St. Barnabas, Broadway
Encyclopedia
St Barnabas, Broadway is an Anglican
church in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia. The church property is located on Broadway
, near the University of Sydney
.
St Barnabas is well-known in Sydney for its church signs, including a celebrated "battle" with the publican of the Broadway Hotel across the road. The church would put up one sign in the morning and the hotel would have another in the evening with a witty reply to the church's sign. Some of the signs attracted the attention of the Sydney media. Arthur Stace
, the "Eternity
" man, was a member of the church.
region of Sydney, the foundation stone for the building was laid in 1858.
A fire ravaged the church building at 3.30am on 10 May 2006. It took firefighters around eight hours to completely contain the fire. Destroyed in the fire were a 100-year-old pipe organ
, a historic stained-glass window (valued in the media at over a million dollars) and memorials to parishioners who died in World War I.
The investigation concluded that the fire was probably started at the power box. No accelerants were found, indicating that arson was not a cause.
Previous ministers at the church include:
, a member of the congregation, attracted attention for writing the word eternity
in chalk on the streets of Sydney from the 1940s through to the 1960s in a distinctive copperplate style. "Eternity" was featured on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
during New Year's celebrations in 2000.
A documentary about Arthur Stace, called "Eternity", by Lawrence Johnston was released in 1994.
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
church in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia. The church property is located on Broadway
Broadway, New South Wales
Broadway is a road in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The road constitutes the border between the suburbs of Ultimo and Chippendale . Broadway is also an urban locality....
, near the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
.
St Barnabas is well-known in Sydney for its church signs, including a celebrated "battle" with the publican of the Broadway Hotel across the road. The church would put up one sign in the morning and the hotel would have another in the evening with a witty reply to the church's sign. Some of the signs attracted the attention of the Sydney media. Arthur Stace
Arthur Stace
Arthur Malcolm Stace , otherwise known as Mr Eternity, was an Australian reformed alcoholic who converted to Christianity and spread his form of gospel by writing the word "Eternity'" in chalk on footpaths in Sydney over a period of approximately 35 years...
, the "Eternity
Eternity (graffito)
The word Eternity was a graffito tag which had its origins in Melbourne, Australia, though it has been erroneously attributed as an invention of Sydney man Arthur Stace. The Melbourne Herald newspaper recalled on 20 June 1930 a local eccentric who travelled the suburbs 'adorning all the walls he...
" man, was a member of the church.
History
Built by slum labourers in the Inner WestInner West (Sydney)
The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia...
region of Sydney, the foundation stone for the building was laid in 1858.
A fire ravaged the church building at 3.30am on 10 May 2006. It took firefighters around eight hours to completely contain the fire. Destroyed in the fire were a 100-year-old pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, a historic stained-glass window (valued in the media at over a million dollars) and memorials to parishioners who died in World War I.
The investigation concluded that the fire was probably started at the power box. No accelerants were found, indicating that arson was not a cause.
Ministry
The current senior minister is the Reverend Mike Paget. Other senior ordained staff include the Reverend Caroline Evenden and the Reverend Diana Morgan. St Barnabas also employs a music director, Steve Crain, and a substantial ministry team.Previous ministers at the church include:
- Ian Powell, Evangelist
- Robert ForsythRobert ForsythRobert Forsyth is the Anglican Bishop of South Sydney - a region of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. He has been bishop since 2000. Prior to that he was the rector of St. Barnabas, Broadway.- Personal life:...
, Bishop of South Sydney - Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney
- Paul Barnett, Christian scholar, historian and bishop
- R.B.S. Hammond (started the tradition of the church's sign)
- Howard Guinness, Student ministry pioneer (related to Arthur GuinnessArthur GuinnessArthur Guinness was an Irish brewer and the founder of the Guinness brewery business and family.He was also an entrepreneur, visionary and philanthropist....
, founder of GuinnessGuinnessGuinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
Beer) - W. A. Charlton
Eternity
Arthur StaceArthur Stace
Arthur Malcolm Stace , otherwise known as Mr Eternity, was an Australian reformed alcoholic who converted to Christianity and spread his form of gospel by writing the word "Eternity'" in chalk on footpaths in Sydney over a period of approximately 35 years...
, a member of the congregation, attracted attention for writing the word eternity
Eternity (graffito)
The word Eternity was a graffito tag which had its origins in Melbourne, Australia, though it has been erroneously attributed as an invention of Sydney man Arthur Stace. The Melbourne Herald newspaper recalled on 20 June 1930 a local eccentric who travelled the suburbs 'adorning all the walls he...
in chalk on the streets of Sydney from the 1940s through to the 1960s in a distinctive copperplate style. "Eternity" was featured on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
during New Year's celebrations in 2000.
A documentary about Arthur Stace, called "Eternity", by Lawrence Johnston was released in 1994.
Battle of the signs
R.B.S Hammond began the weekly ritual of the famous St Barnabas message board. His witty and often thought provoking messages were what made St Barnabas famous. Some include; "Drink and trouble are like petrol and fire", "Alcohol makes your mind stagger long before your feet do", "Do not nurse a grievance, teach it to walk", and "Divorce is the hash we make from domestic scraps". Continuing on the tradition was Robert Forsyth, who found that he had competition from the nearby pub, Broadway Hotel. The two noticeboards would often display subtle wordplay. Here are some of them:- St Barnabas: "This church is for sinners" / Broadway Hotel: "This pub is for drinkers"
- St Barnabas: "Money does not make you happy" / Broadway Hotel: "I'd rather be rich and happy than poor and happy"
- St Barnabas: "God made sex for marriage not for money" / Broadway Hotel: "Wish he had made money for marriage"
- St Barnabas: "Free Grace brothers and sisters" (St Barnabas was next to a Grace Brothers store) / Broadway Hotel: "Free David JonesDavid Jones LimitedDavid Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...
too" (referring to another Australian department store) - St Barnabas: "The best things in life aren't things" / Broadway Hotel: "Things are not all what they seem to be"