Epping

 St. Alban's Anglican Church

Last Sunday I attended the Christening of my great niece Chloe in St. Alban's Anglican Church, at 3 Pembroke Street, Epping.  Epping is a suburb of Sydney, situated in the local Government area of Parramatta and on the Northern line of the Sydney Trains system.  Wallumedegal Aboriginal people were living in the region of Epping when the Europeans arrived.

St. Alban's is a very beautiful Church in a leafy suburban street near the train station.  On entering, I was impressed with the number of magnificent stained glass windows.  There is also a pipe organ half way down the Church, placed aloft in the West Gallery. The Font, where the baptism took place, is situated down the front of the Church and I sat in a pew directly in front of the Font and consequently had a good view of the christening.  The Church follows an Anglo-Catholic tradition, rare for a Church in the Diocese of Sydney.  There were many candles flickering in the Church and also on the altar and Chloe's family later were given a christening candle lit from the Paschal Candle.   

I was interested to find out about the history of this Church, but unfortunately I have not been able to find out very much.  I did ascertain however, that the Church first began with services in the home of Robert Hilliard in 1891.  In 1892 he built a wooden hall on his property where church services then took place.  The first Church on the site was erected in 1896, with the present Church opened in December, 1923.  Many additions and alterations have been made over the years since then.  

I believe there are now plans to demolish the Church Hall, Rectory and all other buildings on the site, except the Church itself and to erect two twin towers of sixteen storeys each.  The Church wants to capitalise on its land value and height limits which allows buildings of sixteen storeys.  The Church is going into partnership with a developer, granting a long term lease to the developer while still retaining ownership of the land. The towers are planned to provide about 150 homes and opportunities for better community services for the growing multi-cultural area.   

Here is a photo of St. Alban's showing the tall Church tower,  However, this will be dwarfed when the new twin towers are built on the land.    

The land is 100 metres from Epping Station and the Church feels that it could better serve the wider community.  The lower floors of the Towers could include office space and retail outlets, such as cafes.

Here is another view of the Church, but I could not get back far enough to include the tower at the side of the Church.  I was standing back as far as the gate through to the Rectory.  It seems a shame that the beautiful Rectory will also be demolished.

There are many beautiful stained glass windows in the Church.  They looked particularly beautiful with the early morning sunlight streaming through them.  Some are memorial windows to parishioners who died in war battles.

Here is the Holy table or altar.  There was a Holy Communion (Eucharist) after the christening where the congregation knelt or stood at the altar rails to partake of the bread and wine.  

Here is Chloe with her family, gathered around the Font being baptised by Father Paul.  This was the first Christening at the Church since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.  

Father Paul sprinkled holy water from the Font on to her head and marked it with the sign of the cross.  He declared that she live as a disciple of Christ, fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith.  The congregation then responded, saying Confess Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, look for his coming in glory.

After the service, we had morning tea in the Church Hall, mingling with members of the Church congregation and then departed for a family luncheon with Chloe's family in their home.

I was so pleased to attend Chloe's Christening and to know her parents intend to raise her with Christian values and beliefs.

Acknowledgments

1.  The Northern District Times

2.  St. Alban's with St. Aidan's website.

3.  Hornsby Shire Council website.