Parkes Anglican Celebrating 150 Years Of Faith And Fellowship

The Anglican Parish of Parkes and Peak Hill is thrilled to celebrate 150 years of faith, fel­lowship, and service to the community on the weekend of 21–23 February 2025.

This momentous occasion marks a rich history of faith and community, and the par­ish warmly invites everyone to join in the celebrations. “We’re thankful to God for the past 150 years of serving our community” said the Reverend Ben Mackay, “and we’re looking forward to what God will do in the years to come.”

The weekend will feature a series of spe­cial events including:

Friday, 21 February

• 4pm Open House: Come and explore the historic St George’s Parkes church build­ing, view fascinating memorabilia, and enjoy live music performed by talented local musicians.

• 7pm Guest Talk by Simon Smart: Simon Smart, from the Centre for Public Chris­tianity, will deliver an intriguing talk titled “How The Church Is Better and Worse Than You Ever Imagined”.

Saturday, 22 February

• 6pm Celebration Dinner: A formal dinner will be held, featuring a keynote speaker and reflections on the parish’s journey through the years.

Sunday, 23 February

• 10am Celebration and Thanksgiving Ser­vice: A joyful worship service to thank God for His faithfulness and to celebrate the future of the parish.

The parish has a proud history, first formed in 1875 after which the first timber church was built. After the original church burned down, it was replaced with a brick church.

Finally, the current St George’s church, a stunning cathedral-like building located on the corner of Church and Hill Streets, was built in 1927 and extended in the 1950s.

Over the years, the Anglican church has played a vital role in the life of Parkes, of­fering spiritual support, community events, and a place and community of refuge to all in Parkes. In addition to St George’s Parkes, the parish is blessed to include St Stephen’s Peak Hill, St Stephen’s Bindogundra, and Holy Trinity Reedy Creek.

Ben Mackay added: “We warmly invite all community members to be part of this cel­ebration. Whether you’re a long-time parish­ioner, a neighbour, or simply curious about the history and central role of the church in the Parkes community, we’d love to wel­come you to this special weekend. We are blessed with a wonderful church family and a beautiful building that has been shared with the community for generations.”

Come and join the celebrations as Parkes Anglican gives thanks for 150 years of ministry and look ahead to what God has in store for the future! For more informa­tion about the celebrations, or to RSVP to the formal dinner, please contact the parish office at 02 6862 1868 or visit our website parkesanglican.org.au