Scots' Church, Melbourne

Infobox Church
name = Scots' Church, Melbourne


imagesize = 300px
caption = The Scots' Church, Melbourne
seniorpastor = Rt Rev Douglas Robertson
pastor = Rev Richard O'Brien
Rev John Diacos
Rev Geoffrey Blackburn
type = Presbyterian
denomination = Presbyterian Church of Australia
division = Presbyterian Church of Victoria
subdivision = Presbytery of Melbourne West
founded_date = 1838
founder = Rev James Forbes
architect = Joseph Reed
style = Neo-Gothic
constructed_date = 1871-1874
dedicated_date = 1874
location = Collins Street, Melbourne
country = flagcountry|Australia
phone = 61 3 9650 9903
website = [http://www.scotschurch.com Scotschurch.com]

The Scots' Church, a Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia, was the first Presbyterian Church to be built in the Port Phillip District (now the state of Victoria). It is located in Collins Street and is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

Background

The Rev James Forbes was recruited to come to Australia as a Presbyterian Minister by the Rev John Dunmore Lang, arriving in Melbourne from Sydney by boat on 20 January 1838. He found that retired Church of Scotland minister Rev James Clow had been holding services in the area, the first minister of any church to do so. cite web |url= http://www.scotschurch.com/history.htm|title= A Little Bit of Our Church History|accessdate=2008-10-10 |work= Scots' Church website|publisher= Scots' Church |date= ] He had retired to Van Dieman's Land following service in India and began services once settlement began.

In February 1838, less than three years after the founding of Melbourne, the Church of Scotland was allotted a two-acre site on the corner of Collins and Russell Streets. When the site was allocated, the elders objected that it was "too far out of town".

Original church

Forbes held his first Presbyterian service on Sunday 3 February 1838 in the Pioneers Church on the south side of Bourke Street near William Street. The Church of England soon made exclusive claims to this communal building and so Forbes held services in Craig and Broadfoot's store in Collins Street until a temporary timber building called Scots Church was opened on the south side of Collins Street near William Street (about where the Olderfleet Buildings now stand) in July 1838. It was essentially a large room with a fireplace.

The temporary building also served as the Scots' Church School which relocated to new brick premises in September 1839 on the part of the convert|2|acre|m2|sing=on site granted by the Government on the corner of Collins and Russell Streets which was later the George's department store.

First Scots' Church

The foundation stone of the first purpose built church building was laid on 22 January 1841 and it was opened on 3 October 1841. It was designed to seat 500 and the contract sum was £2,485 without plastering, gallery, vestry or fittings. The building was opened with temporary seating. Plastering was carried out the following year, proper pews, gallery and vestry were added in 1849 and a spire some years later.

The congregation also built a manse (minister's house) on the site where the Assembly Hall now stands, which was sold to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria for 5,000 pounds in about 1913. In 2007 the Assembly Hall was bought by the Scots' Church Properties Trust to be renovated for use as congregational offices and meeting halls following the demolition of the Scots' Church Hall in Russell Street and the heritage listed Scots' Church Car Park and the redevelopment of the site with a 10 story building.cite web |url= http://www.scotschurch.com/about-us.htm|title= About Us |accessdate=2008-10-10 |work= Scots' Church website |publisher= Scots' Church|date= ] cite web |url= http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/opm/bc/CTEE/meetings/PC_34_200604040530.pdf|title= Scots Church Redevelopment, Corner Little Collins and Russell Streets, Melbourne|accessdate=2008-10-10 |work=Planning Committee Report |publisher= City of Melbourne|format= PDF|date=2006-04-04 ]

This first church building was demolished partly because of concerns that the tower and spire would collapse after it developed huge cracks and became crooked.Fact|date=May 2007 The congregation had outgrown the building during Gold Rush of 1850s & 1860s as the population of Melbourne expanded.

Current Building

Construction of the current building took place between 1871 and 1874, during the ministry of Rev Irving Hetherington and his assistant Rev Peter Menzies, and was opened on 29 November 1874 with seating for 1000. It was designed by Joseph Reed of the firm Reed and Barnes, and built by David Mitchell, the father of Dame Nellie Melba. Reed and Barnes also designed the Melbourne Town Hall, the State Library of Victoria, Trades Hall, the Royal Exhibition Building, the Wesley Church in Lonsdale Street, the original Presbyterian Ladies' College in East Melbourne, and Collins Street Independent Church, now St. Michael’s Uniting Church, on the opposite corner of Russell Street.

Scots' is in the Neo-Gothic style and built of Barrabol freestone, with dressings in Kakanul stone from New Zealand cite web |url= http://www.easyaccessaustralia.com.au/other/accessmelb.pdf|title= Churches & Cathedrals |accessdate=2008-10-10 |last=Cameron |first=Bruce |date=1999-09 |work= Accessing Melbourne|publisher=Easy Access Australia Publishing Pty Ltd] . During the last decades of the nineteenth century the spire of Scots' Church was the tallest structure in Melbourne. The interior features the large stained glass window depicting the Last Supper, basalt asile columns, timber beamed roof and an elevated floor for a good view of the pulpit.

