Darling Downs Churches
HIGHFIELDS CHURCH (CHURCH OF CHRIST) Shannon Park Highfields.
1. Number of people: 130. 2. Number of chairs: 150. 3. Type of person: Evangelicals.
4. Socio-Economic Status: Medium. 5. Amount of kids: About 1/3 of the church
are children. 6. Ages of people: Very few 60 plus, some singles, mostly young
families. 7. 50% are men. 8. Weekly offering published: $1671.10 at opening.
Budgeting for $1500/week. 9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
*10. Any other interesting information: This church is a sister church off Hume
St Church of Christ and officially opened the 10 Feb 2002 with 250 attending.
Barry Tramacchi is originally from this church before he left for Bible college.
A former member of Hume St COC and Highfields resident who was attending a local
Baptist church suggested to Barry he start a work in Highfields. 11. Time there
AND date of visit: 4.30pm- 6.20pm. 17 Feb 2002. 12. Length of service: 70 minutes.
13. This and other service times: 5pm is the only service. (At 4.30pm is the
cup of tea and cake time.) 14. Preacher: Barry Tramacchi.
*15. Feeling of building: Good. (The building is a large white permanent tent
set on a concrete base with carpet with gravel around edge. Offices of the church
are near bye in older buildings.) 16. Estimate style of belief: Same as Hume
St Church of Christ. 17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual. 18. How
to get there: Travel about 12 minutes north from Toowoomba going a few kilometres
past Highfields, turn right. If you get to Hampton you've gone too far.
26. Famous business people: Hicks.
28. KNOWABLE SONGS: Tops.
29. Quality of sound system/ loudness: Tops.
30. Quality of preaching generally: Not bad.
39. Estimate age of building: Very new.
6pm CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTRE INTERNATIONAL Gatton. Golf Links Dv.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: Approx 40.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: Approx 100.
3. Type of person: .
4. Socio-Economic Status: .
5. Amount of kids: Several.
6. Ages of people: -.
7. % are men.
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: (Often Toowoomba churches use this church
and the Pastor is involved in Toowoomba ministry things like CLN and Combined
Church meetings.)
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: One Sunday night circa 2000.
12. Length of service: -.
13. This and other service times: Approx 6pm. 9am.
14. Preacher: Pastor Wayne Wilson. (Joseph Kingal from PNG preached.)
15. Feeling of building: Quite a modern building which they are probably paying
off.
16. Estimate style of belief: Charismatic.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: Travel east from Toowoomba, don't take Gatton bypass.
Turn right at first traffic light (Spencer St) which is the old way of going
to Brisbane, before the road bends to the left turn right into Golf Links Rd,
just past the Show Grounds.
9am WITHCOTT CHURCH OF CHRIST 42 Biggs Rd Withcott (6kms down
the Toowoomba Range) 1. # of people: 231. 2. Available chairs: 343. 3. Type
of person: People who are employed working with their hands. 4. Socio- Economic
Status: Working. 5. Kids: Many. 6. Ages: 0-50yo. 7. Men: 50% 8. Offering: not
given. 9. Late arrivals: 9.08 7; 9.12 4; 9.10 4; 9.12 4; 9.15 3; 9.18 3; 9.20
1; 9.22am 2.
***10. Interesting info: Church was built in 1990 for $115,000 in 10 days and
seats 350. Building looks nice and doesn't look cheap, very high ceilings. A
massive 1/3 of church are new converts. 11. Date & Time spent: 8.30am- 11.35pm.
12. When service finished. 1hr 25min. 13. This & other service times: 9am
only. 14. Senior Minister: Steve Faye 15. Feeling: Warm, evangelical bible believing
church.
*16. Their belief: Strong evangelicals with good percentage of charismatics
who believe the Pentecostal churches have lost it in some way. Minister is not
opposed to Charismatic beliefs. 17. Dress code: No ties or formal wear, smart
casual dress. 18. Travel 6kms down the Range on your way to Brisbane, turn right
at Withcott (CWA hall on the right) Travel 1 km along road.
5pm WITHCOTT. DAVID and Elspat TRUSS house church. Lot 305 Jones Rd.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 12.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 15.
3. Type of person: Mostly Toowoomba pentecostals who go to the Range or similar.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 4.
6. Ages of people: 3-60yo.
7. 50% are men.
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
*10. Any other interesting information: David Truss used to voluntarily work
with Toowoomba City Church and he organised a street church in 1993-5 until
it got closed down. Presently, David has a plan to provide a youth centre where
young people can voluntarily work on a farm with ducks and grow ponds of fish
and grow vegetables and where the youth can be fed and accommodated for cost
in a purpose built dormitory already built.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 27/8/00.
12. Length of service: 1hr 15m.
13. This and other service times: 5pm.
14. Preacher: David Truss.
15. Feeling of building: OK. Accommodation house is quite ok too.
16. Estimate style of belief: Charismatic but with a purpose to evangelise.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual.
18. How to get there: Travel down the range, turn left or north at Jones Rd
Withcott, travel some 4kms, house in on the right, on the right is a letterbox
with Truss or "Ian Sproule Lot 10 Jones Rd"
COMPLETE LIST OF ALL CLIFTON CHURCHES (population 800 in the town, 2,300- 2,400 in the district) Clifton is a well watered rich fertile crop farming district in the middle of the Darling Downs, which is one of Australia's richest farming districts. Clifton is 30 minutes drive south south west from Tooowoomba.)
