St. John the Baptist's Anglican Church, Ashfield, Sydney

St John the Baptist Anglican Church is an Anglican church located between Alt and Bland Streets, Ashfield, in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The church building is the oldest surviving building in Ashfield.

History

The first acre of the grounds was donated by Elizabeth Underwood in 1840. [author unlisted (2004). "St John The Baptist, Ashfield, The First 150 Years". Published by "the Churchwardens of St John's Anglican Church, Ashfield", 1990. Updated 2004. p4.] Further land was purchased from the aforesaid Elizabeth Underwood in 1845. [author unlisted (2004). "St John The Baptist, Ashfield, The First 150 Years". Published by "the Churchwardens of St John's Anglican Church, Ashfield", 1990. Updated 2004. p10.]

Edmund Blacket in 1842, shortly after arriving in Sydney, was requested to inspect the walls of the church building, then under construction. As a result of his report, the walls were demolished and rebuilt [Coupe, Sheena and Robert (1988). "Speed The Plough, Ashfield 1788-1988". Published by "The Council of the Municipality of Ashfield", 1988. ISBN 0-9595234-1-3. p50.] . Much later, Blacket designed the current transept and chancel, completed in 1875 [Coupe, Sheena and Robert (1988). "Speed The Plough, Ashfield 1788-1988". Published by "The Council of the Municipality of Ashfield", 1988. ISBN 0-9595234-1-3. p93.] .

St John's was the first church to be established between Sydney and Parramatta [author unlisted (2004). "St John The Baptist, Ashfield, The First 150 Years". Published by "the Churchwardens of St John's Anglican Church, Ashfield", 1990. Updated 2004. p1.] , making it among the oldest continuous churches still in existence in Sydney.

Current Ministry

The church currently has one traditional and two contemporary congregations. The current rector is the Reverend Andrew Katay ["Parish in Focus: St John's Ashfield". South Sydney News, Southern Cross. Published by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, March 2007. ISSN 1445-0089.] , the eighteenth holder of the position.

Since July 2006 it has run a mothers and children group, which discusses Christian parenting issues, and teaches English to those for whom it is not their native language. ["MOCHA makes mums most welcome". South Sydney News, Southern Cross. Published by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, March 2007. ISSN 1445-0089.]

References

External links

* [http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au Church home page]