Grafton Anglican Diocese makes changes as parish council sacked

A church has been saved from a restructure sell-off but not all parishioners are happy as the Anglican Diocese of Grafton drops a bombshell.

Despite back flipping and saving the Glenreagh Anglican Church from a sell-off, parishioners are deserting the church and pews are emptying.

Church communities in Glenreagh, Nana Glen and Coramba have been thrown a curve ball with the Anglican Diocese of Grafton backtracking from its plan to sell off Glenreagh and Coramba and instead sell off the church at Nana Glen.

But saving the Glenreagh church, in the diocesan restructuring process, did not equate to saving the parish council.

It has been replaced with a transitional ministry district.

As a result, some parishioners are choosing to meet in homes rather than at the church.

Former Glenreagh church warden George Bennett, who as recently sacked, said saving the church but sacking the parish council had devastated the heart of the church community in the Orara Valley.

“Some members of the parish council are fourth generation,” Mr Bennett said.

“You can imagine the level of hurt and disbelief.

“This has absolutely devastated the church community and now we choose to meet in homes rather than attend the church.”

Mr Bennett said the changes meant the Anglican Church in the Orara Valley was just about finished.

“The Orara Valley Parish has gone from about 30 parishioners to around four,” he said.

Mr Bennett has been a vocal supporter to save the Orara Valley churches, particularly the Glenreagh church during the diocesan restructuring process.

An Anglican Diocese of Grafton spokesman said the former Orara Valley Parish became a transitional ministry district under the diocesan restructuring process.

“The former parish council, which represented the three church communities, was replaced with a management committee to help guide it in restructuring,” the spokesman said.

He said the Nana Glen church was sold privately for an undisclosed sum.

“Some time ago a decision was made to close the Anglican Church at Nana Glen,” the spokesman said.

“This church was transferred to private ownership on 1 December.

“As it was a private sale no details of the price will be released.”

The church sell-off coincides with the Anglican Diocese of Grafton’s participation in The National Redress Scheme for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse named the Anglican Diocese of Grafton for an orphanage it ran in Lismore.