Rising from the ashes, a new era begins

Southern Cross | 29 May 2006

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burning memories
The destruction of one of Sydney’s oldest and most loved churches has resulted in an out-pouring of memories for those touched by its long ministry. Visit http://www.sydneyanglicans.net to read more tributes.

I still remember walking into Barney’s on that first Sunday morning. I have fond memories of my baptism on 26 November 2000 before I headed home after spending three wonderful years at the church. Thank you, Barney’s, for being there for overseas students all these years.
Chor Yin Ho,
Singapore

I came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Barney’s. I met and married my wife at Barney’s. I made my decision to work in gospel ministry during my time at Barney’s. I’m already feeling interested – dare I say excited – in what God’s plans might be for Barney’s over the next 150 years.
Tim Patrick, Evangelism Minister
St Jude’s, Carlton, Vic

Less than an hour after setting foot in Australia I was driven past Barney’s and it was described as ‘the main student church for Sydney Uni’. I remember thinking, “I won’t be going there then”! It was a shock to find God used my 18 months at Barney’s to blow away my fixed mind-set, and cause me to grow in a way that I had never done before.
Doug Forbes
Dundee, UK

I clearly remember where I was standing at Barney’s the Sunday I met Jono Wilson, the evening service band leader. We connected straight away, and despite the challenges of a long-distance relationship were married at Barney’s on May 4, 1996. We hold the people in our heart and prayers.
Jill Hamer-Wilson, Campus Minister
Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship
Ottawa, Canada

It’s ‘business as usual’ for Barney’s but a massive effort is underway to ensure its lamp continues to burn brightly. Report by MADELEINE COLLINS and JOSEPH SMITH.

Arthur Stace, that famous son of St Barnabas’, Broadway, prophesied as he chalked his simple testament to the Creator he came to know within its walls.

The last flames have licked the ruins and the fire trucks have long departed. But just as Sydneysiders would wake each morning to Stace’s copperplate writing etched on the city’s pavements, the same message of eternity is rising from the ashes of a building soaked in memories.

“We really believe God will bring good out of this,” rector Ian Powell said of the historic church that burnt to the ground in the early hours of May 10.

He said Stace, a homeless alcoholic born in a Balmain slum, would have seen the fire as symbolic of God’s sovereignty.

“This is the place [where] Arthur Stace was brought to Christ and he had the perspective of eternity. He would have thought, ‘the Lord gives and the Lord takes away’.”

“I think we’ve all been reminded that St Barnabas’ is not a building – it’s a community,” agreed churchwarden David Britton.

“The building was a faithful servant to us and we will miss it badly, but we will go on and will continue to serve God.”

As the tributes and memories pour in, Sydney Diocese has vowed to do all it can to help the church back on its feet, including the provision of an office in the diocesan head office St Andrew’s House for the ministry staff. Churches of various denominations have offered prayerful and practical support, including Annandale Anglican Church, which ran the children’s program so St Barnabas’ children’s leaders could attend the first service after the fire.

“The Annandale Uniting Church minister rang me several times to pray with me; the Catholics down the road offered us space; and churches like Christ Church, St Laurence, St John’s, Glebe and All Souls’, Leichhardt have all offered their prayerful support,” Ian Powell said.

Moore College has offered St Barnabas’ the use of the Broughton Knox lecture theatre for church services over the coming months, where all three Sunday services will run as usual.

Even the former owner of the pub across the road – who battled with the church for years in the famous sign war in the 80s and 90s – declared on ABC radio he would have opened his doors to house the congregation.

Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth, a former rector, says it is still uncertain as to what the process will be in rebuilding, but hopes the new building will be completed for St Barnabas’ 150th anniversary in 2009.

“It’s a heritage-listed building by the local council. Therefore we can’t demolish it holus bolus,” he said.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing as police crime scene investigators examine evidence at the scene of the blaze.

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