Why didn't the Uniting Church sell its properties to other churches?
The Uniting Church stopped its controversial sale of 21 church buildings half-way through the auction on Wednesday after reaching its $56 million financial target, acknowledging the sale process had caused ‘‘significant’’ pain for its congregation.
Members of the church’s faithful mingled with 200 prospective buyers looking to snap up property at a ‘‘never to be repeated’’ fire sale of church buildings and land scattered across metropolitan Melbourne, Ballarat, Echuca and Bendigo.
The church resolved in May to sell about 1 per cent of its substantial property holdings to recover debts of about $36 million it lost after the collapse of its school, Acacia College, last year.
Twenty-one properties were to be auctioned on Wednesday.The assets up for sale included many historic churches, as well as vacant land, suburban tennis courts and commercial buildings.
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One heritage church hall in Parkville sold for $1.25 million but another majestic cathedral-style church in Sturt Street, Ballarat failed to attract a single bid.
St Andrews Uniting Church in Ballarat, a large Victorian-era bluestone structure, passed in for $2.5 million dollars on a vendor bid.
The Church Synod, which has faced angry criticism from parishioners opposed to the sale of their places of worship, managed to settle on $16.4 million of property before pulling the plug on the auction leaving many would-be buyers disappointed, but its parishioners delighted.
‘‘I’m absolutely thrilled,’’ said Balwyn church member Graham Beanland after Colliers International auctioneer John Bowring told the congregation of buyers the remaining 10 properties had been withdrawn.
Among them were two other historic Ballarat churches and a large cathedral in Bendigo.
Last week the Church Synod was told by retired County Court judge Ross Howie the sale of the properties may be unlawful without the approval of congregations.
‘‘The decision to end the auction early does not remove the pain and uncertainty this divestment program has caused the people of the Uniting Church,’’ the Synod’s general secretary Mark Lawrence said.
‘‘There are still challenging times ahead as congregations prepare to leave their beloved places of worship,’’ he said.
The Church is believed to have sold up to 35 properties, including the nine that changed hands at Wednesday’s auction.
The divestiture will affect eight active church congregations, he said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/uniting-church-halts-controversial-auctions-after-hitting-target-20131211-2z5tx.html#ixzz2nCZVItv0
