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Home > Archived News > Ecomenical Church Service 2011
Christian Worship during Heritage Festival
Sunday 15th May 2011
10am
On Sunday 15th May Eudunda will remember its Christian Worship heritage with an Ecumenical Community Church
Service which will be held at the St John’s Lutheran Church at 10am. Members of all Churches in the community, will join together to
experience a service from pioneer days to the present. Everyone is welcome to attend and also to join in the spirit of the time by dressing
up in period costume or ‘Sunday Best’ if you like.
With Eudunda celebrating its 140th birthday this year, South Australia
celebrating its 175th birthday this year, and 2011 SA History Festival (previously called ‘History Week’)
theme being called ‘About Time’ the Eudunda community will celebrate their history and heritage as
a Christian community. Many of our first settlers held a very strong Christian faith. It was what
kept the community strong and working together, it was an unspoken yet strong law, unlike the ‘Wild West’ in America during similar times.
Christian worship has been an important part of the community evidenced by the many churches dotted throughout the
countryside and in the towns.
The churches were often the first buildings constructed, such was their importance and made by the hands of the very
people who worshipped in them.
Today’s worship has changed in many ways from those early pioneer days. Electric pianos replace the peddle organ; microphones,
amplifiers and speakers improve the ability for us to hear and be able to record serviced for us
to hear and be able to record services for those who cannot attend e.g. those in the hostel or hospital.
Men and women no longer sit on opposite sides of the church, allowing families to worship together now.
Come dressed in period costumes or Old style “Sunday Best”, (remember when ladies wore hats and gloves and men had starched
collars, black suits and hats?) Stay for morning tea and a chance to reminisce with friends afterwards.
There will be participation from the Uniting Church and Church of England, with PowerPoint presentation of St. Hilder’s by
Betty Marschall and a reading by Andrew Partington. John Muster will accompany on the button accordian.
Some of the music will include a German sung hymn “Gott Ist Die Liebe”; the pipe organ played by Elaine Leditschke and
Chris Reimann will play on the gold old pedal organ!
Two pasters have been invited to participate in the service, Rev Dr. Mike Hassold and Rev Dr Erich Renner.
Reverend Doctor Mike Hassold was a lecturer at the Lutheran Seminary (renamed the Australian Lutheran College).
The Hassold family has a long connection with the Eudunda community.Mike’s grandfather served the Emmaus Lutheran parish
for 35 years (1917-1952). Paster Frederick Hassold was born in America and served in New Zealand when he was called to Eudunda.
After the death of his first wife, he took a local woman for his bride: Margaretha Hansen. Margaretha was the daughter of Paster JE Hansen who served the
enormous area of Bright in the days of horse and buggy transport. She was also the great-aunt of locals Geoff Hansen, Wendy Gaerth,
Bronwyn Pfitzner and Margaret Doecke.
The Emmaus Parish included congregations at Eudunda, Robertstown, Australia Plains, Bower and Neales Flat.
Reverend Doctor Erich Renner was also a former lecturer at the Lutheran Seminary. Erich was the eldest son of Pastor Martin Theodor Renner.
Theodor Renner served the Eudunda parish for 38 years with congregations in Eudunda, Julia, Neales Flat, Bower, Peep Hill and Sutherlands.
Erich has assisted Eudunda parish preaching at the Eudunda Area Schools 50th anniversary, and as a relieving minister conducting confirmation
services.
Locals have memories of the six Renner boys seated in the front pew on the left hand side of the church so that their father
could keep an eye on their behaviour.
Erich would have memories of playing cricket by the Kapunda Street manse. The boys were talented cricketers and sportsmen with the late brother Edwin
being a well-known cricketer for Kapunda. One of Edwin’s daughters is local teacher, Coralee Hambour.
For further information on the Community Heritage Service, contact Margaret on 85811663 or Tim 85811702.