About Us - History - Photos - Times and Location

St James Pakenham
Established 1884

Historical Notes 1839 – 2006

2006
• Crosstown - Sunday Morning Children and Families worship was launched on April 30th. It is being held in the Beaconhills Year 12 center.
• Full immersion baptisms in the morning and for the first time in the Evening Youth Service followed a week later on June 18th by Confirmations with Bishop John Wilson officiating.
• 1-5th May ‘Evangelism Explosion’ Clinic held.
• Formal Dinner held at Mill Valley Ranch.
• Prime Minister John Howard paid a surprise visit to the St James BCA Garden Party on 27th September, 2006.

2005
• Many St James people attended Festival Victoria, (Franklin Graham.)
• Acknowledgement of Noel Webster on his resignation as registrar of the Memorial Garden after 45 years.
• Dedication of new Flag and Flagpole and presentation of Victory in the Pacific Medals after Remembrance Day Service 06.11.05
• Youth Evening Services go monthly.
• “Boundary With Kids” Course run by Stephen Petering.
• New format for The Dream Factory working well.

2004 (November)
• St. James celebrates 120 years of ministry in Pakenham and 10 years in our new church building. 
• The Most Reverend Peter Watson Archbishop of Melbourne officiated.
• “Drugproofing Your Kids” Course run by Steve Petering and Roseanne Brough.

2004
• Sunday Morning Family Church established.

2003
• Rev. Hilary Roath appointed Junior School Chaplain at Beaconhills College.
• Altar moved and configuration of seating altered.
• B.C.A. ladies establish catering group to assist fundraising.

2002
• Dream Factory Kids Club established.
• Genevieve Shallard receives Lay Ministers Licence as Pastoral Care Minister.
• Risk of losing Cardinia Shire Carols by Candlelight – St James joins other churches to save the event

2001
• Vision & Planning for the Future
• New organ donated
• Parish Dinners – Fun and Fellowship established.

2000
• Friends Outreach Program established.
• Reintroduction of Harvest Festival. 
• Alpha Courses offered.

1999
• New prayer books donated by congregation in memory of loved ones.
• Introduction of GST caused headache for Treasurer.

1998
• May 12th Rev. Hilary Roath inducted

1995
• Announcement of new urban growth corridor to increase population of Pakenham and surrounding areas.
• February – Lay Pastors Commissioned; V.Blackwell; L.McMillan; L.Rushton; A.Bailey; N.Speedie; C.Battersby; B.Watts; A.Gillespie; A.Cadman; R.Pearson; G.Brooke.

1994
• In May the sale of 5-7 Main St. was completed.
• 6/11/94 Most Rev. Keith Rayner Archbishop of Melbourne officially opened St James new church building.
• Life in the Spirit Seminar

1993
• In June St James relocated services to Beaconhills Christian College Library until new church was finished.
• In October land for church was purchased from Beaconhills for $115,000

1992
• In August St James (Main St) sold to Tobin Brothers for $400,000. To be used as a Funeral Chapel.
• Ladies Guild closed down.

1991
• 2nd Clergy House purchased $130,000
• Rev. Wayne Walters appointed as Curate – part-time

1990
• Congregational meeting held to discuss building a new church
• Youth Ministry - Roseanne Brough appointed.
• St James supported the establishment of a Community Chest to provide emergency relief to families in crisis.

1987
• Windana rehabilitation centre opened at Maryknoll.

1986-1997
• Rev. Ian Battersby

1984-1985
• Major fundraising appeal to build orphanage school in India.
• “Trading Table” began operating to raise money for Missions.
• Rev. Bill Potter was Locum.

1984
• St James 100th Birthday Celebrations

1983
• On Ash Wednesday 16th February many parts of Victoria were devastated by bushfires.
• At Upper Beaconsfield St John’s Church and Hall were destroyed and many people lost their life or were injured.
• St James established a crisis support centre in conjunction with other aid agencies.

1981
• New porch added to church – cost $16,950
• Ronald memorial window placed in western wall and dedicated by Bishop Shand. 
• Sanctuary lamp dedicated to Ken & Cec Purton.
• Retiring Vestry Members; Ken Purton 53 yrs service; Cec Purton 51 yrs service; Fred Treloar 23yrs service
• Rev. Philip Huggins received licence.
• YWAM mission team visited St James
• Purchase of land for Christian school to be established- Frank Millet appointed Principal of Beaconhills Christian College.

