No. 1426 - Devonport - Uniting Church (Forbes Street)
The Devonport Uniting Church operates from commercial premises on Forbes Street. The Forbes Street church opened in 2018 following the closure of the original Uniting Church (Methodist) on Steele Street.
The closure of the Steele Street church was a consequence of the high cost of maintaining a heritage building. Many of of Tasmania’s historic churches face a similar challenge. The Uniting Church’s magazine ‘Crosslight’ reported the church’s closure as follows:
“In his sermon, Rev Allan Thompson conceded that many attending the service would have mixed feelings knowing it was the last time the building was being used for the purpose for which it was built. But the purposes for which this sacred place was built can be fulfilled without this building. Indeed, the present congregation is committed to ensuring just that,’’ he said. “This is not the end of the Uniting Church in Devonport. This is not the closing of a congregation. The congregation continues to thrive, and it is committed to continuing its life from a property which is more user-friendly and low-maintenance that this old building has become.’’
“Mr Thompson said when people invested a lot of themselves into a building they needed to be careful not to become worshippers of the bricks and mortar. “The social and religious context in which our faithful Devonport Methodists built this place is very different from the social and religious context of Devonport in 2018,’’ he said “And our understanding of the life and mission to which God is calling us in 2018 is very different from the understanding of those who laboured to build this edifice in the 1930s. “Of course, that does not mean that back then our church leaders were misguided, or that what they did was inappropriate. It was no doubt right for their day, just as what is happening here today is right for our day.’’
Weekly Sunday worship continues to take place at the Forbes Street church.
Sources and links:
The closure of the Steele Street church was a consequence of the high cost of maintaining a heritage building. Many of of Tasmania’s historic churches face a similar challenge. The Uniting Church’s magazine ‘Crosslight’ reported the church’s closure as follows:
“In his sermon, Rev Allan Thompson conceded that many attending the service would have mixed feelings knowing it was the last time the building was being used for the purpose for which it was built. But the purposes for which this sacred place was built can be fulfilled without this building. Indeed, the present congregation is committed to ensuring just that,’’ he said. “This is not the end of the Uniting Church in Devonport. This is not the closing of a congregation. The congregation continues to thrive, and it is committed to continuing its life from a property which is more user-friendly and low-maintenance that this old building has become.’’
“Mr Thompson said when people invested a lot of themselves into a building they needed to be careful not to become worshippers of the bricks and mortar. “The social and religious context in which our faithful Devonport Methodists built this place is very different from the social and religious context of Devonport in 2018,’’ he said “And our understanding of the life and mission to which God is calling us in 2018 is very different from the understanding of those who laboured to build this edifice in the 1930s. “Of course, that does not mean that back then our church leaders were misguided, or that what they did was inappropriate. It was no doubt right for their day, just as what is happening here today is right for our day.’’
Weekly Sunday worship continues to take place at the Forbes Street church.
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| Devonport Uniting Church on Forbes Street |
Sources and links:
https://crosslight.org.au/2018/07/23/uniting-church-prepares-for-a-new-chapter-in-devonport/
https://devonport.ucavictas.org.au/
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