8.30am ST ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN in John St, Clifton, Queensland, Australia.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 27. (Family Mapleton camp was on and a parishioner said
there was normally 2.5 times as many people.)
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 85.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: People come from Allora for this.
5. Amount of kids: 9 5-10yo.
6. Ages of people: 7 were 60+. Rest were 25-60yo.
7. -% are men.
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: All the songs were knowable. The preaching
was centred on how to share Christ to people you might forget about.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 9am-9.55am 9 Mar 2003.
12. Length of service: 1hr 25m.
13. This and other service times: 8.30am. Mens group 7.30pm Thursdays; Youth
group 2nd Fridays; 11am Ladies bible study. Allora 10.30am.
***14. Preacher: Dennis Mooney preached. He was manager of one of 3 homeless
youth shelters in Sydney (Blakehurst, Fairfield, Genelly (?) - near Cronulla)
with the Presbyterian church which cost $230,000 to run each house. He was paid
$30,000 / year but got free accommodation, meals, electricity, phone and a car
so the package was $50-60,000. He only did the work. The Department of Community
Services covered $90,000. Church financed the rest. When the Department couldn't
get any accommodation these crisis care kids would get covered at $50/ day and
the maximum would be 2 weeks. In one house would be five kids aged 14- 18yo.
They'd be taught life skills. At 16 years they begin to prepare meals. Dennis
Mooney's job was the "Primary Care Giver". Ps Dan Bosshard is the
Pastor in this church.
15. Feeling of building: Vibrant feel.
16. Estimate style of belief: They were very evangelical with links to Ps Rolley
Sondergeld in West Presbyterian church in Toowoomba.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: Travel past pub on Shannon Rd, turn right towards ambulancem
or Queen St, turn left at John St.
8am ST JAMES AND ST JOHN'S CATHOLIC CHURCH Meara Place in Clifton,
Queensland, Australia.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 133.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 375.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: Approx 5.
6. Ages of people: Mostly 40- 60yo. 20% 60+.
7. % are men. Many men here as well.
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: -.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 9 March 2003.
12. Length of service: -.
13. This and other service times: 8am mass. 7pm Vigil mass. Leyburn has 5pm
Vigil mass.
14. Preacher: Parish Priest Fr Thomas Areekuzhy. M.C.B.S. (Such a surprise to
see this (Indian) priest in this small town when many Catholic churches do not
have a priest.
15. Feeling of building: Quite good.
16. Estimate style of belief: -.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: Travel to the city centre to find Meara Place.
8am/10am CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS. ANGLICAN PARISH OF ALLORA, CLIFTON
AND GOOMBURRA. East St in Clifton, Queensland, Australia.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 12.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 160.
3. Type of person: Plum in mouth types. Always skinny.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 0.
6. Ages of people: 7 60+.
7. 0% are men. There were 12 women there and no men. (Pastor is never counted
in this count.)
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: -.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 9 Mar 2003.
12. Length of service: -.
13. This and other service times: 10am for the 2nd Sunday of the month but 8am
normally. St David's in Allora is 7pm Saturday and 10am on opposing Sundays
to Clifton. St Albans in Maryvale, Queensland is 11.30am.
14. Preacher: Rev Jack Hammer.
15. Feeling of building: OK.
16. Estimate style of belief: -.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: East St is a main street.
10.30am ST JOHN'S LUTHERAN Clark St Clifton, Queensland, Australia.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 6.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 48.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 0.
6. Ages of people: 2 60+ 4 were 40-60.
7. 50% are men. 3 men 3 women.
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: -.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 10.45am- 10.52am 9 Mar 2003.
12. Length of service: -.
13. This and other service times: 10.30am.
14. Preacher: -.
15. Feeling of building: Grass outside was well overgrown.
16. Estimate style of belief: -.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: Find the pub in Shannon Rd, travel north.
10.30am UNITING CHURCH. Eastern Downs Parish (Clifton 10.30am. Allora 9am. Pilton
9am. Nobby 8.45am. Cambooya 10.30am.) Nirvana Nursing Home in Norman St
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 13.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 16.
3. Type of person: Most were hospital patients but all are welcome in this newspaper
advertised service.
4. Socio-Economic Status: Lower.
5. Amount of kids: 0.
6. Ages of people: All 60+.
7. % are men. 2 men, 6 women.
8. Weekly offering published: -.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: .
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 9 Mar 2003 10.25-43am.
12. Length of service: -.
13. This and other service times: 10.30am. Allora 9am. Pilton 9am. Nobby 8.45am.
Cambooya 10.30am.
14. Preacher: Rev Charles Masih. (He's Indian too. As is the local Doctor.)
15. Feeling of building: OK. Their previous building they used is on Queen St.
The church building is for sale. Land costs $3000AUD for a block with rates
at $500/year. The town is lacking and is in need of a Charismatic/ Pentecostal
church.
16. Estimate style of belief: -.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: Travel along Shannon Rd, turn right past pub at Queen
St. The open room is through main door veering right then left.
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