1980
• Carpet in church $2850. 
• Sanctuary in Church enlarged.
• Trees planted in church grounds.
• First meeting in St. John’s Upper Beaconsfield hall regarding establishment of a Christian school for the district.
• Celebration ’80 – Rev. Graham Rutherford and mission team from Kyabram visit Pakenham.

1980-1985
• Rev. Roger Rich

1979
• Repairs to house, gas heater, carpets in house etc. 
• New duplicator purchased.

1978
• Ladies Guild asked for help with Fete.
• New Hall piano for $500.

1977
• Hall roof repaired.
• Porch addition to Church suggested.

1976
• Altar position changed.
• Toilet block and storeroom completed at rear of Hall.
• Trees planted along eastern fence.

1975
• C.A.S. Stewardship. 
• Kerbs and guttering cost $1226.
• Land acquired by C.R.B. for roadwork. 
• Tiles in vicarage.
• St. Patrick’s opened new Church.

1975-1975
• Rev. A.R. Moore

1974
• Fence built around vicarage.
• Mr. C. Purton resigned as secretary after 25 years service.
• 90th anniversary celebrations. 
• Visit by Archbishop Woods..

1973
• Table Tennis Table purchased.
• Australia 73 service in use.

1972
• New Vicarage cleared of debt.
• Thanksgiving service for the work of the Ladies Guild.
• New parish sharing clergy with St. John’s Upper Beaconsfield from December 1972.

1972-1975
• Rev. S.S. Rigby

1971
• New forms of service first used.

1970
• Hall woodwork painted.
• Final year as joint parish with Christ Church, Berwick.
• Grey estate legacy.
• Guild purchased crockery for hire.

1969
• New psalm board made. 
• Garden shed built.

1968
• Church roof repainted. 
• Dust covers made for Altar. 
• M.R. Wagstaff Memorial Bible given for lectern. 
• Mrs. M. Purton and Mrs. M. Jackson died.

1967
• Dedication of Hoffman Choir Stall frontal, bookcase, brass bowl, two memorial windows, vestry and residence by Bishop Sambell. 
• Electric Yamaha organ purchased for £656. 
• Reid legacy received. 
• Dept. of Education ceased to use Hall.

1967-1972
• Rev. R.S. Cherry

1966
• Farrell memorial window installed, Hoffman memorial window installed.
• Book case in memory of P.Hoyles. 
• C. Rossetti tendered £9753 for new vicarage. “Question night” Evensongs popular.

1965
• Vestry building cleared of debt. 
• Coffee Club formed.
• Bishop family gave processional cross.
• New vicarage proposed.

1964
• Cruets given by Guild in memory of Mrs. G. Shelton.
• Vestry added to church for £980/10/-d.
• New Axminster carpet in Church. 
• Canon Hoffman died. 
• Heaters installed in Church. 
• Memorial Bowl to F.R. Webster. 
• Choir formed under Mr. B. Wagstaff.

1963
• Debt on Hall cleared. 
• Mr. A. Hein died. 
• Memorial Garden dedicated by Rev. Sexton.

1962
• New kneelers in Church, lighting in Sanctuary. 
• Baptismal shell given by Guild. 
• Memorial Garden dedicated by Rev. Sexton.

1961
• Basic stipend £67 per month. 
• Memorial Garden built for £95. 
• Boundary fence removed.

1961-1966
• Rev. C.F. Sexton

1960
• C.A.S. Stewardship. 
• Old vicarage passed to St. James Village and sold for removal.

1959
• Bishop Sambell conducted mission. 
• Mr. G. Smith died. 
• Mrs. Reid gave “snuffer”. 
• Mr & Mrs C. Shallard gave chalice and paten. 
• Ladies Guild 40th Birthday. 
• St. James Village opened by Archbishop Woods.

1958
• Parish Hall extensions. 
• Messrs. L. Rushton and K. Bishop appointed lay-readers in Parish.
• Stewardship program. 
• St. James Village built. 
• Hall piano purchased.

1957
• Mr. Thwaites Life Membership. 
• Mr. Thwaites died. 
• Alms dish presented by Vestry in his memory. 
• Gold curtains placed behind altar. 
• Candlesticks given for altar. 
• Heaters placed in Hall. 
• Projector purchased. 
• C.E.B.S./G.F.S. commenced.
• St James Village proposed.

1956
• Hall dedicated. 
• Stewardship began.
• Education Dept. hire Hall.

1955
• Hall completed costing £1300.

