Our History and Artworks

A History of St Oswald’s Anglican Church, Glen Iris

The first people to live on the land where St Oswald’s Church now stands were the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and we acknowledge their ownership of the land at every service.

European settlers arrived in the area, which became known at Glen Iris, from 1836. Those early settlers established parishes at St John’s Camberwell, St James Glen Iris, but as the population grew a new church was needed.  The first service in the parish which would become St Oswald’s was held in the Glen Iris State School, with the Rev John Hall chosen as the first Vicar. The Rev Hall continued to hold services at the school until the new building was built in High Street, Glen Iris.  The new church, which was both church and hall, was dedicated on Saturday 25th June, 1927.

It was a vibrant and busy parish from the beginning.  There was a choir and a large Sunday School, a busy Ladies’ Guild, Mothers’ Union, clubs for boys and girls, and an Anglican Men’s Society.

Rev Charles Zercho arrived as Vicar in 1930. The following years were difficult ones for the Parish, with the Great Depression affecting church finances. The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 caused great anxiety as some of the men of the parish went to serve while the people of the congregation supported the families.

Rev Frederick Porter arrived as Vicar in 1949. The Vestry and people had decided that the combined church and hall was no longer suitable, as the parish was continuing to grow, so a new building was planned and designed by Louis Reginald Williams, which would be the church, and the present church would be a hall only. On 31st August 1957 the new church was dedicated.

The Rev Gerald Coxon arrived in 1960. A fire destroyed the hall in March 1962 so fundraising had to recommence to build a new parish complex. During building operations Rev Joe Forster was inducted as Vicar, and on 12 July 1964 the new hall and vestries were dedicated.

The Parish was still growing, and during the sixties there were a number of active groups – Broughton Hall Auxiliary, Brownies, CMS, Australian Board of Missions, Church of England Mens’ Society, Ladies Guild, choir and Sunday School, Junior and Senior Fellowship, Mothers’ Union and a Young Peoples’ Fellowship which ran very successful dances. Caritas started in 1971.

Rev Ian Brown’s tenure as Vicar, 1979 – 1992 was one of excitement and challenge. Many artworks were acquired for the church, the series of beautiful windows by David Wright were installed, and the church was rearranged. More lay people were involved in services, and the parish newsletter called Cosa Nostra began. St Oswald’s became a focus for the ordination of women.

Our support for Women’s Ordination culminated in the appointment of Rev Janet Gaden as our Vicar 1993-1997. Rev John Simpson followed in 1998, then Rev Ken Hewlett 2003-2014. The parish was involved with other churches in the area to support two asylum seeker families. Contributions of food for Anglicare occurred on a regular basis.

Rev Glenn Loughrey came in 2015 and developed a new focus in the parish through his aboriginal heritage, introducing new forms of liturgy which incorporated First Nations spirituality, establishing the lovely Womanjika garden in place of the old tennis court, and setting up the Murnong Gallery and the First Nations Gathering Place.

Throughout the years of our history St Oswald’s has been a community of caring people. We have also had lots of fun as a parish, with grand occasions such as the balls in the 1950s, youth group dances, fetes, art shows, evenings of fun and frolics, dinners, plays and musical extravaganzas. It has been and continues to be a wonderful parish to belong to.

We are looking forward to new directions with Fr Mal, as he introduces us to the Sri Lankan community.