The History of St Michael’s

Original Chapel

The original chapel was built in 1839 and was the first permanent building constructed expressly as a church in the Port Phillip Settlement. The church was founded by Congregationalists (also known as Independents). The chapel served the townsfolk and the farming community in the vicinity.

 

Present Church

The first chapel was demolished in 1866 to make way for the church building that you see today.

The church was designed by Joseph Reed who also designed The Melbourne Town Hall and The Melbourne Exhibition Building. The church is classified by the National Trust with the highest heritage rating.

The design of the church reflects the architect Joseph Reed’s admiration for the Lombardic style – the polychrome brickwork exterior, open cloisters on the side of the building and Romanesque arches.

The interior of the church was strongly influenced by the minister of the day, Reverend Henderson’s request for a setting in which all members of the congregation could both hear and see the preacher. The result is an interior very reminiscent of a theatre:

• A sloping floor with tiered seating;
• A gallery to increase the capacity of the church;
• A covered ceiling to improve the acoustics;
• A semi-circular shape.

Many of the materials used in the construction of the church walls are materials normally used for houses, shops and factories, rather than major churches. This includes multi-coloured bricks from Hawthorn and cast iron for the pillars and gallery.

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The Beautification of St Michael’s

In 1978 a major restoration, refurbishment and modification of the interior of the church was effected. A central aisle was opened through the church and the diagonal aisles regraded. The communion table was raised and the choir and organ console moved to their present positions, becoming part of the arc of its pews.

The original wooden pews in the lower story were replaced with more comfortable padded ones. The lectern was replaced and a cross in the Celtic style was included in the items of the chancel. The two candelabras that flank the table give a beautifully cohesive effect to the interior. The candelabras are a ‘Devine presence’ and the symbol of the “Light of the World’ and symbolise the seven Churches of Asia.

The people of St Michael’s are proud to be the custodians of such a beautiful church and the generosity of the congregation has enabled us to do great work for the pleasure and safety of all attending.

Today the church is noted for its richness and unity. The intricacy and diversity of its painted surfaces is reinforced by the richness of its stained glass, an element excluded from its original design.

The development of the interior of the church has been accompanied by fundamental changes in its precinct. In 1991, the modern office building of 120 Collins Street was completed, surrounding the historic church.

 

Stained Glass Windows

The Bicentennial Windows

2008 marks twenty years since the stained glass windows were installed in the ground floor of the Church. Sadly, Klaus Zimmer died at the end of 2007. He was the artist who created and installed this magnificent panorama of colour and story that will be an evocative adornment in St Michael’s for generations. In 2008, we will remember Klaus Zimmer and celebrate his remarkable work.

The windows tell of each person’s journey and the journey of humanity. From the experience of aloneness, alienation and questioning, they move along several pathways to the symbolic gateway of the New Jerusalem. Each window has an inscription as its foot, and combined with biblical references closely follows the poem Streams of Consciousness. The vertical blue line in each window represents the Life Force in everything, while the horizontal red line represents God’s Love that embraces the whole of the creation. The windows are numbered clockwise, starting at the rear left of the church, facing the pulpit. Windows 1 to 7 are on the left wall, 8 to 14 on the right and 15 to 19 are on the rear or south wall.

1: ELIJAH

Insignificant, frightened, alone, I breathe the wind of the stars
_{Psalm 8:3-6Exodus 33:18-23}

 

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2: THE WINDS OF GOD

Carried from my hiding place I feel the winds of God
_{Kings 19:10-13Job 19:21-27}

 

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3: THE COSMOS

Alien, yet citizen of the world, Guardian of the cosmos earthdust discovering the gift and power of a New Creation.
_{Ephesians 2:19Revelation 21:1-6Psalm 91:16John 10:1}

 

Windows 4, 5 and 6

Windows 4, 5 and 6 are a trilogy representing the turbulence and hope of our journey.

4: THE BOAT

In this boat of fragile life, on uncertain seas, ambient intermittent darkness we strain to see through the winds of the storm
_{John 6:16-21,26}

 

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5: DREADNOUGHT

And hear the voice of hope and everyone who dares to say ‘It is I: be not afraid’
_{John 6:16-21, 26}

 

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6: THE ANCHOR

And the boat finds its haven and its peace
_{John 6:16-21,26}

 

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Windows 7, 8 and 9

7: THE CREATION

And, so the stream of life flows around us, beneath and over us, being and non-being of water, wind, and noise and people and pathways in the sky
_{Genesis 1:1-27}

 

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8: THE COVENANT

And, I lifted by the streams of new life to a new consciousness of who I am
_{Hebrews 13:10-16Genesis 9:11-14Genesis 11:1-9}

 

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9: THE KINGDOM

And what this life can be, of kingdoms here and the kingdom which we pray will come
_{Hebrews 10:13-16}

 

Windows 10, 11 and 12

Windows 10, 11 and 12 are a trilogy on the Dance around the Golden Calf.

10: THE SEEKERS

And I a worker, leader, follower, a healer, a prophet, a buyer, a seller, with power of mind and heart, of pen and voice
_{Exodus 32:1-9}

 

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11: THE CITY

Of commerce and computer and heights and all the rush of day by day
_{Hebrews 13:14}

 

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12: OUR DREAMS

A victim of our dreams or others’ dreams and minds and eyesTunnelled turns and glazed
_{Revelation 3:5}

 

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13: ST MICHAEL’S

Until we, here then there, hear again the word, Lift up your heads
_{Peter 2:9-10}

 

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14: GOOD TIDINGS

How beautiful are the feet of him who brings good tidings
_{Isaiah 52:7-9}

 

Windows 15 to 19

Windows 15 to 19 portray the Gateway to the New Jerusalem. We turn from the body of the Church to go out into the city.

15: LIGHT

A new consciousness of who we are

 

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16: HOPE

What we and our children will become
_{Rev 21:2-12}

 

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17: TRIUMPH

Break forth together in shouts of triumph
_{Rev 21:21, 23, 27}

 

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18: LIBERATION

You who have longed for that liberation
_{Rev 21:21,23,27}

 

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19: LIFE