The Congregational church is a protestant denomination that dates back to the 16th Century Reformation. They are an independent Church which rejects any form of State Aid to religion. Henry Hopkins established the first Congregational church in Australia in Tasmania in 1822. Hopkins brought Englishman Rev. Frederick Miller to be the minister of the Brisbane Street Chapel in 1832, with Miller becoming the first settled independent Minister in Australia. Hopkins also gave land for the Berea chapel in Liverpool Street and in 1837 built the Collins Street chapel, Hobart, at his sole expense. The 'Congregational Union of Van Diemen's Land' was formally established in 1836. The Congregational Union was especially strong in the South of Tasmania. Prominent lay Congregationalists included the Waddell and Button families, James Fenton, Landon Fairthorne, Henry Jennings, and James Aikenhead. Records of the annual meetings of the Congregational Union of Tasmania can be found in the newspapers of the time (see online via TROVE). In 1977, most Australian Congregational churches belonging to the Congregational Union, joined with Methodist and Presbyterians to form the Uniting Church.;;Records held by the Tasmanian Archives include Van Diemen's Land Missionary Society, records of Rev Frederick Miller, Sabbath Schools, the London Missionary Society and Tasmanian Council of Churches. Records from various Congregational Churches including the Independent Chapel, Brisbane Street, Memorial, Davey Street, Bellerive, Bellerive and Howrah United Congregations, Clarence District Congregational Church, Brighton, Green Ponds, Franklin, Huonville and Cradoc, Port Esperance, Geeveston, Dover, Cairns Bay, Devonport and Latrobe.