St. Barnabas, Broadway, Anglican church on Broadway, Sydney, Australia
St. Barnabas is an Anglican church on Broadway in Ultimo, near the University of Sydney. The 1858 building burned down on 10 May 2006; its replacement, designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, opened in June 2012 and also houses a social community centre and creche. It won a High Commendation at the 2013 World Architecture Festival.
The foundation stone of St Barnabas was laid in 1858, built by slum labourers of Sydney's Inner West. A fire at 3.30 am on 10 May 2006 destroyed the 100-year-old pipe organ, a stained-glass window and World War I memorials; investigators traced it to the power box. The old building was demolished in 2010, and a new church by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp opened in June 2012.
The church is known for posting clever remarks on its notice board, often sparking playful responses from the Broadway Hotel across the street. This back-and-forth tradition creates a living connection between the congregation and the wider neighborhood.
The church holds services on multiple days each week with both in-person and online streaming options available. The building is easily accessible from Broadway and features different areas to help visitors navigate depending on their purpose.
Arthur Stace, a member of the congregation, wrote the word "Eternity" in copperplate chalk on Sydney's streets from the 1940s to the 1960s. The word appeared on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the 2000 New Year's celebrations, and Lawrence Johnston's 1994 documentary Eternity tells his story.
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