MINYIP’S St John’s Lutheran Church has stood on Church Street for almost 80 years.
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However, the church was built about six kilometres down the road from where it currently stands.
The church was moved by rail from Kirchheim on May 15, 1935.
Congregation members plan to celebrate the move of the building next month.
The wooden church was built in Kirchheim in 1875.
A storm destroyed the church and a school in 1889.
Both were rebuilt later that year.
Forty-six years later the church was moved to its resting place at Minyip.
The move took four days.
Celebration organiser Shirley Smith said the decision to move the church was because of the location of the Lutheran parish members.
‘‘It was more central to move it into town,’’ she said.
The chancel and vestry were severed from the main building.
The pieces and church structure were transported by a steam traction engine and a jinker cart.
Mrs Smith said the 16-metre by nine-metre structure weighed about 50 tonnes.
She said the church was wheeled over roads and through paddocks to its final destination.
‘‘It certainly must have been a significant operation in 1935,’’ she said.
Mrs Smith said Minyip and Lutheran communities would walk from the original church site in Kirchheim to the church at Minyip to commemorate 80 years since the move.
‘‘We plan to follow the route taken in 1935,’’ she said.
Mrs Smith said participants would meet at the church at Minyip at 12.30pm and then car pool to Kirchheim to start the walk.
She said those who did not want to walk the whole way could walk part way or drive.
Mrs Smith said once back at the church people could enjoy a presentation about the history of the move.
There will also be afternoon tea and organ music from the church’s 125-year-old organ.
She said people could call her on 0428 857 491 or Gillian Heintze on 0427 003 422 for more information.