THE 150th anniversary of the oldest continuous Lutheran congregation in NSW has been marked with a tree planting and a barb at those no longer in the flock.
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Around 100 faithful attended an outdoor thanksgiving service at St Peter’s at Gerogery on Sunday afternoon.
Bishop John Henderson, the Adelaide-based head of the Lutheran church in Australia, planted a red maple and unveiled a plaque to mark the milestone.
“God will give this tree it’s chance, just like the rest of creation,” he said.
Bishop Henderson noted the pioneering congregants would have had a different attitude to trees.
“They would have been busy pulling them down, chopping them up,” Bishop Henderson said before noting the original church was a timber mud-hut design.
Sydney-based NSW district bishop Mark Lieschke said although a Lutheran church was established in Sydney in 1866 it collapsed before resuming at a later date.
The Gerogery church was established by German Lutherans who travelled from South Australia to settle on the fertile parts of the Riverina.
Former St Peter’s pastor Leo Doecke, who travelled from Toowoomba, gave the sermon and criticised those that have left the church.
“They have become spiritual dropouts, moral pussy cats,” Mr Doecke said.
He called on those still pious to “continue to keep your hand on the plough, don’t look back, don’t think what might have been” instead “look forward to the next 150 years”.
Member for Albury Greg Aplin and Greater Hume mayor Heather Wilton also attended and offered their congratulations on the sesquicentenary in speeches.
“The buildings may well have changed, but the heart and faith of the Lutheran people has remained and flourished right here at St Peter’s,” Mr Aplin said.
