A NSW diocese is restructuring and that means you get the opportunity to buy a church.
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St Cuthbert's Church in Ellenborough and St James' Church in Byabarra are officially closed and on the market after a restructuring decision from the Anglican Diocese of Grafton.
The two Anglican churches in the Parish of Wauchope, near Port Macquarie on the state's mid-north coast, have been listed for $220,000 and $130,000 respectively.
The decision was made as part of a major restructuring of the Anglican Diocese of Grafton, which will redirect worship and ministry to St Matthew's in Wauchope.
All Saints Pappinbara Community Church was also in the running to be sold, but was purchased for a minimal amount and returned to community ownership in May this year after 12 months of negotiations with the Diocese.
Janette Rainbow, a former warden at All Saints Anglican Church, said it was very sad to see the buildings being sold after having land donated and churches built by the community during the Depression.
"Our church will be 90 years old in December, we will celebrate that anniversary on December 5 if we're able because churches like this are part of the community," she said.
"The sale of those two churches is not going to be good, I think. These buildings are part of the fabric of our traditional life and it's important that tradition is carried on to future generations because once you lose an asset like that, you can never get it back.
Byabarra church is 92 years old, while the Ellenborough church is more than 100 years old.
"Wauchope, in terms of regular congregations and finances is one of our smaller parishes. For these reasons the Synod has decided that the rural churches will close," a diocesan spokesperson said.
The restructuring was approved at an annual meeting in September 2020 attended by 130 representatives from parishes, schools and chaplaincies.
Ellenborough resident, Senior Citizen of the Year awardee and church warden Phyl Hollis, said parishioners maintained the church and its sale is heart-breaking for the community.
"We're heart broken about the sale of the church. We left it too late and now our hands are tied. There has been talk of this for 18 years, there was just no stopping it and it's terrible," Mrs Hollis said.
"We are disappointed. No matter who buys it, they will never be able to match the amount of work, heart and effort we have put into the church here in Ellenborough.
"It's heart-wrenching. We have a good little community here and unfortunately this is a no-win situation."
Parishioner and former Hindman's Creek resident Anne Waugh said it is sad the community is losing its outreach churches built by local residents.
"It's going to be a very sad day for the congregation when it does close. We have had no chance of buying and it will be sold to the highest bidder unfortunately," she said.
"The church is a meeting place for the community and Byabarra is a very loving community. It's very sad it's closing.
"With the growing population in the Mid North Coast area I feel this decision is rather short-sighted."
Mrs Waugh said she was still hopeful the church services could be moved to the community hall at Byabarra.
The spokesperson said the Diocese is at a crossroads as society moves away from church attendance and allegiance.