Northern Mallee Anglican Church Mildura, Victoria, Australia Rector : Archdeacon Russell Smith

Contents of our Red Cliffs page Large map of our town Our Church History Our Twelve Clergy Our Logos

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Our History

St. Mark's is a member of the world-wide Anglican/Episcopal Communion.	We were one of about 60 parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo, under the leadership of Bishop David Bowden. On 1 Jan 1998 we were incorporated into the Anglican Parish of Northern Mallee and our new Rector is Archdeacon Russell Smith.
First build the water tower and the Chief Engineer's residence.	The Red Cliff settlement was oficially declared open on 25 November 1921. On 9th May 1922 St Mark's Red Cliffs parish was incorporated with the formal Constitution of the Parochial District of Red Cliffs. Dr Maxwell Gumbleton, Bishop of Ballarat, performed the first Confirmation on 3 June 1923. The Wardens and Vestry men, Ladies Guild and Mission Auxiliary go back to 1922 and Fellowships or Committees have formed - Ball, Fete, Parish Paper, Sunday School and Youth Groups for example, which have provided Leadership opportunities for many people who quickly learn the skills their elected positions required.
The St Arnaud diocese was formed from Ballarat diocese in 1926	Bishop Melville Charles James 1926 - 1950 was our first Bishop, followed by 21 years with Bishop Allen Winter. He retired on 31 Aug 1973 (the last day of Winter in two senses). His successor was David Hubert Warner Shand. The third ordinary session of the 16th Synod of the diocese 1976, had as its main task passing legislation enabling the St Arnaud Diocesan territory to be surrendered to the Diocese of Bendigo. It remained for the Bendigo Diocese to formally accept this surrender of territory at their Synod 1977, the Diocese of Ballarat to formally agree to it, and then the General Synod of the C of E in Australia to accept it at the sitting in May 1977, for the amalgamation to be completed.
We become part of Bendigo Diocese.	On Sunday 13 Feb 1977 at 7.30 pm at Christ Church, Old Cathedral, St Arnaud, the clergy and laity of the former Diocese of St Arnaud officially recognised the Bishop of Bendigo as our Bishop, and he formally accepted pastoral responsibility to his people on the western side of the Lodden River. This brought a major change - the Diocesan and Parish financial year ended on May 31st, so the parish organisations held annual meetings before the Parish Annual Meeting in June or July. Once we were part of Bendigo, the Diocesan and Parish financial year now ends on Dec 31st, so the parish organisations hold annual meetings before the Parish Annual Meeting early the next calendar year.
We gain a monthly Newsletter.	The inspiration to have a Newsletter began at the Annual Meeting 1967, and came into print in August 1967 with No 1. In Dec 1971 the word changed from Number to Volume, and Volume 49, for February 1972, showed a change of name, from the Parish Newsletter to The Lion's Roar. The last issue in the folded A4 size was November 1978. In Aug 1977, while noting ten years of a continuous Parish Paper, Rev Clayden comments "The first attempt at a Parish Paper for St Marks was actually issued Oct 1956 under Father Garth Cracknall, with 12 pages edited by Harry Cramp."
We cope with a time of great change	The Modern Liturgy was authorised by the 1969 General Synod of the Church in Australia. The 1662 service is to be replaced - after 305 years of use. Synod also passed the motion proposed by Rev Gorrie that the Bishop give permission to specified laymen to administer the chalice at Holy Communion at the discretion of the Clerk-in-Charge. The Quarterly Meeting of Parishioners on March 1st, 1970, overwhelmingly agreed to implement the New Australian Liturgy 1969, as suggested by General Synod and commended by our Bishop for use within the Diocese, for a period of six months. It was also decided to use a modern translation of the Bible for the Lessons.
Bishop Shand's visit in 1974	Three Wardens Wands were carried for the first time in honour of Bishop David Shand's first official visit, Sunday 28th April 1974. They are the gift of Mrs Elsie Forrest and her family in memory of her father, Mr Walter John Rudd and were dedicated at the Family Service on 5 May, at 9 am.
Hail damage 4 Oct 1977	On 4th October 1977 a tornado visited Red Cliffs, and hail wiped out the district west to east in a band about 6 kilometres wide, centred on the Red Cliffs area and happening just before school was dismissed. All growers had their vines stripped, and many houses lost at least part of their roof. St Marks suffered hail damage to the stained glass windows and exteriors of all our buildings, and also water damage inside the buildings. The total of necessary repairs was assessed in Feb 1978 at $9798.80. Hail Screens will need to be erected over all of the windows. In April 1978 we gave thanks to the Diocese for funding the materials, Geof Bird for making and Pat Noonan for painting the protective screens now appearing over St Mark's windows. Without these, the insurance company would pay no further claims for the stained windows. In July 1978 the Vestry reported that all restoration work for the hail damage to the church has been completed. In October 1978 the Vestry reported that it had purchased a new CONN organ, Model No 632, at a cost to us of $4600 and is valued at $5600. It is a memorial to Edgar and Mattie Carter.

