Methodist Church Records in Australia

Libraries
The records of the Uniting Church are held in this library. Mitchell Library Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales 1 Shakespeare Place Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Telephone: (02) 9273 1414 Enquiries: Ask a Librarian


 * Births, marriages, and deaths guide

Societies

 * The Society of Australian Genealogists, based in Sydney, provides an expert and specialist family history service, and holds microfilms of records of churches of all denominations throughout Australia and overseas. The SAG sells copies of their microfilms to family history societies, historical societies, and libraries.

Writing to Local Churches
Birth, marriage, and death registers are kept at the current individual churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Uniting Church: Find Your Church
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.

Historical Background

 * The Methodist Church of Australasia was a Methodist denomination based in Australia.
 * On 1 January 1902, five Methodist denominations in Australia – the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Primitive Methodists, the Bible Christian Church, the United Methodist Free and the Methodist New Connexion Churches came together to found a new church. In polity it largely followed the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
 * The church ceased to exist in 1977, when most of its congregations joined with the many congregations of the Congregational Union of Australia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia to form the Uniting Church in Australia.
 * There are still independent Methodist congregations in Australia, including congregations formed or impacted by Tongan immigrants.
 * The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia is derived from the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America and did not join the Uniting Church in Australia.