SAINT Helen’s Anglican Church in Home Hill (pictured) celebrated 98 years of existence on Sunday, August 28, with a Patronal Church Service attended by Bishop Keith Joseph of Townsville.
Each year, the Churches celebrate the special occasion by hosting a Patronal Church Service on the day and the Service was conducted by Bishop Keith Joseph, assisted by Burdekin Parish Priest, Reverend Karen Allen.
As it is an important day in the life of the Church, All Saints Parishioners from Ayr attended the Service, in place of their normal Service that morning, as well as a large following from the Solomon Islander Community.
A morning tea was enjoyed after the Service concluded.
St Helen’s Anglican Church has a long history and it is regarded as “a great achievement that a group of the original pioneer settlers came together and from their upbringing in England decided that an Anglican Church was needed in their new community”.
From that beginning, they were able to organise to have the land where the Church is today and it is believed that the first Church was a tent, until they were able to build the first Church.
That building was regularly used each week, until in 1977, a decision was made to replace the existing church with a new church, which was completed in 1977.
After 98 years, the Parishioners of St. Helen’s met on Sunday, August 28, for the Saint Helen’s Patronal Service to celebrate the Day and think of those early settlers who were moved by their belief to have a Church in Home Hill.