The Church at Running Stream

This solid structure still proudly stands
Building costs covered by volunteer hands
Locally quarried, each sandstone block
A place of worship for God’s own flock.
On Mudgee Road by a running stream
This place a refuge for all it seems
A union church but just for some
Those loyal to Rome need not come.

Not far away in another space
The faithful rest at the end of their race
‘At your own risk, enter’ the fence sign warns
No more to danger these risk takers drawn. 

Years ago after hymns were sung
Young men practised skills with guns
Silence broken by rifle crack
Preparing for war, some never came back.

Many times I passed in the dead of night
When the road ahead was the only sight
Unaware of this church standing by the way
That led me safely to Binnaway.

This road I travelled so long ago 
When I passed this church but didn’t know
Some fifty years since these nightly forays
To Binnaway on the Castlereagh.

Today I returned to this church on the rise
In daylight to wander and see with my eyes
Then ponder the value of buildings like this 
A part of the landscape I think we would miss. 

© Jim Low

Read the article by Jim about Running Stream