About us

Our hall offers a bright, versatile room ideal for meetings, workshops, corporate gatherings, and professional use. With a comfortable layout and convenient facilities, it’s a great space for groups looking for an affordable and accessible venue

Our Vision

To be a part of a thriving community transformed by the love of Christ where people experience genuine care, grow together in community and come to know and follow Christ.

Our mission

Our Mission is to glorify God by engaging with and caring for our community through the love of Christ.  Care.  Community.  Christ.  These are our three pillars of our Mission.  They sum us up fairly well:  we focus on Christ, we love our community and we care!

What Guides us?

We are a church committed to loving people and serving our community through the example of Jesus Christ.  We are stewards of God and our heart is to create a place where everyone is welcomed, cared for and able to grow in faith together.

Act with Care,

to strengthen Community,

through the love of Christ.

HOW WE LIVE OUT OUR MISSION

Care – we seek to care for people with compassion, kindness, and practical support, reflecting the love that Christ has shown to us.  Galatians 6:2:  “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”  1 Peter 4:10  “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others.”  We do this through pastoral care, through prayer which is central to everything we do. We seek God’s guidance, wisdom, and strength through regular personal and corporate prayer.

Community –  we believe life is meant to be shared. We create spaces where people belong, build meaningful relationships and walk together through every season of life.  Acts 2:42–47:   “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  Hebrews 10:24–25  “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”  We do this by actively seeking to serve our local community through practical acts of kindness, support programs, partnership and hospitality.

Christ –  Jesus Christ is at the centre of everything we do. We seek to know Him, follow His teachings, and share His hope with others.  Colossians 1:17–18  “He is before all things… and He is the head of the body, the church.” John 14:6  “I am the way and the truth and the life.”  We do this through worship and discipleship, growing in our understanding of Scripture and encouraging one another to follow Christ in everyday life.   Through faith formation for all ages, nurturing faith across generations through teaching, mentoring, children’s ministry, youth engagement, and lifelong learning.

Our Core Values

Faith

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Community

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Compassion

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Service

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MEMBERSHIP

Membership at Proserpine Whitsunday is open to everyone, without exception.  We worship together, support one another in service to the broader community and help choose the Prospine Whitsunday Uniting Church Leaders.

GOVERNANCE

At Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church, we are guided by a framework of faith, law, and good governance that ensures our congregation operates with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

We are part of the Uniting Church in Australia (Queensland Synod), which provides our overarching theological and organisational framework.

All our decisions, ministries, and activities are rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the values of care, community, and Christ-centered living.

Our worship, pastoral care, outreach, and educational programs reflect Uniting Church beliefs, ethos, and policies.

Our Leadership Team

Church Council

  • Dr. Frans Badenhorst
    Chair
  • Laura Brown
    Secretary
  • Tina Hamilton
    Treasurer
  • Testimonials are a social proof, a powerful way to inspire trust.
    Julianne O’Brien
    Minutes Secretary

General Members of Church Council:

Wendy Camm, David Fraser, Peter Harling, Kim Porter and Amy Youngsmith

Our Sub-Committees and contacts

  • Worship & Music Team
  • Community Heart Project
  • Finance Committee
  • Property Committee

Other committees

Fundraising, Marketing & Planning Committee Jane Bettridge, Kim Porter, Tina Hamilton, Amy Youngsmith & Tina Badenhorst marketing@proserpineuniting.org.au

Hall Hire: Wendy Camm hallhire@proserpineuniting.org.au

Property Finesse Committee:

Pastoral Care Team

OUR HISTORY:

Our History

The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 by the union of the Congregational Union of Australia, the Methodist Church of Australasia and the Presbyterian Church in Australia.  Together we are now the Uniting Church in Australia.  Link to Basis of Union

Our local church history: 

The first church on the corner of Herbert and Main Streets, Proserpine was a wooden building of 16 x 30 x 12 feet built by Mr John Guy for labour cost only of 12 pound to a plan drawn up by Mr A G Clifton and was completed in July 1899.  The total cost was 40 pound.  The land was donated to the Presbyterian Church by Mr John Compton; materials and labour were donated by mr James MacPherson, Mr Renwick, Mr Nicol and Mr Gutskie.  A committee was formed to aid the building process – Mr A Banks, Mr J Nicol, Mr A Fuller and Mr J Compton.  A grant of 10 pound was received from the Home Mission Society, a donation of 1 pound was received from Col C H Luxmore, and a Ladies’ Committee held a fundraising Tea and Concert under the direction of the Men’s Committee of those mentioned plus Messrs J Hinschen and G W Pott.  Mr Withnal donated timber and Mr Guy made the pews for the new Church, charging 2s 6d each.  Mr G Clifton frosted the windows.

The opening Church service was conducted on 23 July 1899 by Rev T W Smythe of Bowen Presbyterian Church and Rev R Kerr, Moderator of Townsville.  The Proserpine Committee agreed to pay the Bowen Church the sum of 2 pound for their Minister to come to Proserpine to hold services once a month at 3:30pm and 7:30pm.  The building was also used, when not required for Church services, for Sunday School conducted by Miss F M C Bode for the payment of 1 penny per annum rent.  It was also rented to Rev Hockey of the Church of England and Miss Hilder, Salvation Army Captain of Bowen for monthly services.

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was observed for the first time in the Proserpine Presbyterian Church on 17 December 1899.  The first Annual Congregational Meeting was held on Sunday evening of 4 March 1900.

This building was replaced by a new Church in 1935 with the stone laid by the Hon W Forgan Smith MLA Premier of Queensland on Sunday, 3 March 1935.

On 15 December 1962, the foundation stone of the hall, known as the Christian Education Centre, was unveiled by Ronald E Camm MLA

Following Cyclone Debbie in 2017 our Church sustained some damage which rendered it unsafe resulting in the need to rebuild.  Whilst the process involved to and froing with Synod, Insurers, Architects, Engineers and Council, with the patience and perseverance under guidance of a Building Committee formed by members of our local congregation, the church was rebuilt by early 2024/25? from  a combination insurance funds together with over $270,000 raised by our Congregation, local community and country wide.  God is good!  The cross that stood atop the awning of St James now represents our faith on the hall with a new cross positioned at the front of our church building kindly donated by our Ladies Fellowship group.

Link to all of our amazing supporters, showing different levels and going into the Brick by Brick Story – share link to Synod’s paper story.

First Presbyterian Church with first manse.

Original Presbyterian Church beside new Church

OUR PAST MINISTERS

1896-1898  etc (see List of Ministers from 1896 to 2018 saved on Admin Google Drive)

1899 Rev T W Smythe (opening Church Service, 23 July 1899). Etc

2016-2019 Rev Jenny Potter

2020 Rev Matthew Hogg

##2021-2025 Rev Suzy Sitton – retired 31 December 2025

2026 Commenced with Minister, services conducted by lay members of the Church 

OUR PAST SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS

1899 Miss F M C Bode