Parishes
The Anglican Church is meeting in small groups around the State. If you want help finding a local church please contact us
Sandy Bay and Taroona
Mission region: City South Mission Network
Contact person: Ven Noel Bowditch
Email: anglicansbt@iprimus.com.au
Telephone: (03) 6225 1459
Postal address:
PO Box 2153
LOWER SANDY BAY TAS 7005
Associate clergy: Revd Erna Brigg, Revd Lesley Dixon
Parish Secretary: Jill Finch
Parish Treasurer: Richard Verrall
Our churches
St Stephen's Church, Sandy Bay
520 Sandy Bay Road
1km south of West Point Hotel Casino, near Bus Stop 20, opposite Red Chapel Avenue
Sunday Services
7.45 am Holy Communion
10.45 am Holy Communion
St Luke's Church, Taroona
171-173 Channel Highway
Opposite Bus Stop 39 as you travel south, just before the former Taroona Village shopping complex. Drive in to the car park off Coolamon Road.
Sunday Service
9.00 am Holy Communion
Click here for events at St Luke's
The Parish
The Parish of Sandy Bay and Taroona started as the Parish of St Stephen's, Sandy Bay in 1922 as a separate parish from St George's Parish, Battery Point. The parish now incorporates two churches, St Stephen's Church, Sandy Bay and St Luke's Church, Taroona. Each centre is overseen by a local committee, and the parish as a whole is managed by the Parish Council.
A friendly church...
You are warmly invited to attend our services of worship at either of our churches. Services are traditional in style, with organ and piano music in each church.
You are welcome to come to morning tea after the 9.00 am St Luke's service and the 10.45 am St Stephen's service. There is also a communal breakfast at St Stephen's on the second Sunday of the month following the 7.45 am service.
Children are welcome too. Each church has an area equipped with toys, books, paper and pencils which should keep a young family entertained!
Besides regular services, the parish provides some special services of worship including the annual "Blessing of the Animals" service at St Luke's, and an annual memorial service at each church especially for those families bereaved in the previous 12 months. The Sandy Bay Regatta Service is held during the Australia Day weekend at St Stephen's and is attended by parishioners and members of the Sandy Bay Regatta Committee.
Fellowship activities
Our parish offers a number of group activities to foster fellowship and provide support in Christian living.
These include the Wednesday Fellowship, Mothers' Union, Men's Tea and Women's Coffee Mornings.
Bible study and the Home Fellowship Groups meet to provide teaching our Christian faith.
A developing ministry has been the formation of a 'network of care', whereby members of the congregation undertake to pray for other members.
The Casserole Outreach Project caters for people suffering illness or other difficulties, not only parishioners, but also people in the wider community. A larder of frozen meals has been prepared and these are distributed as required.
Fairs held at the church give us the opportunity to encourage our local communities to visit, support and share our activities. St Luke's Twilight Fair is held on a Friday evening in November and includes food stalls and a barbecue so visitors can buy a meal of variety as well as purchasing all the usual kinds of fair produce.
Each year our parish holds a special picnic lunch where we can meet informally and talk and eat with others from each end of the parish.
The annual St Luke's Book Sale that was held for many years at St Luke's Church is now managed by Taroona High School in the second half of the year.
History of St Stephen's Church
The foundation stone for St Stephen's Church was laid on 24 August 1847. Initially the church building was used by Methodists and the Church of England and was managed by a trust. The brick building became known as the Red Chapel. The church building was enlarged in 1896 and the foundation stone for the hall was laid in 1916. The hall was built in 1916 and extended in 1961 and has been much in demand for parish and community activities.
The church has a number of stained glass windows and memorial plaques. Perhaps the most striking of these is the 'Holy Wisdom’ window designed by Mervyn Napier Waller - Waller trained under artist Frederick McCubbin, enlisted in the AIF and saw active service in France during World War I. He returned home as a war casualty after losing an arm in battle.
The existing church organ was installed in 1960 and is a two manual Fincham with a 2½ octave pedal board.
In 1990 the Great War Honour Board was relocated from the hall and installed within the church. In 2001 a Memorial Garden was established as a recognised site associated with St Stephen's Church for the placement of ashes, details of which are kept in the Memorial Garden Register.
History of St Luke's Church
St Luke's Hall was erected in 1956 although records show regular services of worship were held in Taroona in the early 1940s.
Throughout its history the hall has been the focus for a range of community activities including use by the local school as a temporary classroom, as a venue for a scout troop and for ballet lessons, dances, drama productions and even as a doctor's surgery. The chancel and altar were located in the west end of the building and the altar could be shut away by closing large doors. Although there were plans to build a conventional church on the large expanse of land this goal was not pursued. In 1969 the existing building was altered and the sanctuary and chancel relocated to the eastern end of the hall. Floor to ceiling windows were incorporated into the design and these provide expansive views overlooking Taroona and the Derwent River.
In 1990 a new entrance foyer, meeting room, kitchen and toilet facility was constructed at the western end of the building. This has proved an excellent venue for many of our fellowship activities and has also provided a comfortable meeting place for several other organisations within Taroona.
In 1999 a Memorial Lawn facility was established as a recognised site at St Luke's Church for the placement of ashes. A memorial board and register have been installed within the building.
World Animal Day
To celebrate World Animal Day, St Luke's holds a Blessing of the Animals Service in September each year.
A striking tapestry measuring 357cm x 85cm was completed in 1999 and is located on the wall in the entrance foyer. The work was the result of a community project spanning eight years and features the land and seascape surrounding Taroona.