Press Release Pilgrim Church - Unfinished business

Just like our ministry. (this photo, taken from the Town Hall, shows the church under construction during the 1860s) On Sunday June 17th Pilgrim Uniting Church is celebrating 170 years of ministry. In 1837 the Wesleyan Methodists and the Congregationalists separately began their ministries in . Each group met in a number of different locations in the city square mile until the Congregationalists built Stow Memorial church, used from 1867 and the Methodists built the Pirie Street Wesleyan Church, used from 1851. Both were “mother” churches of their denominations in . In 1969 Pirie Street Methodist and Stow Memorial Congregational Church formed a united parish in anticipation of the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia. When this occurred in 1977 the name Pilgrim Church was adopted. In 2007, the people of Pilgrim Church, who worship in the historic Stow Memorial Church on Flinders Street, are anticipating providing vibrant ministry into the future.

The program for Sunday June 17th 2007 is as follows: The Revd Gregor Henderson (President UCA Assembly) will preach at 9.30 and11am services. Simon Preston (internationally acclaimed organist) will play at the 11am Choral Worship and present “The majesty of the Grand Organ” at 2.30pm.

8.00am Eucharist (followed by breakfast) 9.30am Community Worship 10.30am Morning tea in Pilgrim Hall 11.00am Choral Service with the choirs of Pilgrim and St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral 12.10pm Celebration luncheon in Pilgrim Hall 2.30pm Simon Preston Organ Recital. ($20 & $15 concession) 7.00pm Evening Prayers

More detail about Simon Preston’s visit:

Some of your readers might be interested to learn that Simon Preston, acknowledged to be one of the great musicians of our time, is to visit Adelaide.

A celebration of the 170th Anniversary of Methodist and Congregational ministry will be held at Pilgrim Uniting Church on Sunday 17 June 2007, and Pilgrim has sponsored Mr Preston to play for the Celebration Service at 11:00am. The choir of St Francis Xavier's Cathedral will join the Pilgrim choir for this special occasion.

In the afternoon at 2:30, Mr Preston will present a concert ‘The majesty of the Grand Organ’.

Preston¹s 2007 Australian tour is exclusive to Adelaide and this concert will be a rare opportunity to hear a master musician exploit the full resources of the Pilgrim organ which is the largest in the state. He has chosen a very interesting programme.

Mr Preston will be well known to many because of his association with King¹s College (Cambridge), Westminster Abbey, royal weddings, a multitude of recordings and the opening of the new Walker organ in the . While in Adelaide he will also give a concert at Christ Church, North Adelaide on Tuesday 19 June at 7:45pm, and will be associate artist with the Adelaide University Choral Society at St Peter¹s Cathedral on Saturday 23 June at 8:00pm.

We at Pilgrim are pleased that Mr Preston has accepted our invitation to be with us and hope that many music lovers will take the opportunity to hear him in person.

Pilgrim Uniting Church 08 8212 3295 [email protected] 12 Flinders Street, Adelaide. www.pilgrim.org.au