Introduction

The St Albans-Filipino Uniting Church is a young and thriving 'stand-alone' congregation comprising largely of young families and young people. The majority of members are Filipino-Australians who came from different church denominations in the Philippines. We believe that our common interests and experiences brought us all together, according to God's calling and purpose for us.

Our worship is a lively combination of traditional and contemporary liturgy, which caters for both young and mature members of the congregation.

Our History.. at present... looking to the future...

On the 25th of February 1992, five Filipino families came together in a worship service held at the Brooklyn Uniting church on the outskirts of Altona. Initial meetings of this small congregation were encouraged, resourced, and supported by the Uniting Church Victorian Synod's Ethnic Ministry. The new congregation took on an ecumenical character, taking in members from varying denominational backgrounds.

The monthly worship was increased to twice a month and before its second year, the Congregation decided to worship every Sunday at 2pm, and the Gamon Uniting Church in Footscray offered its premises. After an initiative from the Maribyrnong Valley Presbytery, the Congregation was received into the Uniting Church in a worship service on the 5th of February 1995. Within a year of our inception into the UCA, the Congregation at the Altona Meadows-Laverton church on Central Avenue, Laverton then transferred to Trinity Uniting Church on the 1st of October 1996. This was the Congregation's third shared home.

On the 9th of January 2000, the Filipino Congregation once again moved to another home, our present sanctuary here at St Albans Uniting Church. The decision to move was largely influenced by the desire of the Congregation to worship in the morning, and by the demographics of the church's location. St Albans, located in the western region of suburban Melbourne, is ideal because of the growing Filipino communities in the new housing development such as Cairnlea, Caroline Springs, Hillside, Burnside and Sydenham. In September 2000, the Filipino Congregation and the St Albans Congregation amalgamated into one worshipping Congregation.

Another factor that contributed to the Congregation's decision to move to St. Albans was to participate in the vision of the Presbytery to build a new church in Cairnlea, that could possibly accommodate 300 or more people, together with a Learning Centre and an Aged Care Facility. However, this project did not materialise, but the Congregation remains open to discussions on plans supporting mission initiatives of the Presbytery in the Western Region.

Where is St Albans-Filipino Uniting Church?

St Albans-Filipino Uniting Church is located on the corner of East Esplanade and Elaine streets, St Albans. St Albans is found within the boundaries of the Brimbank City Council, in the North-Western region of Victoria. The Brimbank municipality is located in Melbourne's North-West growth corridor and is currently experiencing rapid urban growth. Brimbank is the third largest municipality in Melbourne and the largest in the western region.