Laid up in the church are two sets of Regimental Colours of the Australian 5th Battalion, The Victorian Scottish Regiment, which include the honour LANDING at ANZAC.

The crest & flag of Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies are located near lectern. Queen Elizabeth II was present for presentation by Dame Pattie Menzies in 1983. Queen Elizabeth had been accompanied by Sir Robert in 1961 when they visited Scots' to unveil a war memorial mosaic in the vestible near the entrance.

Music

Organ

The first pipe organ at Scots' was built in 1883 by Hill and Son. It was rebuilt and enlarged in 1910 by George Fincham and Sons and rebuilt again in 1959. The organ was removed for storage in 1999. The present organ was built in 1998 by Orgelbau, Schwarzach, Austria.

Choir

The Choir of Scots' Church has been under the Director of Music Douglas Lawrence since 1984. He had started the Choir of Ormond College (University of Melbourne) in 1982 and raised the standard at Scot’s considerably. The Choir released their first recording in 1987: "Joy my Heart Outpoured". Scots' Choir consists of four principals, eight choral scholars and other members. Dame Nellie Melba reputedly started and finished her singing career in the choir at Scot's Church, and her funeral was taken from Scots' in February 1931.

Ministers

The first minister of Scots' Church was Rev James Forbes, who, as well as being involved in the foundation of Scots' Church, was instrumental in the establishment of John Knox Free Presbyterian Church on Swanston Street (now housing a Church of Christ congregation), Scotch College, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Melbourne Mechanics' Institute.

Scots' Church is currently served by a senior minister, Rt Rev Douglas Robertson, and a minister to the central business district, Rev Richard O'Brien. The evening congregation ("seventeenthirty") is served by Rev John Diacos, with a focus on evangelism to University students and young city workers. Rev Geoffrey Blackburn serves as the pastoral care minister.

Historically, most of the senior ministers at Scots' Church have been trained or served in the Church of Scotland, including Robertson, who first worked at Scots' as an assistant minister between 1991 and 1994. He returned to Scotland to take up the position of Parish Minister in Appin And Lismore, North Argyll, but was then called by the congregation of Scots' Church to come back to Melbourne and serve as senior minister from February 2001. Robertson is currently moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria.

As in any church with a Presbyterian structure, the ministers of Scots' govern and care for the congregation with a body of Church Elders called the Session.

ervices

Services are held on every Sunday of the year. A traditional service is held at 11:00am and a contemporary service at 17:30 (5:30pm) in the upper church hall at 99 Russell St. Communion is held on the first Sunday of each season (Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer) and on Easter Sunday. A lunchtime service for innercity workers is held at 1pm every Wednesday. From time to time prominent members of the community are invited preach at this service. In 2006 one such speaker was Australian golfer Aaron Baddeley.

An Indonesian language service is held every Sunday at 5:15pm. On April 1, 2007, the congregation known as the Indonesian Christian Church officially joined Scots'.

Theology

As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the ministers and elders of Scots' Church are required to ascribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith, the major English statement of Calvinistic Christianity. cite web |url= http://presbyterian.org.au/section3.htm#believes|title=Doctrine |accessdate=2008-10-10 |work= Introduction to the Presbyterian Church of Australia|publisher= The Code Committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia|date= 2004]

Members are not required to ascribe to the Westminster Confession, but, if they are not already a member of a Christian church, are admitted to membership by making a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ and their committment to the church. cite web |url= http://www.scotschurch.com/membership.htm |title= Membership |accessdate=2008-10-10 |work= Scots' Church website|publisher= Scots' Church|date= ]

Ecumenism

Scots' Church has participated in a number of ecumenical activities. cite news |first= Barney |last= Zwartz |title= Catholic bishop preaches at Scots |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Catholic-bishop-preaches-at-Scots/2005/05/25/1116950758974.html |work= The Age |publisher= The Age Company |date= 2008-05-26|accessdate=2008-10-10 ] cite news |first= Barney|last= Zwartz|title= A Diversity of Followers with Many Crosses to bear keep Good Friday tradition alive in ecumenical walk |url= http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/a-diversity-of-followers-with-many-crosses-to-bear-keep-good-fridaytradition-alive-in-ecumenical-walk/2008/03/21/1205602661763.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|work= The Age |publisher= The Age Company|date= 2008-03-22|accessdate=2008-10-10 ]

Although John Knox, the founder of Presbyterianism in Scotland in the 16th century, described the Roman Catholic Church as "the whore of Babylon" and the Westminster Confession of Faith calls the Pope, "that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God" cite book |title= Westminster Confession of Faith |coauthors= Westminster Divines |year= 1647 |publisher= Westminster Assembly|location= Westminster|isbn= |pages= |url= http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/creeds3.iv.xvii.ii.html] , two Catholics have preached from the pulpit of Scots' Church. The first was Archbishop of Melbourne Sir Frank Little in 1974 while Gordon Powell was minister, who joined the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977. Bishop Mark Colridge preached at Scots' in May 2005, telling the congregation, "If all we can manage is ideological warfare, it will come to nothing."

