The Anglican Parish of St John's Raymond Terrace
1838 to the present day
The parish was established in 1939 and the first Bishop of Newcastle, Bishop William Tyrrell, appointed the Rev'd Charles Spencer, M.A., to serve the area, with Raymond Terrace as his headquarters. The current rectory, made in local sandstone, was completed and occupied in 1846. In 1848 there were reported to be 263 residents in the town of Raymond Terrace. The building of the rectory, and planning for the new Gothic style church which took place in the following decade, represent a huge accomplishment for a small number of people. Since the rectory was built, there has always been a rector in living in this fine colonial building. The list of rectors of the parish is set out below.
In 1861 the current site for St John’s was purchased, plans were drawn up by architect, Edmund Blacket, who also designed plans for Sydney University and many other prominent buildings. The design of the church is described as Gothic and the stone chosen for stonemason Robert Carnell to lay was “Muree” blue sandstone from a local quarry. Bishop Tyrrell contributed five hundred pounds towards its construction while the local parishioners provided one thousand pounds. The Bishop conducted the consecration on the 25th September 1862.
In the 1960s subsidence led to the fracture of the connection between the sanctuary and the nave, leaving the nave as the only remaining section of the Blacket designed church. After much puzzling about what to do, a new sanctuary with a baptistry and vestry, was designed and built under the guidance of the then rector, Fr Robert Winder. The work of change and growth has continued in the new millenium with the completion in 2002 of the Parish Ministry Centre, modern kitchen, meeting rooms, offices, toilets vestry and morning tea area. Local architect Ian Easton, designed a multi-functional complex. The new area was an excellent concept, allowing the folding doors between the church and the Ministry centre to be opened, providing ample room for big services. An another special marker in the history of the parish is to be accomplished on May 26, 2009, when the ministry centre loan will be paid off, leaving the parish free of debt.
A list of the Rectors of St John's Church, Raymond Terrace |
| Rectors | Years |
|---|---|
| Rev C Spencer, M.A. | 1938 - 1856 |
| Rev Lavic Tyrrell | 1856 - 1857 |
| Rev J.R. Blomfield | 1858 - 1866 |
| Rev J. Simms | 1867 - 1894 |
| Rev Ed La Barte | 1894 - 1905 |
| Rev C. Bice | 1905 - 1910 |
| Rev M.G.H. Garbett | 1910 - 1920 |
| Rev Keith Norman | 1920 - 1921 |
| Rev N. Kitely | 1921 - 1926 |
| Rev L Rupp | 1926 - 1938 |
| Rev Hugh Linton M.A | 1939 - 1948 |
| Rev Robert Mawson | 1948 - 1949 |
| Rev N.A.Pullin | 1949 - 1952 |
| Rev R.V. Hannington | 1952 - 1960 |
| Rev Alan Soares | 1963 - 1970 |
| Rev R Winder | 1970 - 1993 |
| Rev G Parker | 1993 - 2003 |
| Rev B Pate BA BD | 2003 - |