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Our Twelve Clergy

1. Rev Norman Fettell The cycling Padre making his calls on the Blockies	Rev Norman Smith Fettell, the first Vicar of this parish, died in his 83rd year on Friday, 6th September 1967. He arrived in Red Cliffs on May 9th, 1922, and so the Parish of Red Cliffs came into being, a mere six months after the first soldier settlers arrived. The first church, now part of the Parish Hall, was erected on 15 July 1922. Fr Fettell, like many of the settlers, lived in a tent until a house was built the following year, and he conducted services in the most unlikely places (such as a billiard saloon and a dry dam). The Padre travelled among his people usually on foot or by bicycle as he negotiated the sandy tracks and unmade, often boggy roads (the irrigation channels were newly dug, and not lined). In 1973 the Vestry decided to put up a plaque naming the Fettell Room, and received a letter of thanks from his widow Elsbeth Fettell who was living at Pt Lonsdale
2. The Reverend Tone-Holmes	The Rev Fettell left for Ballarat on 4 Oct 1925 and his assistant Rev Culla left soon after. They were followed by Rev Tone-Holmes.
3. 1927 - 1929 The Reverend John Stafford Farrer	The Reverend John Stafford Farrer died on 23rd March 1971. He later served in the parishes of Maryborough and Swan Hill within this diocese. A Requiem Eucharist was held here at 10 am on Weds 5 May 1971
4. Rev W A Walter	No details yet
5. 1932 - 1940 Rev R T Millar	Rev R T Millar had the Parish Hall built and dedicated by Bishop James on 19 April 1938. After hearing that the Vestry put up a commemorative plaque, Mrs M Grace Millar wrote on 6 Oct 1973 from Burwood. "Thank you for sending me regularly a copy of your Parish Paper. I was of course interested in the note about the "Millar Room" and appreciate the gesture of the Vestry. You may perhaps have heard of the recent death on August 6th of my son Frank, aged 42 who died of cancer of the mouth. He had been on the staff of the Timboon Consolidated School for 10 years. A few days after his death the school collected $600 for the Anti Cancer Fund. "My best wishes to all at the Vicarage and to any old friends who still remember the Millars. Note - Mrs M C Millar is listed among the subscriber to the Lion's Roar
6. 1940 - 1945 Rev A L Rivett	No details yet
7. 1945 - 1951 Rev Horace A Hall	Rev Horace Hall arrived in February 1945 and led us from the fears of a world war to the prosperity of 1950s. He took religious education classes in our schools, and his students still remember those lessons.
8. 1951 - 1966 Canon Garth Younghusband Cracknall	Canon Garth Younghusband Cracknall was the special Preacher for the 9 am Jubilee Eucharist on Sunday 7th May 1972. He is fondly remembered for going around and collecting the young people and training them for confirmation, and also for leading the work parties in building our church. He would not allow a soloist to sing during marriage services, so Yvonne Janson was instead married at St Margaret's Mildura. (How the service has changed in two generations).
8. 1966 - 1968 Rev Reg Gorrie	Rev Reg Gorrie proposed on behalf of the Rural Deanery of Mildura, that the Bishop give permission to specified laymen to administer the chalice at Holy Communion at the discretion of the Clerk-in-Charge, and so began our Lay service within the Eucharist. The Parish Newsletters began with one issued by Rev Reginald Gorrie in August 1967.
10. 1969 - 1974 Rev Clive Beatty.	The typewriter was joined by the Gestetnar and its waxed master pages so that producing a monthly newsletter and a weekly pew note became practical. Many remember turning the handle to produce each page. The Golden Jubilee services on 9th May 1972 were attended by Mrs Fettell, widow of our Founder-Priest, the Reverend and later Canon N S Fettell, also Canon Cracknall and his son Jim. All enjoyed the contributions by our Youth Fellowship who presented a cheque for $80 to pay for new Communion rails, and at the evening service, music by the Vibrants, trained by Lloyd Gale and Marion Tyrrell.
11. 1974 - 1985 Rev David Claydon	Rev David Claydon lost his holiday home at Airey's Inlet in the Ash Wednesday fires. He is remembered for the many teenage musicians he encouraged, the choir that led our singing, and the band he formed to assist Les Zimmer with the music.
12. 1985 - 1997 Rev Ronald Wood	Rev Ronald Wood became a Canon one month before his commission at Red Cliffs ended and he took up residence in Merbein as part of the team ministry to the six Anglican centres in Sunraysia.

Our Logos

	The Lion of St. Mark : The Winged Lion is the traditional symbol of St. Mark the Evangelist. From the 5th century, the four creatures mentioned in the book of Revelation have been assigned to the four evangelists, with the "Winged Lion" attributed to St. Mark. In Christian iconography the St. Mark Lion was often depicted as holding up the book of St. Mark's Gospel.
	The coat of Arms of the Anglican Church of Australia : The four stars represent the four original dioceses of the Australian Anglican Church.

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