Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Sunday, 17 July I had the honour of attending the St Paul's Anglican Church 125th anniversary service in Seville for the Seville St Paul's Anglican Church. As you would expect, Mr Deputy Speaker, it was a day to celebrate and reflect on a wonderful history of that parish in Seville. We met with a wide range of family, friends, church members and community leaders. Rosemary Varty spoke of the history of the church, which began with seven men, including her great grandfather, William Smith Aitken, who met back in February 1886 to plan the church, which opened in the July of that year.

The story of the church, its history, is the story of the Seville community and, as you would expect, the wonderful historical reflection touched on the role of the church in tough national economic times, in the depressions of 1890 and of course in the 1930s, its role during wars and conflicts, its role during natural disasters—floods, droughts and bushfires—and of course its roles in ministering to families and individuals in the Seville community over 125 years.

It was a proud time for the church community. It was a time to reflect on the growth of the Seville community from back in those pre-Federation days. There were many descendants of families who played such a critical role in the foundation years of the church who were present. There was great reflection, as you would expect, on the contribution those families had made to ensure that the church survived and that it played the role that it has played at critical times in the history of the Seville community. I pay tribute to all of the members of the church who were there on that Sunday one month ago. I also pay tribute to those who came before them who helped build the church and sustain it through those years to the great benefit of the Seville community.