LOVERS of architecture, churches and the history of Orange gathered for a tour of Wesley Uniting Church on Saturday afternoon to raise money for the Orange Regional Museum.
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Elizabeth Griffin from the Orange Regional Museum Association was one of the organisers of the event, which was born out of last summer’s Friday evening historical walks around Orange CBD.
“I promised everybody that I would organise something for winter to keep the momentum going,” she said.
“We want people to realise that Orange is a living museum so this time around we’ve decided to visit the churches.”
The tours will visit five more churches before the end of the year, giving residents a chance to delve into the details of a sometimes chequered history between denominations in Orange.
The money raised at each church tour will go towards the fit-out of the Orange Regional Museum.
Ms Griffin says it is the aim of her association to remind residents that Orange has a history tha needs to be told.
“Churches play such an important part in people’s lives,” she said.
“Here at Wesley Uniting Church we looked at the architecture, pioneers at the time, early priests, the stained glass windows and some of the memorials within the church which are contributions of pioneers long gone.
“Every church has a different story to tell because unfortunately that was one of the things about Orange, it was very segregated between the Catholics and the Protestants.
“Thank goodness common sense prevailed, it’s in the similarities between the churches where the strength lies.”
The tours of Orange churches continue on June 25 at Holy Trinity Anglican Church before moving on to St Joseph’s Catholic Church on July 30, St John’s Uniting Church on August 27, Five Ways Uniting Church on September 24 and St James Presbyterian Church on October 20.