On Sunday 15th March 2026, the large format Bible which had been on the Union Church pulpit for almost 30 years was returned. The Bible came to the Union Church in 1992 as a gift by the FitzSimons Family to honour the death of their father, Peter McCloy FitzSimons. Peter had a very long and regular involvement with the Mangrove Mountain Union Church since the late 1940’s, when as newlyweds, he and wife Helen, established a Citrus farm and family at Peats Ridge.
In 2022, when the Union Church was in the hands of a Liquidator, the Bible was removed from the pulpit and the building for safe keeping. With the fate of the Union Church as a place of worship in doubt, members of the FitzSimons family acted to retrieve the Bible from its uncertain future. For more than 2 years from 2021, the Mountains Community waged a successful campaign to regain custody and control of the Union Church. The Community’s goal was achieved in September 2023.
With the return of regular worship services to the Church (there are now 4 Christian groups meeting at the property), several community groups using the Hall, and a Men’s Shed being established, the future of the Mangrove Mountain Union Church is looking bright. So, for members of the FitzSimons Family, it seemed an appropriate time to return the Gifted Bible to its rightful place in the Union Church. Our picture shows Trish and Cathy (daughters of Peter McCloy FitzSimons) re-presenting the Gifted Bible to Ron Collins, President of the current Union Church Trust Group.
Robert Meggs for the Mangrove Mountain Union Church Trust Group
