No. 524 - Montello - Coastlands Baptist Church

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Montello an inner southern suburb of Burnie situated on the Montello Hills between the city and Upper Burnie. The suburb's name comes from the hills mapped by officials of the Van Diemen's Land Company.

The Coastlands Church was originally known as the Montello Baptist Church. The church began as a Sunday School established in the 1940s which was initially held in a “motor garage”. 

The Montello Baptist Church was constituted as a church of the Baptist Union of Tasmania in July 1953. In 1957 the foundation stone for a church on Mace Street was laid on 8 June by the President of the Tasmanian Baptist Union.  The church was officially opened in the same year.

An interesting feature in this church's history is that it is the first Tasmanian Baptist church to appoint an ordained woman as senior minister. In November 2017 Gwenith Alexander was appointed sole minister of the church, a position which she held until May 2021.

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2019

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2019

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2019

Sources:

Advocate, Monday 7 March 1949, page 8
Advocate, Monday 27 July 1953, page 2

http://www.coastlands.com.au


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