While in use by the Bible Christian Church, the Germans did not use their church. This changed a year later on 2 March 1879, when a new pastor commenced. Rev P. G. Jacobsen was a native of Schleswig-Holstein and met the desired criterion of having had colonial experience, as he had spent 14 years in Victoria, Australia. Jacobsen could preach in German, English, and Scandinavian languages, as during his youth and prior to the Second Schleswig War, Schleswig and Holstein had belonged to Denmark. The Bible Christians meanwhile moved to the nearby Templar Hall. There were debts from paying Lohr a retirement pension and once more, a fund-raising campaign was started. Later in 1879, the German Debating Society was formed and held its inaugural meeting at the parsonage.