Last weekend we went to a church service in Australind to celebrate the restoration of St Nicholas, Australia’s smallest church. Built around 1844, the church began life as a two room cottage, was then used as a school room and for drying possum skins and eventually became derelict.
The barricade along the front is to protect the building from cars crashing into it, which has happened in the past.
Bought by the Church of England in 1914, it was licensed and consecrated on the 22nd December, 1915 and named St Nicholas. Attendances varied over the years. It was our family church and I celebrated my first communion there and four of my nieces were christened there. It is still my Mother’s church and a vibrant part of the Australind community. The congregation has long outgrown the tiny building and meet in a new church built next to the original building.
The restoration of the 103 year old church was funded by the community and a heritage grant. The original jarrah pews and pulpit have been cleaned and polished and the building is now restored and used for some services.
The memorial gardens, entered through an archway of roses, are at the side and back of the old church.
A newspaper article about my parents involvement in the Church community. Celebrating the restoration of St Nicholas’s was a significant occasion for the many people involved in this parish and we were pleased to be part of this service.
We also really enjoyed the traditional Christmas carols and came back to Perth ready to begin our Christmas cooking.
Christmas time means cherries. Delicious.
Time for Christmas cooking. These little shortbread buttons will be sandwiched together to make Melting Moments.
These are rather good.
Two trays of shortbread.
Gingerbread men and stars, nice and spicy.
Dangerous rum balls; dangerous because there’s a lot of rum in them!
I made these treat boxes to give as gifts. There’s rum balls, shortbread, gingerbread and melting moments in the boxes.
Wishing you all a joyful and wonderful Christmas and all the best for the New Year!