Marsden Road Uniting Church at Carlingford Celebrates Bicentenary

Very few congregations of the Uniting Church in Australia can trace their roots back for two centuries. However, Marsden Road Uniting Church at Carlingford is one that can.

Funded in the Wesleyan tradition at “One Tree Hill” by European pioneers in January 1825, the congregation celebrated its bicentenary on Sunday 9 February. Over the years, the congregation was variously known as Dundas Methodist Church and Dundas-Carlingford Methodist Church, before entering Union in 1977 as Marsden Road Uniting Church. It is understood to be the sixth oldest Methodist congregation in the Southern Hemisphere.

The congregation worships in a magnificent sandstone church which is “only” 158 years old. It is a landmark in the area, and prominent on the busy Marsden Road from which it takes its name.

The service was conducted by the General Secretary of the NSW/ACT Synod, Rev Jane Fry, who began her ministry at Marsden Road some thirty years ago. She said that, when she was the Marsden Road minister, she was conscious that the congregation would be celebrating two hundred years in  2025, and regretted that she would no longer be there to share in it. However, Jane’s continuing connection with Marsden Road and generosity of time made her the obvious person to lead the celebratory service. She did so with enthusiasm.

Also attending were the President of the Assembly, Rev Charissa Suli, the Moderator, Rev Mata Havea Hiliau, the Chair of Sydney-Central Coast Presbytery, Rev Keith Garner, and the Presbytery Minister, Rev Martin Levine. And “dropping in on the neighbours” were Rev ‘Oto V Faiva and his wife, from Marsden Road’s nearest neighbour, West Epping-Carlingford Uniting Church; while representatives of the Korean Rainbow Presbyterian Church, which shares the site, also attended to show their support.

In bringing her greeting, the Moderator let out a “Wow!”, acknowledging the remarkable achievement (in a post-European settlement Australian context) of reaching a 200^th anniversary. There were, she said, no words adequately to express what a remarkable achievement this was.

The service was attended by about 160 people, many with past connections returning to lend their support. Overflow seating was provided in the adjacent hall, while the service was professionally livestreamed so others could view it at home. Visitors and livestreamers included people with past connection to the former Dalmar Children’s Home, as well as Alan Walker Retirement Village, both of which have been or continue to be, part of the missional work of the Marsden Road church.

One unusual but poignant feature of the service was a parade of “Ghosts from the Past”. Taking some of the stained glass windows as their cue, six people spoke about the former members memorialised in the windows. In most cases, the actors were direct descendants, or had been close friends, of the people about whom they spoke, lending a very personal testimony to the continuity of faithful membership at Marsden Road. Rev Fry reminded the congregation that she had dedicated one of the windows while Marsden Road Minister.

Fifteen months in the planning, the bicentennial celebration was symbolised by a bespoke logo which incorporated the emblems of both the former Methodist Church and the Uniting Church, while an attractive banner, designed and created for the occasion, was hung in the church.

Of course, in the fine traditions of the congregation, a truly magnificent luncheon was served, culminating in the cutting of the celebratory cake by the two longest members, Ruth Henderson and Colin Baker.

The universal message of this celebration, in the preaching, in the greetings offered on behalf of the Synod and the Presbytery, in the “ghosts” presentations, and in the liturgy and enthusiastic singing, was that the name of Jesus Christ had been faithfully proclaimed at Marsden Road in word and deed by his disciples for two hundred years. As Marsden Road looks to its third century, it does so with the same commitment to the Lord whom it has honoured since its foundation in 1825.

Lauris Harper