1955-1961
• Rev.P.Gason

1953
• Hall bricks made. 
• N.N. Webster appointed Warden. 
• Cost of running parish £9 per week.

1952
• New Altar given by Mrs Purton.

1951
• New Carpet in Church

1951-1955
• Rev. J.L. Ryan

1950
• Plans drawn for Church Hall. 
• Mr Hein collected information for “Back to Pakenham” booklet. 
• Bricks made for Hall by voluntary labour.

1949
• Church bell purchased for £7/10/-d. from St John’s Ballarat. Mr Langley erected tower.

1948
• Underground tank filled in with sawdust.

1947
• Temple day raised £57

1946
• Interior of Church painted for £20.
• “Little Hero” bath heater purchased for £4/10/-d.

1945
• £150 paid into 3rd Victory Loan.

1944-1948
• Rev. W.P.Daunt

1944
• Bushfire destroyed outbuildings at vicarage.

1943
• Guild resumed cleaning duties in Church

1942
• New path from Main Street. 
• Concrete square at western doorway. 
• New notice board. 
• War Risk Insurance.

1941
• Blackout material purchased. 
• Severe financial problems. 
• Insufficient money to pay clergy. 
• 13/-d. collected for bombing victims.

1940
• Severe financial trouble.

1939
• Bush Fire Appeal. 
• Problems paying stipend.

1938
• St. James moved from Diocese of Gippsland to Diocese of Melbourne, with Berwick. 
• Stipend £9/11/10d. 
• Electricity to house for £15/10/-d.

1938-1944
• Rev. E. Panelli

1937
• Queen competition to raise funds – raised £477

1936
• Cypress trees planted in church grounds by Ladies Guild.

1934
• Jubilee Celebrations 27/5/1934.
• Guild gave new fence along McGregor Road side (removed in 1961)

1933
• KooWeeRup eliminated from parish.
• Guild subs. Reduced to 6d. from 1/-d.

1932
• Stipend reduced to £5 per month. 
• Outside church light cost £1/15/-d.

1931
• Cyclone fence around part of Church – cost £49/1/7d.

1930
• C. Purton joins Vestry

1929
• Tennis courts built. 
• Geo. Smith retired from Vestry

1928
• Guild almost disbanded.
• Electric light installed in church by Ladies Guild for £8/5/-d.
• Water service installed at house.

1927-1937
• Rev.E.J.Dodd

1827
• Two new cruets purchased.
• Brass rods and hangars for vestry area (in rear of church).
• Water and electricity available in district.
• K. Purton & P. Thwaites appointed warden.

1926
• Duplex system of giving introduced.

1925
• Thomas organ purchased from Kitchen Estate.
• New fence at vicarage.
• Church cleaner paid 1/6d.
• Miss Hagens retired after 25 years as organist.

1924-1926
• Rev. H.C.Busby

1924
• Pew rentals abolished.
• Telephone installed at vicarage.
• Church cleaner paid 2/6d.

1922-1924
• Rev. M.G.Opper

1923
• Cross placed on top of Church by Mr. P. Thwaites.
• Brass altar vases and book stand purchased.
• New frontals made.

1922
• Legacy from J.A. Kitchen Estate.

1919
• Second St. James Ladies Guild Formed

1918-1921
• Rev. F.J.Evans

1918
• Pakenham joined with Nar Nar Goon, and attached to Diocese of Gippsland, with Five Mile and Tynong.
• Land purchased from Mrs Frost for £49/15/-d.
• First vicarage built by Stephenson and Bloomfield.

1913
• Dedication of Chancel and furnishings.
• Dedication of Pulpit in St James.

1903-1918
• Rev. A.J. Cole

1901
• First visit by a Bishop – Bishop F.F.Goe.

1900
• Chancel added to Church

1899-1903
• Rev. H.J.Harvey

1888-1889
• Rev. A. Brain

1887
• Certificate of title held by T.Henty, J Startup and C. Hodgson. Thomas Henty died.

1884
• 4th May services commenced in new St James church.

1883
• Tenders let for erection of St James. Bricks hand made. Foundation stone placed in position by T. Henty.

1883-1898
• Rev. J.H. Hill

• 1882-1883
• Rev. J.M. Easterling
• Services held at Pakenham with Clergy from Berwick

1880
• Township of Pakenham (Pakenham East) established

1871
• James Henty purchased land in Pakenham

1867
• Township of Pakenham surveyed

1839
• I.Y.U. Estate Purchased (original homestead still exists on Meeking Drive)