SUSSEX Inlet residents will fight to save their community church which is a much loved facility.
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Residents were left stunned recently when they heard the community church in Jacobs Drive could be sold by the Uniting Church.
The community, similar to the way they rallied to save their cinema from being closed, will fight to save this important facility.
Shoalhaven City Councillor and concerned local resident Patricia White is helping to lead the community fight.
Cr White said the community is distraught about the possible sale.
“If it was not being used then there would not be a drama but this is not the case ,” Cr White said.
She said the facility was in consistent use from a wide range of community groups.
The community also maintains the site and pays the rates with the funds from the nearby op-shop.
The community hoped to raise $100 000 to buy the land.
However, Cr White said the community should not have been forced in a position of making an offer for a facility that is rightly theirs.
“They (The Uniting Church) are just kicking the whole community out,” Cr White said.
The Uniting Church wanted the sell the site for $560 000 or get $36 000 a year in rent, according to the councillor.
“This is just a business opportunity for them,” the councillor said.
“They should not be making profit from the community.”
Families like the Glanvilles, Tragels and Emmoss, dating back to the 1930s, all helped set the church up for the community to use.
Cr White contacted a 94-year-old member of the Glanville family who was saddened to hear her family’s community donation was to be sold off.
Well known local community member David Tarbert said the proposed sale of the facility was just not right.
“It (the church) is the core - the heart of the town,’ he said
“It’s in non-stop use - open for everyone to use.”
Mr Tarbert said they needed answers from the Uniting Church.
“It a bit of a joke and they won't talk to the community,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Uniting Church said their property in Sussex Inlet is not currently for sale.
“The Sussex Inlet Community Church is a tenant of the Uniting Church and is not a congregation of the Uniting Church, having chosen to split from the Church in the early 2000’s,” the spokesperson said.
“We are discussing a number of options with members of the community church to remain as a tenant, including sale of the site to the community church, ongoing rental at concessional rates or alternative uses.
“At every point the Uniting Church has sought constructive dialogue with the Sussex Inlet Community Church and will continue to do so in good faith.”
A rally to save the facility will be held on Saturday August 12 from 10am at the Jacobs Drive site.
Over 3500 people have signed a petition asking for the site to be kept in community ownership and according to the 2016 census, the population of Sussex Inlet was 3575.