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Lowood Methodist Church (1902)

Description

From warehouse to first church

Lowood's first Wesleyan-Methodist services were held in Cribb and Foote's produce store in 1887.

Cribb and Foote of Ipswich (shown below in 1895) had opened a store, cotton gin and manager's cottage in Fernvale in 1872. About 1886 Cribb and Foote opened a produce store in Lowood, at the corner of Main and Michel Streets, where occasional public meetings and church services were held.

In 1888 a Wesleyan Church opened in Fernvale and its minister, Thomas Wareham, also served the Lowood congregation. But it wasn't until 1892 that The Brisbane Courier reported a Wesleyan Methodist Church had at last been erected in Lowood, at a cost of £135/0/0. 

The Queensland Times Lowood correspondent noted: "We have a neat little Wesleyan Church here, prettily situated on the top of the hill, from which a very attractive view can be obtained of the surrounding district."

In 1899 a parsonage was built in Church Street, next to the church, by Messrs E. Pysden and A. Cole. 

The first wedding held at the church was on October 10, 1900 when William Weir Flewell-Smith, third son of John Flewell-Smith of Orchard Farm, married Louisa Isabella Michel, eldest daughter of Ewald and Gertrude Michel. Rev B. Bottomley performed the service.

Growing congregation needs bigger church

From 1892 the congregation continued to grow steadily over the next decade and eventually the little church was outgrown. In 1902 it was replaced with the present building, then known as Lowood Methodist Church, built by local carpenter and cabinet maker, William Weir Flewell-Smith, to seat a congregation of 200.

The photo below (c1903) shows the new church with the original parsonage next door. 

                   

 

Congregation gets own tennis court

In February 1905 The Queensland Times reported: "The members of the Methodist Guild have long been anxious to have a tennis court and some years ago it was marked out. It is now nearing completion." The court was used for many years, but today only the vacant level ground remains.

Ex-RAAF hut became first church hall

In 1948 a former staff hut from the decommissioned Lowood RAAF airfield at Mt Tarampa was erected behind the church and became the church hall for the next 39 years. In 1956 the old parsonage (above) was replaced with a new manse.

In 1977, when Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches united in Australia, this church was renamed Lowood Uniting Church.

Centenary Hall marks first 100 years

The old church hall was replaced in 1987 with the 'Centenary Hall' (above) that commemorates the first 100 years of Wesleyan-Methodist-Uniting services in Lowood. 

Second oldest church in Lowood

Lowood Uniting Church is the second oldest surviving church in Lowood (after St James's).  The church's original entrance porch was replaced in 1985 but the interior is mostly intact, including the vaulted polished timber ceiling. It has been an important part of Lowood's landscape for 109 years.

Information from "The Lowood Story: The Uniting Church 1887-1987" and other sources.