Penola Anglicans will celebrate the 150th anniversary of their church with a special service on September 10.

It will be led by Penola/Millicent parish priest Father Lyndon Sulzberger.

The Anglican Church in Penola has been dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, mother of Jesus Christ, since it was built in 1873.

It contains many memorials to Penola pioneers as well as a war memorial shrine.

The tiny stone church was built near the site of the disused stable where Catholic nun St Mary of the Cross MacKillop began her teaching work seven years earlier.

The cornerstone of St Mary’s was laid on Wednesday, January 8, 1873 by Mr. R. McClure, Worshipful Master of the Penola Lodge of Freemasons and Chairman of the Church Committee.