Methodist (now uniting) Church, Penneshaw: built of iron in 1884 for £210 (including land), lined with matchboard, seating capacity 125. John Dallwitz photograph. This Southern Land - A Social History of Kangaroo Island by Jean M Nunn.

 

Prepared by Mr B. Bates of Penneshaw for the Penneshaw U/C Centenary in 1985.

Official evidence or records of the building of the Penneshaw Methodist (U.C.A.) Church have been lost but nevertheless there is evidence to show that the first service in the building was held in 1883. This service was conducted by a Rev, W. A. Potts.

The building of the church was greatly influenced by Mr James Buick who contributed financially and personality to the work, which included stopping work on his own home to contributing Sixty Guineas which he intended using for enlargements to his own home. This Sixty Guineas plus the Church Funds enabled immediate construction.

At first ministers were given accommodation in private homes but later as two room extension to the church were added for the ministers, who at that times were all unmarried, lived there. Travelling to Kingscote and other parts of K.I. by the ships, horse, push bike, and motor car.

The building has been used continuously and regularly for services of worship and proclamation of the Christian gospel since it was built. The Church ceased to be a Methodist Church in 1977 when the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational Christian Churches united to form the Uniting Church in Australia.

Documents located since, indicate the first service was held in 1883.

Rev, Potts conducted the inaugural service in 1883 using an old bible that was later found in the fork of a she-oak tree at Reeves point in 1837. It is believed that this bible was one of those presented to the first settlers at Kingscote in 1836, as the South Australian Company presented all children with a bible.

On 26th November 1933, a Jubilee service, at Penneshaw used this bible, as did Rev, Curnow in 1985. Rev, Curnow used this bible at the Centenary Service in 1985, and the descendants of the Rev, Potts, presented the Penneshaw U/C Church with the present church bible. The 1833 bible in the Hawkins collection has the signatures of all the Ministers on the island since 1906.

This is a true copy of the details held by Mr B. Bates, Mrs. C. Hawkins, Rev, A. D. Bennet, Island & Adelaide Newspapers.

Signed, Dr Brian E. Goble PhD