History

It began about 1912 when a local land owner, Charles Edmunds, donated a small portion of land and a Union Church was built on what is now known as corner of Queen and Bell Streets.  Services may have been held in a private home prior to 1912.

The township of Jimboomba was surveyed into ¼ acre blocks when the railway line went through in 1887.  As the land was used for grazing purposes at that time the roadways were not opened, and the church stood in the paddock surrounded by grazing stock.

The church, as stated in the original Trust Deed, was for any Protestant denomination.

There was, at a later date, a Roman Catholic church down opposite the railway station – next to the Old Store & Post Office – for those of you who can remember the buildings.

The first trustees of the Union Church were Charles Edmunds, donor of the land and who has a grandson, Darcy.  Another local landowner, James Henderson, and Johaneas Andreas Holzheimer, who at the time had a sawmill just off Camp Cable Road, where the timber for the church was milled.

As timber and dairying were the main industries in the area, the services were held monthly at 11:00am, the clergy coming from St Thomas Church, Beaudesert.

The Baptist Union began using the church for Sunday School in early 1950.  As this was the only Sunday School at the time, children of all denominations attended and family services were held once a month.

The Uniting Church services commenced early in 1980.

By this time the Church of England, now known as The Anglican Church of Australia, were having weekly services and “The Little Brown Church” as it was affectionately known was very busy on a Sunday morning.  The Anglican service was 7:00am, the Uniting 8:00am and the Baptist 9:15am.

With the development in the area the original town plan went ahead and streets were opened up.  A move was made by the Beaudesert Parish to purchase land in close proximity to the existing church.  In 1980 4 x ¼ acre blocks were purchased in Bell Street opposite the existing church.

The Rector at the time Fr Robert Chippendale, felt a larger area of land would be beneficial for future use and growth of the church in Jimboomba so the 4 x ¼ acre blocks were sold and the present 10 acres in East Street was purchased in 1982.

Fr Sandy Marshall had been appointed Rector of Beaudesert Parish on 5th March 1984 and services in the “Little Brown Church” were increased to 7:00am and 7:00pm on Sundays.

With the congregation numbers increasing and the appointment of Fr Stephen Byrnes in 1985 a meeting of Clergy, Parish Council and Parishioners was held and the decision was made to “Go Forth in Faith” and build a church on the land in East Street.  Fr Byrnes moved to Southport and Fr David Snape was welcomed in 1987.

After a few functions on the East Street block – like our “Pig on the Spit” and “Church under the Trees” the building commenced early in 1988.

This was the beginning of THE CHURCH OF SAINT JAMES THE GREAT JIMBOOMBA.

The laying of the foundation stone by The Most Reverend J B R Grindrod, Archbishop of Brisbane on Sunday, 28th February 1988 at 3:00pm was followed by a Communion service “On the Slab”.

The dedication service was conducted by The Right Reverend R E Wicks, Bishop of the Southern Region on Sunday, 13th November 1988 at 3:00pm.

Sunday service times at St James were 8:45am and 7:00pm.

With the Anglicans and later the Baptist leaving the “Little Brown Church” full control went to the Uniting Church.

The Old Store and Post Office building was used by the Roman Catholic church for services until it was burnt down in 1990.

The Anglicans offered the Roman Catholics use of St James church for services and these began on Saturday, 6th February 1993 at 6:00pm.

With many Baptisms, Confirmations and young people being admitted to Communion, the congregation and support for St James continued to grow and the church was able to be Consecrated in a magnificent ceremony conducted by The Most Reverend Peter Hollingworth, Archbishop of Brisbane on St James Day, Sunday, 25th July 1993 at 2:30pm.

With the increase in population in the Parish, especially in the Jimboomba area, the need was seen for the establishment of a new Parish centred on St James.

At the Beaudesert Parish Council meeting held on 21st February 1993, the motion was passed to seek approval from the Archbishop in Council to establish a new Parish centred on St James Jimboomba as at 1st January 1994 and for the building of a Rectory at St James Jimboomba.

With all the criteria and submissions being passed and approved and the support of the whole of the Beaudesert Parish, the service for the Blessing and Dedication of St James Rectory by The Right Reverend R J C Williams, Bishop of the Southern Region took place on Sunday, 5th December 1993 at 3:00pm.

On the 1st of January 1994, the Provisional Anglican Parish of Jimboomba began, and its first Priest in Charge was appointed in February 1994, Fr David Cox.

From that time the parish continued is journey with God in Growing His Kingdom in the Jimboomba area. Making connections with the local community through its annual Arts and Craft festivals and Op Shop to name but a few.

In 2008, our current Rector Fr Dan Talbot come to the parish as a Priest in Charge.

In 2010, the Provisional Anglican Parish of Jimboomba had moved from being provisional, to a non-benefice parish.

In 2013, something bold began in the parish, something that is now known as Rockin’ Jimmy’s Carshow.

Through the hard work of so many people in the past and present, the Anglican Parish of Jimboomba was declared a Benefice parish (a self-sufficient parish) in 2018, and the appointment of Fr Dan Talbot as the first Rector of the parish was celebrated on St James Day 2018.

Where to from here…….. well only God knows, but through prayer and stewardship, we will find out together where God is leading us.