By the 1860s, Araluen was a religious Parish in its own right with a Church of St John’s.1Anglican Parish of Braidwood, Union Church Araluen. www.anglicanparishofbraidwood.com/id4.html Accessed 18 Feb 2023 The church was completed and opened in 1869 with two services being held on that day with hundreds of people including children attending.
Newspaper reports in 18692Goulburn Herald and Chronicle (NSW : 1864-1881), Saturday 3 April 1869, p 8 state that ‘St Johns Church is a little distance this side of Redbank, about one hundred yards’ off the main thoroughfare. The ground upon which it is built comprises half an acre, and was given by Mr. Burnell. The Church is a wooden structure with chancel and tower. The outside of the church is painted a stone-colour. It has a Gothic roof; and the interior walls are plastered to resemble stone also. The interior fittings are of cedar. It has a stained glass window, at the east end. It is lighted with five three-burner chandeliers. The building will seat three hundred and twenty persons.’
Music and singing has played a major part in the Anglican church over the years, with organists at St John’s noted as Mr W Alley, Miss Hyland and Miss Reed.3Brian McDonald and Jill Clarke. Religious Annals of the Braidwood District. Jill A. Clarke. 2020. p 21
Araluen Anglican Clergymen serving in Araluen between 1852 and 1879 were:
- W. Allworth (1852-55)
- C.H. Rich (1856-64)
- A. Likely (1864-66)
- D. Jones (1867)
- A.D. Faunce (1868-70)
- R.T. Earl (1871-74)
- J. Clampett (1875)
- Vacant (1876-78)
- Mr J. Clarke (1878-79)
Services were discontinued in St John’s in 1913 and eventually the building collapsed and was left to lay in ruins.
Two years earlier, in 1911, William Mundy donated land at Newtown for a new church building on the condition that it was for the use of all denominations.
In Australia, a Union Church is a church building owned and maintained by a local trust and available to multiple denominations.
Anglican services are currently held alternately with the Uniting Church, in the Araluen Union Church.
The Braidwood Review and District Advocate newspaper reported ‘Sunday 22nd December 1940 saw a large congregation attend to take part in the dedication of new furnishings and appointments in the Union Church.’4Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915-1954), Tuesday 24 December 1940, p 2 ‘They included a stately coachwood Altar and reading table, and a new reredos of blue tapestry was hung by thick blue cord loops from spear pointed brass rod. Many helpers had kindly and painstakingly assisted to prepare the church and to carry and to unpack the furnishings.’
As a result of all these efforts, and the use of the funds which were proceeds of sales of furnishing from the old St John’s Araluen the Union Church is a thing of beauty within and a true House of Prayer.
Music and singing has played a major part in the Union Church over the years, with the organist noted as
Mrs Goward.5McDonald and Clarke, Religious Annals of the Braidwood District. p 21
On Sunday 9 October 2011, the Union Church was packed to overflowing for a service to commemorate its Centenary.