An 1870s church in Laura will be converted into a boutique brewery and taphouse

A historical 1870s country church will get a new lease on life when an aptly named couple transform it into a brewery and taphouse. See inside.

An artist’s impression of Little Blessing Brewery planned for the Laura Baptist Community Church.

A historical 1870s country church will get a new lease on life when it’s converted into a boutique brewery and taphouse, aptly named the Little Blessing Brewery.

Craig and Catherine Blesing have applied to convert the Laura Baptist Community Church into a taphouse and beer garden and its Sunday school into residential living quarters.

The proposal is supported by the Mid North town’s 20-person congregation with pastor Jenny Pryor telling The Advertiser they were delighted the 1875 building would be restored.

“It’s a beautiful building that has a long history as a worship space in the community, but the church isn’t the building, it’s the people,” Ms Pryor said.

“We know Craig and Catherine will lovingly restore it and bring tourism to the town.

“There hasn’t been any angst or grief that it will be used as a brewery.”

The Blesings bought the church in August and will leave the building as original as possible, including keeping its stain-glassed windows of its 12 founding members.

“They will be a highlight when you come into the tap house and we’ll have a history wall on one side on its founding members,” Mr Blesing, a mechanical engineer, said.

“We’re not changing the church building, we’re just giving it a makeover.”

An artist’s impression of the Little Blessing Brewery, in the Laura Baptist Community Church.

The Two Wells couple always “fantasised” about moving to the country and during Covid started travelling more to the region and went on “autopilot” to Laura.

The town of about 520 residents on the southern Flinders Ranges is 226km from Adelaide.

Mr Blesing was in the market for a shopfront to expand his home brewing passion when the church became available as it’s congregation had moved into a shopfront on Herbert St.

Craig and Catherine Blesing outside of the church.

In a strange turn of events, Mr Blesing has found out he’s connected to the church.

“We had signed the contract to buy and then one of the founding member’s relatives came up to me and said ‘do you realise we’re related’,” Mr Blesing said.

“One of the 12 founders was Mr Walter and his wife was Mary Blesing, my great aunt. For me, it was almost like it was a sign it was meant to be.”

Mr Blesing, who has won medals for his American IPA and Rye IPA, plans to have a soft launch of the brewery this time next year.

“The community of Laura has been very good to us and got behind us 100 per cent when they realised we’ll bring something different to the town,” he said.

“The area is really starting to get a hum to it and there’s a lot of things in the area starting to attract people and new houses are being built.”

The change in use of the building and associated works are being considered by the Northern Areas Council.

A historical picture of the Laura Baptist Community Church.