Church with dark history to close its doors

Bishop of Newcastle Peter Stuart wrote in a letter to the St Stephen's church community on May 1 that the church at Adamstown would cease its ministry and dissolve its parish from May 19, with the future of the site to be determined by the Newcastle Anglican Diocese.

The Newcastle Herald understands the church never recovered after its former priest Chris Bird was permanently removed from office and stripped of his Holy Orders, after he was found to have committed acts of assault, intimidation and bullying over a number of decades.

Bishop Stuart wrote in the letter to the church community that the closure comes after careful consideration and submissions from the parish and advice of the Diocesan Council.

"It is my weighty responsibility as the Bishop of the Diocese to consider the future of the Church at St Stephen's Adamstown and the wider parish," he said.

"I recognise the faithfulness of church members and the grief my decision will cause. Please be assured of my careful and prayerful consideration of all matters in coming to my decision."

He encouraged members of the parish to consider joining ministries available through the parishes of Kotara South, Lambton, New Lambton and Hamilton.

A smooth transfer of parish records and other matters will be handled between the Bishop and Diocesan staff, he said.

"The Diocese will carefully review its future use of the site in the coming months. No decisions have been made at this point," an Anglican Diocese Newcastle spokesperson said.

The final service at St Stephen's will take place on Sunday, May 19.