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	May 2003				St Andrew's, Epping       Some of the 80 people who farewelled the Epping Church
		The little church on the highway by Andrew Lang
			Goodbye to the little church on the highway. It is only a little church on the side of the highway. Many people in the diocese have probably passed it, but few have stopped in. St Andrews, Epping Forest has been in the midst of the busyness of the Truck Stop opposite, yet to many it has been unnoticed, unimportant. Built in 1924 and consecrated at the end of that year, the church has served the people of the area over 79 years, but the decline in population, the advent of the motor car and significant problems concerning ownership have meant that the Parish Council of the Northern Midlands reluctantly voted to close this centre and return the building to secular use. A special thanks goes to the cleaning crew, who had to return the building to a suitable state after ten years of only the birds using it. Filled the church to overflowing But although it was an occasion tinged with sadness, some parishioners, former residents and guests including representatives from the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Uniting Churches gathered on Sunday March 31 to celebrate the life and ministry of the church. The congregation of more than 80 filled the church to overflowing. Mrs Dulcie Pulford arranged the flowers and Mrs Maureen Bayles from Cressy Parish played the organ. The Parish clergy, Andrew Lang, Kent Small and Kelvin Viney, all participated in the service. New ways to connect Bishop Phillip Newell was the guest preacher and he reminded those gathered that God is eternal and with us in changing times. Although the symbol of the church building was going, that God was not abandoning the district, and the challenge was to find new ways to connect God and the community. He was pleased to find some who had been baptised there and some who had been married there in the congregation. At the end of the service, the sentence was read by Mrs Tru Dowling, the Rector's Warden. As people filed out for the last time, Mr John Ralph of the St Andrews Caledonian pipe band played a lament on the pipes. Theme of celebration The service was followed by a sumptuous Afternoon Tea in the Epping Hall, with thanks to Mrs Jenny Knight for arranging this. The theme of celebration continued with presentations made to Bishop and Mrs Newell to mark the occasion.