Kingston-Robe

Parish Contacts

Churches

For further information regarding services times, please contact the Pastoral District Secretary.

About

Since the mid-1850s, Anglican worship has occurred in Robe, and with the development of Kingston SE, worship happened from the late 1870s. Both communities were part of what was known as the ‘South-East Mission District’, with links variously to Millicent and to Mt. Gambier. From 1884 onwards, what became the Parish of Robe included the Kingston SE community. With changing fortunes, from 1925 the area reverted again to a mission district again until 1981 when the Parish of Kingston-Robe was formed. In recent years, Kingston-Robe returned to being a Pastoral District, and is also part of the Upper Limestone Coast Region of the Diocese of The Murray.

Robe was the first community to build a church, with the foundation stone being laid April, 1859, and the church being open for worship in April of 1860. Indicative of the flourishing port and community which existed in the mid-1800s onwards, St. Peter’s benefitted from fine benefactions in terms of stained-glass windows; church tower and bell, as well as a chance, built in 1914. Standing on a hill in Robe, it continues to be a place of worship, and particularly on the high days of Christmas and Easter, many holiday makers gather to worship God.

An additional feature of the church site at Robe is the building known as the ‘Oude Kirk’. Originally this building was the site of Presbyterian worship in the town, before any thought of an Anglican Church. Restored in recent years, its simple Georgian design and interior provide a place of hospitality following Sunday worship, as well as being used by some community groups.
Kingston, has a different church building, having in the late 1870s commenced using the disused Congregational Chapel in the town. In 1883, after the Chapel was purchased by the Anglican community, it was dedicated under the title of the Holy Trinity, and since then has been the place of worship for the Anglican community of Kingston. The Kingston church is much ‘simpler’ reflecting its Congregational origins, and only in recent years benefitted from some coloured glass being placed in a number of its windows.

As frequently happened in rural communities, Anglican worship also occurred in local farmhouses, school buildings, and halls. Nowadays Holy Trinity, and St. Peter’s, are the principle places of worship and focus of activity for the Anglican community in the towns of Kingston SE and Robe.