Victorian Council of Churches


Victorian Council of Churches is a body composed of leaders from Christian churches of the State of Victoria, Australia. It was formed to present a unified front to influence public discourse and government policy, and also served to increase communication and cooperation between churches with similar aims and philosophies.

Member Churches

The current Member Churches are:
The organisation was founded as the Council of Churches in Victoria on 6 September 1892, when representatives of various denominations — Anglican, Presbyterian, Wesleyan Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Lutheran, Primitive Methodist, United Methodist Free Churches, Quakers and Bible Christians — meeting at the library of the Congregational hall, Russell Street, agreed on a title, objects and Constitution. The number of delegates supplied by each denomination was stipulated, according to the number of adherents, with equal number of clerical and lay representatives. The Anglican church was given the greatest representation, with twelve persons, but was the last to nominate delegates and the first to withdraw from association. James Rickard of the Brighton Congregational Church was influential in its formation but became less significant as the council developed.

Office Bearers (1895-1950)

It was agreed that the office of president should be rotated through the membership bodies. In 1900 the format of the council was not yet settled. In time, Councils of Churches were also established, with varying degrees of success, for larger conurbations such as Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo. They are not considered in this article.
This article traces the history of the Council through a list of presidents and to a lesser extent its secretaries and treasurers, the workers of the organisation, who generally held the post for long periods, providing continuity.
Around this time, the Anglican Church showed an interest in the Council.
Walter J. Eddy was secretary 1909–1914
In 1914 Walter J. Eddy resigned as secretary.
Robert Philip was secretary
James E. Thomas was secretary 1921–1923
J. Ernest James secretary 1923–1925
George A. Judkins secretary 1925–1945
In 1928 the Council protested the grand reception for Bert Hinkler being held on a Sunday.
  • 1929 Alex Hardie
  • 1930 A. Deans
  • 1931 J. C. Martin
  • 1932 J. H. Cain
  • 1933 Albert J. Ingham
  • 1934 W. J. Harris
  • 1935 J. D. Northey of Camberwell Church
Legalisation of the totalisator was attacked.
G. A. Judkins' last year as secretary.
  • 1945 Horace H. Jeffs
Courteney Thomas was secretary 1945–1950
  • 1946 F. W. Ede
  • 1947 R. Caradoc Hughes
  • 1948 F. E. Richards
  • 1949 F. A. Forward
  • 1950 William John Salter of West Melbourne Church