Reverend Richard Hurford
A PROTEST meeting has been called for Orange in a bid stop the selloff of historic church property in the area by the Anglican diocese of Bathurst.
Holy Trinity Anglican parish member Len Bailey who has been a faithful stalwart of the church in Orange and Millthorpe for almost 40 years, said he has decided to hold the meeting so angry and disappointed parishioners and members of the public can voice their objections to income-generating property like the historic bluestone hall in Orange being sold .
Mr Bailey said the meeting is open to the public and church officials have not been requested to attend.
“There are no invitations extended and anyone is welcome to attend,” he said.
Mr Bailey says he will chair the meeting to be held on neutral ground at Orange City Bowling Club.
Mr Bailey’s move to call a public meeting follows on from resolutions passed at a meeting of parishioners of Holy Trinity last Sunday where parishioners endorsed a number of motions expressing their angst at a decision by the Anglican Bishop of Bathurst Reverend Richard Hurford and endorsed by the church synod, to selloff properties to help pull the diocese out of a financial crises.
People attending the public meeting will be asked to sign a petition urging the bishop to reconsider a decision to selloff income-generating property.
The public meeting in Orange will be followed by a second public meeting to be held in Molong on Wednesday, August 1 to protest the proposed sale of the rectory.
Mr Bailey said the sale of income-generating properties has come as a shock to parishioners who first heard about it through church newsletters late last year.
“But no-one, myself included ever thought that would be property which generates income, and a property like the bluestone hall which is a vital part of our income at Holy Trinity.
The meeting at Orange City Bowling Club on Monday, July 30, is followed by protest meetings in Molong on Wednesday, August 1 and at Blayney Community Centre on August 31.
The Central Western Daily has been told other resolutions from last Sunday’s meeting included a call for Bishop Hurford not to be replaced when his tenure ends in September and for the “financial mess” to be sorted out before another bishop is appointed.
