Holy Trinity Anglican Church at Kelso was first used on Easter Day in 1835, on a site that had already been used for Christian worship for almost a decade. The earliest graves in the churchyard cemetery date from 1826.
Quite a few names from the early decades of European settlement in Australia have an association with the church, including pioneer priests the Reverends Samuel Marsden and Thomas Hassall (Marsden's son-in-law) and Bishop William Grant Broughton, who consecrated the building in December 1836.
Renowned church Architect Edmund Blackett designed the rectory, built in the 1870s.
While the main celebration will be on Easter day, Sunday April 4, Kelso's anniversary events also include an outdoor observation of Good Friday.
Using the theme of 'Telling the Old, Old Story of Jesus and His Love', the remembrance will start at the entrance to the church property on Gilmour Street, with a dramatic rendition of a 'Way to the Cross' - a walking meditation on Jesus' path to the Cross, including the placing of nine crosses at intervals up the 200 metre slope to the Church forecourt where the Crucifixion and Burial will be portrayed.
Parish priest The Reverend Graham Thurley said people who might not feel confident about tackling the steep climb up the hill can take part in the start of the meditation and then move to the Crucifixion scene, from where they will be able to follow progress with the printed order of service.
Special guest for the weekend will be the Bishop of Gippsland, The Right Reverend John McIntyre, who will take part in various re-enactments of the Easter events starting on Maundy Thursday (April 1) at 7pm in the parish hall, when the program will include an acted narration of the Last Supper.
On Saturday morning Bishop John McIntyre will address a men's breakfast in the parish hall, starting at 7:30am.
The weekend culminates on Easter Day with a 10:00am service of the new light and a celebration of the empty tomb, followed at noon with a 'bring and share' picnic lunch at the Parish and Community Centre where tea and coffee will be provided.
At the luncheon The Right Reverend Richard Hurford, OAM, Bishop of Bathurst, will launch the new history of the parish, 'Kelso: the Church's Gateway to the West' by John Ellis. John is a son of Howard Ellis, rector of the parish from 1950-1975.
He has produced a comprehensive review of the life of the Anglican Church in the Bathurst region, and particularly at Kelso from the commencement of ministry in 1825, through the building (1835) and consecration (1836) of Holy Trinity Church to the present day.
A smaller pictorial booklet will also be available later.
John Ellis will address the gathering, outlining some of the new material he has been able to include in his work such as the Hassall diary, which explains arrangements for early services on the site and the acquisition of land for the parish; the extension of Blackman's farmhouse to become the first parsonage; and John Keane's sketch for the conversion of Blackman's barn to a place of worship prior to the building of the present church.
The church has invited former parishioners and others with a connection with the parish to return for the historic weekend to join in the celebrations.