Union Church Update
27th August 2021

By: Robert Meggs (4376 1217)
On behalf of both the
MMCG Inc and the MMUC Inc.

Unfortunately, the future of the Mangrove Mountain Union Church (MMUC) remains uncertain. Support from people in our local area who want to avert the sale of the Union Church property into private ownership continues to be critical. An update on the matter follows.
After the Special General Meeting of the MMUC Inc on 29th July, the new MMUC Committee, through its Solicitor, wrote to the Liquidator, Mr Barry Taylor of HLB Mann Judd, Sydney. The Liquidator was informed that the new MMUC committee asserts the following: –

  • That his appointment was not validly made.
  • That the MMUC Inc does not consider itself to be in liquidation.
  • That the MMUC has sufficient assets to pay all of its debts and to continue operating.
  • There are sufficient local members to carry out its activities.
  • Therefore, there is no need for the MMUC Inc to be wound up or put into liquidation.
  • Most importantly, the land may not be dealt with other than in accordance with the original trust deed, which itself, neither contemplates, nor provides for the sale of the land.

It was also requested that Mr Taylor stand down as liquidator of MMUC.
On 23 August, the Solicitor to the MMUC Inc Committee received a response from the Liquidator advising that he does not accept that he was not validly appointed and that he proposes to proceed with winding up the MMUC association.
On 24 August a Caveat was lodged over the Title of the land with NSW Land Registry Services. The Caveat is to protect the interests of the Mangrove Mountain Christian Group Inc (MMCG). This group is the renamed, and now incorporated, former Mangrove Mountain Uniting Church congregation, that has continually been a user of the Union Church property for many years. The need to rename the local congregation came after the Gosford Uniting Church advised that the Mangrove Mountain Uniting Church Congregation would cease from 30 June 2021. By implication, it was inferred the local congregation could no longer use the words “Uniting Church” in its name.
With the Liquidator now confirming his intent to wind up the MMUC (and presumably, sell the Union Church property), and the lodgement of the Caveat by the MMCG, we now enter a new phase in the campaign to stop the sale of the Union Church property. The advice of our Solicitor is that we now need to engage a Barrister to prepare a defence of our interest, at the Supreme Court of NSW.
Since the announcement 4½ months ago by the former MMUC Committee that the Union Church was to be “sold off”, it has been an enormous achievement by our local community to stave off the sale of the Union Church, hold local worship services in the church grounds, uncover the original Trust Deed and lodge a Caveat to protect our interests. BUT, we must not give up here. Already the fundraising ideas are coming in and we have received generous financial gifts from locals to assist our cause. If you would like to contribute financially to the campaign, donations can be made to the Mangrove Mountain Christian Group Inc at Bendigo Bank, BSB 633-000, A/c 185477965.
For anyone who would like to join the Mangrove Mountain Christian Group, we have membership application forms available. Joining fee is $1 and annual fees are $2. Please contact our Secretary by email to [email protected].
You can also write, or email, a personal letter to the Liquidator Mr Barry Taylor, Restructuring & Risk Advisory, HLB Mann Judd, Level 19/207 Kent Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000 or by email to: [email protected] Please do not be offensive in any communication with the Liquidator, as this will not help our cause and may only serve to harden his heart. The letters should be civil and courteous. They should highlight any personal links that you have with the Union Church and how important it is to yourself and the local community that the Union Church continue to operate as it has done for the past 110 years. You may also say that you are aware that there is strong community support and financial backing for the Church to continue operating and therefore you do not understand why the former committee chose to liquidate the Union Church assets. A copy of your correspondence would be appreciated by either email to [email protected] or post to MMCG c/6 Waratah Road, Mangrove Mountain NSW 2250, if you are willing.
Together, and with faith in ourselves and our beliefs, we can prevent the sale of the Union Church, receive it back into our community, and ensure that it remains here for all of us, and future local residents for another 110 years and more as was intended by the original Union Church Trustees.
Robert Meggs (4376 1217)
On behalf of both the
MMCG Inc and the MMUC Inc.

Posted in Topics, UnionChurch