The brass shone, the flowers were beautifully arranged and the little church of Holy Trinity, Kameruka sparkled as the 150th anniversary was celebrated with guest preacher Bishop Mark Short of the Canberra - Goulburn Diocese.
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For Bishop Mark there was a special connection to the church. Not only was it his first parish visit but he was a past recipient of a Lucas Tooth Scholarship and undertook a PhD at Durham University in the UK and he said that it was "very special" to be at Kameruka.
The Lucas Tooth family were the original owners of Kameruka Estate. Sir Robert Lucas Tooth commissioned the building of the church.
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In the front pew Sir Robert's great grandson, Frank Foster and wife Odile, sat both giving readings during the service. The couple were the last of the original family to own Kameruka.
Dr Ian Walker, chair of the Sir Robert Lucas Tooth Scholarship Foundation also attended and said that there had been 138 scholarships awarded. He called it a living legacy and said that the foundation had just awarded its first female scholarship to Susan Bridge of Canberra.
Behind the delightful interior of the old church was a lot of hard work. Mice, swallows and bats also chose to pray there, leaving behind not so heavenly deposits that have affected the brass.
They had reached such a state that professional help was sought with Sandy Macqueen seeking out the assistance of W.J. Sanders & Company, the last traditional manufacturing silversmith and metal restoration company operating in Australia.
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The result was well worth it but expensive and the church had to budget for a cost of some $5000.
Following the service the owners of the Kameruka estate, Michelle and Barry Moffitt opened the gardens of their home to visitors and then the congregation made its way to the cricket grounds for a picnic lunch.