114 Years of Celebration

On Sunday the 20th August, St Christopher’s Anglican Church acknowledged the beginning of the church here 114 years ago. It was a celebration marked by a special combined morning tea for both services and an excellent sermon delivered by Vicar Deo Vistar, based on the message in 1 Corinthians 3:10–11 regarding the importance of building a church ‘foundation’ based on Jesus Christ. When the first Sunday School was established in 1905, the foundations were based on bringing Jesus into the lives of the local children.  Our church today, with its mission statement, a growing church for Blenheim, making disciples of Jesus, reflects how solid those early foundations were laid.

The Rev David Gribble had the honour of cutting the anniversary cake. David recalled his time with his wife Noeline, as a young curate back in the 60s, a time that marked the beginning of a new era and great growth in the Sunday School in Redwoodtown. His job was to visit every young family in the area, encouraging Sunday School participation. Photographs from this time reveal well over a hundred children attending, encouraged and supported by the stewardship of the very dedicated Bythell family and their team of supporters.

There were over sixty parishioners in attendance at our morning tea, enjoying each other's company, and delighting in the video Guan Vistar had assembled based on the All Nations Service and shared luncheon, held a few weeks back. It was a colourful expose of the extent people had gone to show their cultural heritage: a very rich and rewarding experience for everyone who attended.

St Christophers church has had a colourful and interesting history since its beginnings 114 years ago, but the church family who attend there today are as dedicated to its continuance as those wonderful ladies who took up the challenge and stepped forward to blaze a pathway for Jesus to come into the lives of the local community. Accord and fellowship were hallmarks of our gathering Sunday, as folk from both services came together in celebration.

Jackie Hall