Good Shepherd Turns 30
Present minister Rev. Shaji Joseph, past minister Rev. Kev Lewis, and L.A. Beris Trainer led the service to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Good Shepherd Church. Photo supplied by Beris Trainer.
Happy 30th birthday to the Good Shepherd Church! A dedicated service taken by the present minister Rev. Shaji Joseph, past minister Rev. Kev Lewis and L.A. Beris Trainer was held to celebrate this milestone.
Lyn Bleakley kindly supplied a brief history of Rainbow Beach’s first church:
“Before mid 1993 the Anglican and Uniting Church congregations were worshipping in the Sports and Recreation Club on alternate Sundays with a minister from the St Peters’ Parish and a pastor from the Uniting Church Both had to travel out from Gympie each Sunday.
After some time the Uniting Church could not manage to send a pastor every Sunday. The two congregations decided to stay together and pray together. At the same time the Catholic congregation was worshipping weekly at a private residence and subsequently in the dining room of the local hotel/motel.
As Sunday trading at the Club increased this could no longer continue so the Anglican/Uniting group moved out to conduct their Sunday services in a tiny, ex-Forestry Dept hut. At this stage Rainbow Beach had less than 100 permanent residents, but at holiday times we had many thousands of visitors enjoying our ideal beach and camping facilities; good fishing as well in those days.
First activity on church block in 1993. Photo supplied by Lyn Bleakley.
Early in 1993 one of our Gympie church members saw an advertisement offering a 1958-built decommissioned church to a needy developing Parish in the Brisbane Diocese. St Peter’s Parish Gympie proved to be the most needy for our fast growing Cooloola Coast region.
So in May 1993 the old church was cut in half to be transported to the present Carlo Road site. A mighty effort and transformation in 9 weeks accomplished by the generosity of many in the community (whether religious or not) with their time, talents and enthusiasm working together.
Until the Catholic Church was built, we provided a centre of worship for the Anglican, Uniting, and Catholic congregations. In the past it has at times also provided for Baptist and AOG congregations and we welcome any recognized Christian Groups to join our community effort and partake in our ecumenical vision.
With fundraising and donations our Rainbow Beach Church is free of debt and still proving to be a boon to all congregations and the community as a whole. It continues to be a place for family worship and fellowship.”
Annette Collins, Rev. Kev Lewis, and Rev. Shaji Joseph cut the cake made by Sandra Strohfeldt. Photo supplied by Beris Trainer.