Francis Macnab & the Ten Commandments

In the 16 September 2008 edition of The Age, the minister of St. Michael's Uniting Church Rev Francis Macnab (a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar) gave an interview announcing the formation of a new religion, saying, "The old faith is in large sections unbelievable. We want to make the new faith more believable, realistic and helpful in terms of the way people live". cite web |url= http://www.theage.com.au/national/new-faith-throws-out-the-ten-commandments-20080915-4h3d.html?page=-1|title= New faith throws out the Ten Commandments |accessdate=2008-09-26 |author= Barney Zwartz |date= 2008-09-16|work= The Age |publisher= Fairfax] cite news |first= Cheryl|last= Hall |title= Controversial clergyman advertises his new faith on billboards.|url= http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/vic/content/2006/s2381797.htm|work= Stateline Victoria|publisher= The Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date= 2008-10-05|accessdate=2008-10-10 ] Rev Macnab described Moses as a mass murderer, Abraham as concocted and Jesus as a Jewish peasant and certainly not God.

The new religion was launched with a $120,000 advertising campaign including posters reading, "The Ten Commandments, one of the most negative documents ever written." and draws from other religions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism..cite web |url= http://www.crowncontent.com.au/wwnews/20080915-macnab-faith.html |title= Who's Who in the News: Francis Macnab |accessdate=2008-09-27 |author= |date= 2008-09-16|work= Who's Who News Archive |publisher= Crown Content Pty Ltd]

In a interview with Stateline Victoria Dr Macnab replied to criticism saying that he was in agreement with others inside Christianity who, "are asking the traditional church to re-examine and renew their basic thinking about what faith can be, because millions of people do not find the old faith meaningful to their lives."cite news |first= Barney|last= Zwartz|title= Gentle rebuke over minister's 'new faith'|url= http://www.theage.com.au/national/gentle-rebuke-over-ministers-new-faith-20080921-4l0o.html|work= The Age|publisher= Fairfax Digital |date= 2008-09-22|accessdate=2008-10-10 ] He said he "would expect that kind of reaction from people who take the scriptures far too literally."

The Uniting Church did not move to discipline Dr Macnab because no formal complaint had been received.

The Session of Scots' Church, which is on the opposite side of Russell Street, published a statement in reply defending the Ten Commandments from " [t] he most incredible publicity war... being waged against the historic Christian faith."cite web |url= http://www.scotschurch.com/ten-commandments.htm|title= The Ten Commandments|accessdate=2008-10-10 |last= |first= |date= |work= Scots' Church website|publisher=The Session of Scots' Church] They installed a poster outlining the influence of the Ten Commandments on their Russell Street frontage facing towards St. Michael's. The text reads:

The Ten Commandments: the most positive and influential document ever written
More than 3000 years of history that engender and promote...
*respect for the Divine Creator, which saves us from the arrogance of our humanity as we enjoy and make use of his creation
* respect for the Divine character, which saves us from misplaced trust in the frivolous and transient gods of our age
*respect for the name of God, which teaches us humility and service
*respect for the spiritual nurture of our soul, because we are more than an accident of nature
*respect for family and especially parents
*respect for life, seeking to nurture and value all people, including the weak, the marginalised and the displaced
*respect for our spouse, for the sanctity of marriage and for the value of commitment
*respect for property and the rights of other people, taking nothing to ourselves that is not ours
*respect for the truth, including the value of rational, scientific enquiry as well as the gospel truth about God and his Son Jesus Christ
*respect for personal integrity and the purity of our hearts’ desires

References

External links

* [http://www.scotschurch.com/ Scots' Church home page]
* [http://www.move.com.au/artist.cfm/194 The Choir of Scots' Church at Move Records]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Catholic-bishop-preaches-at-Scots/2005/05/25/1116950758974.html Catholic bishop preaches at Scots']

Photos

* [http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/miscpics/0/0/1/doc/mp001762.shtml Design for the new Presbyterian Church, Collins Street, 1872 from wood engraving. From the State Library of Victoria]
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an23820186 Scots' Church in 1877 by Nicholas J. Caire. From the National Library of Australia]
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3081978 Scots' in situ, Collins Street 1880s. From the National Library of Victoria]
* [http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/b/1/9/doc/b19763.shtml Original pulpit from the State Library of Victoria]
* [http://www.3dphoto.net/stereo/world/australia_pacific/victoria/scots_church1.html Scots' Church today. Exterior from east]
* [http://www.3dphoto.net/stereo/world/australia_pacific/victoria/scots_church2.html Scots' Church today. Exterior from east II]
* [http://www.pbase.com/image/50515134 Scots' Church today. Exterior from west]
* [http://www.pbase.com/chonchat/image/26450521 Scots' Church today. Exterior from west at night]