History of Mt Macedon Uniting Church.

A church has been on the site of the Mt Macedon Uniting Church since 1863 when the land was donated to the Presybterian Church by Mr W Kidd.
Initially a small wooden church was built which was used by both the Presbyterian and Church of England congregations. After 10 years it was decided that the Church had become too small to cater for the growing Church and Sunday School attendances. The wooden church was moved to the rear of the property and a stone church was built. This was completed and opened in 1874.
During 1939-45 (war time), the church became run down with the lack of funds due to the lack of interest in the church at this time. A loan was given to make necessary repairs but two years later the loan had still not be paid back so it was decided that the church would need to be closed down. However a bequest was made to the church, along with some new families joining in regular worship, which enabled it continue in operation.
This church was then in constant use until both of the church buildings were destroyed in the Ash Wednesday bush?res on February 16th, 1983. All that remained was the stone walls of the church.
Cath Blackburn describes the Good Friday service on !st April 1983, the ?rst after the bush?re.
"It was a bitterly cold morning, but nearly a hundred people gathered behind the remains for a communion service. There was a bulldozer in one corner; we sat on rubble, the communion table was a card table, the glasses were borrowed, as were the hymn books. We sang unaccompanied."
The insurance money was consider ably less than the replacement cost but it was decided to go ahead and rebuild the church. The church was rebuilt as closely as possible to the original using photos and people's memories. Donations of money came from all over Australia and overseas. Around the time of the rebuild, the Uniting Church was amalgamating properties so many of the furnishings came from those properties.
During the rebuild, services continued to be held weekly using the Macedon School as a venue. The church as it is today was opened on April 8th 1984.