Ch.12 – Events 1950 and onwards.

Anglican Church Glen Innes

On 11th February 1952 the Rev. Milton McGregor was raised to the priesthood.  In 1953 the first Men’s Dinner was organised. These were a feature of the Church year and proved most successful. After a lapse of some years they are now resuming.  From an early minute book we learn that a Ladies’ Guild played a staunch part in the life of the Church.  Their activities provided for many of the necessities and paid for some initiatives of the Church.  In 1956 the Fete, organised by the Ladies’ Guild, raised £ 294 ($588) while in 1957 £268 ($536) was raised.

By 1976 the Guild catered for many functions, out of town weddings, lamington drives and church functions such as the Vicarage Restoration dinner which raised $6 220.  The Glen Innes Examiner gave the Guild ladies work folding and putting documents into envelopes and on one occasion they made $600 from this work.  On Fete days sponge cakes were made from early morning on that day in a continuous baking process, with the eggs largely donated by parishioners.  One of the biggest functions the Guild catered for was the Mayoral Dinner in the Town Hall in 1981 where there were 200 guests who dined on sucking pigs, whole fish and ham amongst the delicacies. The Guild Farewell Luncheon was held on 31st May 1988.  Over those years there were many good and tireless workers under the guidance of Mrs Myra Hutton and she recalls that they were a happy bunch of hard workers who raised an enormous amount of money towards the running of the Church. Mrs Margaret Lee performed the duties of Secretary for 35 Years.

In 1988 the Guild ceased catering for weddings and the Anglican Catering Service was formed. Under the leadership of Mr Laurie Swaffer then Mrs Shirley Page, Mrs Janet Pendergast and Mrs Jan Sharman and a host of helpers, catering has continued.

A re-formed Guild continued to run well into the 2000’s conducting street stalls and having other functions including cooking a supply of cakes for fetes. The last president was Mrs Carol Shannon with Mrs Valda Cooper the long serving treasurer. On closing in 2007 funds left in the account were spent on providing long pew cushions in the Church for the comfort of the congregation.