OUR VISION
“With Jesus as our head, to become a community equipped to serve according to His Purposes in the Kingdom, bringing reconciliation, peace, hope and love to all.”
Mount (Mt) Louisa Community Church (formerly House of Praise) is a confessing congregation within the Uniting Church of Australia, located on the corner of Bayswater Road and Mather Street, Mount Louisa, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
God has called us to:
– minister to families –
– the broken hearted –
– work with other Churches bringing unity to the body of Christ –
– and to continually think beyond ourselves. –
Our Team
Our Beliefs
Church Life
Millies Op Shop
Mt Louisa
Child Care Centre
Next Steps
Who We Are
Our Team & Council
Our team and Church Council provide the direction and accountability for Mount Louisa Community Church. We honour our legacy, and we embrace the future for what God has for us as a community focused church.
Rev Michelle Cullen
Minister
Rev Michelle Cullen has been the Minister of Mt Louisa Community Church since February 2021.
Gwenda Richardson
First Impressions / Cleaning
Graham Wood
Honorary Facilities Manager / Council Elder
Raelene MacGregor
Council Chairperson
Lillian MacGregor
Council / Administration
Trevor Berryman
Music Coordinator
Ian Jessup
Treasurer / Council
Lynelle Jessup
Council / Elder
Jan Cullen
Council / Elder
Sue Berry
Council / Elder
Gwen Webb
Council / Elder
Church office hours are normally Tuesday – Friday 9am – 12noon.
Phone: (07) 4774 5800
Email: [email protected]
485 Bayswater Road Mount Louisa
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
PO Box 7070 Garbutt QLD 4814
Our Beliefs & Values
Mt Louisa Community Church is part of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA). We are part of the Queensland Synod (state body) and the Presbytery of North Queensland (district body).
Unity
The UCA’s basic statement of belief is the Basis of Union (BoU). Uniting Churches subscribe to the two great creeds of the Church – the Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed.
Staff-led
We are a staff-led, elder-governed church. The Congregation are consulted for all important decisions.
Equipping Others
The leaders at Mt Louisa Community Church are there to equip the members of the church for their own ministry. Together we want to obey Jesus, to truly be his hands and feet in the community. Together we seek to be the body of Christ in this place.
Holy Communion
Participation in communion is open to all who love the Lord Jesus.
Baptism
Baptism is available to children of parents who will faithfully raise them in the Christian Faith. Baptism is also available to older children and adults upon profession of faith (if they have not already been baptised).
The UCA also offers a kind of dedication service for parents who would like their children to decide about baptism for themselves at a later stage.
Adults who were baptised as a child may affirm their baptism along with their profession of faith in a service of confirmation.
“Quote From Ps David…”
History.
Recent History
HISTORY
To understand Mount Louisa Community Church (formerly House of Praise) we need to understand its history.
Mount Louisa Community Church is a contemporary church with an extensive history. In 1886 (20 yrs after the settlement of Townsville) the West End Methodist Church was established. ‘West End’ Methodist became a Uniting Church in 1977 and was a fore-runner of MLHoP. West End combined with Garbutt Uniting under the ministry of the Revd Jack Frewen-Lord. When even more space was needed Praise Chapel was established in 1986, later renamed Mt Louisa House of Praise. 2018 will be the 132nd year of continuing Christian Witness in Townsville that links MLHoP with ‘West End’.
Ministers:
2017- Dr. David Pohlmann
1996-2017 Rev. Anne Harley
1992- 1996 Rev. Mike Smith
1978-1992 Rev. Jack Frewen-Lord
More History
In 1978, Rev. Jack Frewen-Lord came to West End Uniting Church to minister to a very small and aging congregation. His leadership however caused the church to grow and attract many young families. It was not long before it was overflowing. The church building was purchased by the Uniting Church Aboriginal and Islander Congress for a nominal figure and the members joined with the Garbutt congregation in larger premises. They soon outgrew these premises and in 1986 decided to relocate and build at the present location in Bayswater Road. The church was called Praise Chapel and was a large, dynamic and effective church.
In 1992 Jack retired and the Rev. Mike Smith became minister. In December 1996 the issues facing the Uniting Church, particularly in the area of sexuality, became so conflicting with the beliefs of the Parish that Praise Chapel chose to leave the Uniting Church. A very small remnant remained and Anne Harley became the pastor of the renamed Mount Louisa Uniting Church. Much of the leadership had gone and the vulnerable new church struggled to maintain itself financially and to maintain the property. It is a miracle of God’s grace to see the growth that has taken place. We have reached financial stability, one block of land was sold back to the Uniting Church to pay off a large debt and we have been able to make inroads into the community. At this time Carcoola Child Care Centre transferred from Aitkenvale to Mount Louisa.
We have had our setbacks. The usual transition of people through Townsville has had its impact. The sexuality issue again raised its head in 2003 and about 30% of the congregation left. The church is a member of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations, Australia. During Anne’s ministry the church changed its name and become Mount Louisa House of Praise. The child care which is a significant part of the original vision of the Church, in 2012 has changed its name to Mt Louisa Child Care Centre.
Since 2017 the church has been led towards a more outreach –focussed fellowship. Under the leadership of Dr David Pohlmann and a new church council, the church waited on the Lord to hear what His call to us in terms of vision and mission would be. In 2019 the congregation voted to be known as Mt Louisa Community Church.