmore Executive and the Headmaster and Senior Chaplain of St. Peter's. A number of plans were made in order to make the move to St. Peter's a smooth one for Kenmore congregation and College.
The meeting decided that it would be convenient to commence services in July, and the date of July 6th was set for the first service. From then on services will be held at St. Peter's College Chapel at 9.30 am with Sunday School beforehand at 8.45 am.
At the services members should feel this is their church rather than participate as guests. We want to conduct services for our present members, for the students and for any other people who may come along to the Chapel on a Sunday.
After the first two services in July, coffee and biscuits will be served after the services - probably in Room 9 near the chapel. We hope to get to know others whom we will meet perhaps for the first time at the Chapel Service.
Most services will be conducted by the Kenmore Pastor, but the College Chaplains will be asked to conduct services probably once a month. We also expect to have special services from time to time, and since the children will be able to come for the whole service we would like to have a short children's address for them.
The meeting agreed that congregational finances should continue as they are now, that is with offerings going to the church treasury and be applied to whatever uses the congregation decides.
Finally, the meeting agreed to have a congregational meeting on 3rd August after the service.
The first church service at St. Peter's College Chapel by the Kenmore congregation was held on Sunday 6th July 1975 at 9.30 a.m.
On 3rd August 1975 the first congregational meeting took place at St. Peter's College. At this meeting two motions were carried upon recommendation from the Executive Meeting on Wednesday of the previous week:
1. That all members of the former congregation [i.e. Kenmore] and St. Peter's preaching place constitute the membership of the new congregation, and that the existing committee members [with the addition of Mr. Dron and Pastor
Kleinig] remain in Office during the transition period until February 1976.
2. That the name of the congregation be Resurrection Lutheran Church, Indooroopilly.
In his report to the first meeting of the congregation at St. Peter's College, Pastor Boesch said the following: "During the first half year of 1975 Kenmore congregation has experienced the Lord's blessings in many ways. The congregation grew in numbers and attendance at worship climbed steadily to an average of 70-75 before the move to St. Peter's. On the last Sunday before the move from the Presbyterian Chapel, attendance reached 100 for the first time. A number of new families came into contact with our congregation not long before the move to St. Peter's.
We experienced the help of God very much in our struggles to reach a decision about where to move - to Marshall Lane or to St. Peter's. There were many considerations that made the decision difficult. Yet the final decision was to move to St. Peter's, which I am convinced was a wise decision, and one God let us to. ...
Since moving to the college chapel the public worship has continued without too many difficulties. We had to adjust to a large church and the large numbers worshipping.
The college and congregational Sunday Schools have been combined with the addition of a new class.
In the Kenmore area a new Youth Group has been started. About 15 people attended, several of them St. Peter's students, and some have begun to attend our Sunday services.
Our Christian Study Group continues to meet with an average of 8-10 people attending.
...
In 1976, the new Resurrection Congregation submitted a constitution to the District Constitution Committees to gain its approval for submission to the District. The constitution as submitted was approved with the exception of two clauses, one of which could easily be changed, and the other which involved a theological judgment, which the Constitution Committee referred to the District Church Council. The latter clause concerned the voting rights of members and the meaning of congregational voting. Changes were made according to the District Church Council.
The year 1980 not only saw our constitution be accepted, but it also marked a turning point for the congregation and for our Pastor
Boesch, who was until that time not only the pastor of our congregation, but also the tertiary institution Lutheran chaplain. The District Church Council's decision to cal for a full-time tertiary chaplain and the decision by the Resurrection congregation to call a full-time pastor led to the acceptance by Pastor Boesch of the congregation's call. As of 1980, our congregation thus succeeded with the appointment of Pastor Boesch as our first full-time Pastor.
During the first Sunday service in May 1981, Pastor Boesch announced to the congregation that he had decided to accept a call he received from Dernancourt in South Australia. Pastor Boesch held his final service in this congregation on June 28,1981.
A call by the congregational committee to Pastor Ulf Metzner had been successful and the Chairman announced at the half-yearly meeting of the congregation on 2nd August 1981 that Pastor Dr. Ulf Metzner is due to start in February 1982.
NOTE: During the forthcoming years, the Headmaster and Board of St. Peter's Lutheran College decided to change the name to: St. Peters Lutheran
College.
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