The Buildings

The Methodists were first represented in Yarralumla by a Sunday School held in the Yarralumla Infants School in 1956 reaching an enrolment of over 50 children within the year. Three years later plans were made for a new Sunday School Hall opened on the 7th August 1960 in Denman Street, Yarralumla by the President-General of the Methodist Church.

This building consisted of the front hall without the stage segment, a small kitchen, toilets and the present foyer and tower as part of a master plan for the future. The illuminated Cross in the tower was now a landmark at the northern end of the Woden Valley. Till this time the congregation had worshipped at The National Memorial Methodist Church (now Wesley Uniting Church). From the next Sunday a Service was held each Sunday morning at 9.30 am. followed by the Sunday School meeting.

New church buildings were officially opened early in 1967 completing the suite of building we have to-day, the enlarged kitchen, the back hall, stage section of the front hall and the Church itself with the wavy roof. Early in the new century considerable renovation of the hall, foyer, kitchen and toilets was undertaken with installation of air-conditioning.

The Ministers

This congregation was under the care of Rev. Jack Leonard, the minister of the Queanbeyan Church from 1960 to 1964 until the appointment of the first resident minister Rev Colin Baxter from Queensland who lived in a temporary parsonage. Rev John Lukies came from Victoria in 1969 and soon occupied the permanent parsonage next to the church in 1970. His ministry covered the time of the formation of the Uniting Church when the Yarralumla Methodist congregation joined with St James Presbyterian Church to form the North Woden Parish (1977). Rev Barry Ridge from New South Wales served from 1978 to 1982, to be followed by Rev Alistair Christie for the next ten years. His were busy years. Having grown up in the district he had a wider community and Presbytery involvement.
Two shorter ministries followed, namely with Rev Jennifer Farrell and then Rev Bruce Ball until 1997 when the two congregations decided to pursue independent paths.
The Rev Ken Jarvis after a career as a Chaplain, initially provided supply then a part-time ministry from 1998 for five years to full retirement. Next came the Rev Dr Ockert Meyer recently migrated from South Africa appointed in 2003.

About the Architect - an appreciation

Geoff Harrison, an architect, was working for the ANU at the time the Church at Yarralumla was being planned. He was the son of Dr T H J Harrison, the prime mover in having a church at Yarralumla and who arranged for the allocation of the block of land to the Methodist Church, one of the first trustees of the Yarralumla Methodist Church - The trust was the body in charge of building and maintenance of any property belonging to a Methodist church before Union.
Of course, the building program was under the supervision of the governing body of the Methodist quarterly meeting

Geoff was instrumental in designing the Yarralumla Church Complex, to be built in stages. The first stage included the front hall without stage area, the small toilets and miniscule kitchen at the side of hall with the Foyer area up to and including the tower.

An architectural model was made by the ANU professional model maker which showed the completed complex of back hall and downstairs area as well as the church. This assisted in the money raising schemes which went on for years.

The design for the church was very exacting and fairly radical for its time, designed before 1960, As you all realise, the church has wonderful acoustics, which of course are so good because of the design. The curved timber ceiling, the curved front wall and sloping floor all help contribute to the total effect.

The low roof of the foyer and hall are designed to help give the effect of the Church itself soaring over the site. The curved roof has become a well-known landmark in Canberra.(Perhaps reflected in the wave-roof of the diagnostic block of the Canberra Hospital? - Ed.)

Geoff’s design included the church furniture, the pews (which are reasonably comfortable) the pulpit and communion rail and the communion table, the two chairs at the front and the font and lectern, as well as the two short plant stands. All built in the same timber with the brass finished in a special non-polishing surface. This all makes for a unity in the total design which gives a very pleasing aesthetic effect. The colours used in the interior were also of Geoff’s design, with green carpet and off white painted finishes.

The huge Cross, a dominating feature of the church, goes right to the floor to have the effect of us all at the foot of the cross for every service.

Altogether the Uniting Church at Yarralumla is a lasting memorial to the architect, Geoff Harrison, who died in Adelaide on 5 November 2007.