THE long history of the Uniting Church building on the corner of Scott and Cameron Street in Cavendish looks set to end later this year as the congregation recently came to the conclusion they could no longer practically stay at the site.

Posting a notice in this month’s Cavendish Chronicle, chairperson Roger Edwards said it was a sad “sign of the times” and detailed not only the reasons behind the decision, but also gave a good account of its place in the town.

Mr Edwards wrote of how the community had rallied for years of fundraising which eventually enabled the foundation stone of the Cavendish Methodist Church to be laid in August 1938, a parsonage to be built across the road in 1954, and a Sunday School Hall in 1962.

The church followed the creation of the Uniting Church nationally in 1977 from a merger of Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian churches and “with a resident minister, Sunday School and kitchen facilities, along with disabled toilets installed in 1990, the church was well appointed to serve the community with weekly worship, baptisms, weddings and funerals”.

But maybe that was the peak of its history.

With subsequent changes to mission areas in the region, the parsonage was sold in 2009 and then began a slow realisation that “larger centres have the population and resources to remain viable for longer, (but) smaller aged congregations with dwindling numbers and lack of regeneration do not”.

“Being totally self-funded the congregation simply do not have the required financial capacity to sustain property services, maintenance and the liabilities of today’s ‘Safe Church’ compliance regulations and governance,” Mr Edwards wrote.

Asked by The Spectator what he meant by the term, he said the public liability with older buildings was increasingly becoming a financial hurdle that could not be accommodated.

“It’s even (entry) thresholds – trips and falls and spills and things like this,” Mr Edwards said.

“There’s a lot of issues in these old churches that just don’t comply with public building regulations.

“We just can’t afford to keep it open.”

With some of the congregants in their nineties, Mr Edwards said concern for their welfare was also a factor but there were still people intending to meet in an ecumenical community regularly with members from the local Anglican and Lutheran fellowships.

Mr Edwards said the notice in the local newsletter was intended to put any rumours to rest and “just to inform the community”.

“We’ll probably have our last service some time in November,” he said.

“What the church does with the building after that is entirely up to them, but I’m sure they will want to put it up for sale as soon as possible.”

Mr Edwards wrote in recognition of the Cavendish locals who had been part of the history of the church.

“To the district community who has devotedly supported the work of our church over the passing years, thank you and may God bless,” he wrote.