Church Recording & Church Study

Records of Historical Churches

Churches have always been a reminder of continuity and a source of beauty. Often the earliest buildings in an area, they are treasure troves of historical documents and significant memorials, as well as the more practical items of daily use. Doing an ADFAS Church Recording or an ADFAS Church Study is an activity in which a variety of skills are required, where interest and satisfaction are virtually guaranteed, and where there is a wealth of knowledge to be discovered. If you know of an historically important church in your neighbourhood, consider an ADFAS Church Recording or Church Study.

Church Recording

A Church Recording is a more detailed project which has an orderly and systemic approach which documents the contents and interior of a church. When a project is set up, very practical and clear guidelines about the process are provided in The Church Recorders’ Handbook and advisors are always ready to help and advise. Recorders usually work in pairs to record the description, dimensions, history, inscriptions and age of every single internal item. Stained glass windows, carved pulpits, silver chalices, beautifully embroidered vestments, and old bibles are only some of the objects to be examined, measured and described, and photographed.

Once the objects are recorded, the information is collated and entered onto computer and checked for accuracy. Then after printing and binding, copies of the record are produced for the church, for ADFAS and for the National Library of Australia.

For information about an ADFAS Church Recording project, volunteering or undertaking a Church Study project, email: nationaladfasinthecommunity@adfas.org.au

QLD

NSW

St. Martins, Anglican Church, Killara, NSW	ADFAS Ku-ring-gai, NSW	2002
Holy Trinity, Anglican, Berrima, NSW	ADFAS Bowral, NSW	2007
Tudor House Chapel, Moss Vale, NSW	ADFAS Bowral, NSW	2007
Christ Church, Anglican, Lavendar Bay, NSW	ADFAS Ku-ring-gai, NSW	2009
St. Aidens, Anglican, Exeter, NSW	ADFAS Bowral, NSW	2009
Christ Church Anglican, Bong Bong, NSW	ADFAS Bowral, NSW	2010
St. Cyprian’s, Anglican, Narrabri, NSW	ADFAS Narrabri, NSW	2011
St. Philips Anglican, York Street, Sydney, NSW	ADFAS Ku-ring-gai, NSW	2012
St. John the Baptist, Anglican, Mudgee, NSW	ADFAS Mudgee, NSW	2013
The Heber Chapel and St. Paul’s Anglican, Cobbitty, NSW	ADFAS Camden, NSW	2017
St. Simon and St. Jude, Bowral, NSW	ADFAS Bowral, NSW	2015
St. James Anglican, Menangle, NSW	ADFAS Camden, NSW	2017
St. John the Evangelist, Anglican, Cooks Hill, Newcastle, NSW	ADFAS Newcastle, NSW	2018
St. Thomas, Anglican, North Sydney, NSW	ADFAS Ku-ring-gai, NSW	2018
St. Peter’s, Presbyterian, North Sydney, NSW	ADFAS Ku-ring-gai, NSW	2018
All Saints’ Woollahra, NSW	ADFAS Ku-ring-gai, NSW	2022

ACT

VIC

TAS

SA

CHURCH STUDY

These days, it is not uncommon to find deconsecrated places of worship from all denominations transformed into luxury homes and apartments, or, in the country, falling into disrepair along the highways. It becomes more and more urgent to document the stories, records and history contained inside a church. Even if you cannot save the building, you can ensure the preservation of the information and meanings which lie within its walls. So many details of community life are reflected in the contents of churches, be they cathedrals or private chapels, in towns and cities, or on country properties. An ADFAS Church Study aims to ensure that there is a permanent record of these historic buildings which will be available for future generations to research, understand, and appreciate.

An ADFAS Church Study is intended to be a short and concise document and not a lengthy project. It might be a brief general history, or concentrate on one particular aspect of a church: windows, furniture, organ, memorials, cemetery, or an interesting person buried there etc.

There is a set format and some basic guidelines to ensure that all Church Study documents are uniform in appearance, but of course they will be vastly different in content.

For information about an ADFAS Church Recording project, volunteering or undertaking a Church Study project, email nationaladfasinthecommunity@adfas.org.au