Barely 14 people attend Sunday services, and all are middle-aged or elderly, with some in their 90s.

The only time a child is present is when a baby is being baptised.

Sometimes there’s a packed funeral, though the deceased person might not have worshipped there for years.

Empty pews sadden the parish priest, the Reverend Mary Clarke, and faithful regulars such as Maisie Rousseau, 90, and Mrs Rousseau’s daughter, Mary Grant, the parish secretary.

“I was baptised, confirmed and married here and my two daughters were baptised here, too,” Mrs Grant said yesterday.

“My husband Barry has been a server here for a long time.”

The original Christ Church was built at Old Tallangatta in 1898 and a replacement erected at the new town site in 1956.

It is full of history, with windows and furnishings given by local families.

A marble plaque records that 17 church members were killed in the 1914-18 war and a former parish priest, Private Walter Beaver, died in camp in 1915.

Ms Clarke said there were almost 200 on the church roll and all had been advised of a public meeting at the church next Wednesday at 7.30pm.

She said several factors had led to falling numbers, but clearly the failure to attract young families was one of them.

“I believe some are going to churches in Albury or Wodonga and then going to the shops,” she said.

“But they could come here for our 9am service and still go to the shops.”

Sport and other weekend attractions might also be deterring people from attending, she said.

Ms Clarke, who lives at Howlong, is part-time priest of the Tallangatta and Corryong churches.

Tallangatta also has a Catholic church and school and there is a Uniting church.

Mrs Rousseau has been a regular worshipper for 30 years since moving to the town and also attended the original church at times when she lived in a more remote location.