FERNSIDE CHURCH.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18184, 22 September 1924, Page 3

FERNSIDE CHURCH.

| GOLDEN JUBILEE. I Consecrated by Bishop Harper on JiVj* COth, 2574, St. Matthew's Anglican , Church at Fcrnside has just been completely renovated and repainted, and on Saturday afternoon, the Archbishop of Ni;w Zealand laid the'foundation, stone j of the jubileo memorial belfry, j Although the weather conditions were | not the most favourable, there was a i large attendance of past and present j parishioners, and amongst the clergy I were: Archdeacon P. B. Haggitt, Kevs. i if. P. Fen da 11, C. A. Fraer, H. X. j Wright, G. L. Harold, C. E. Webb, J. i 1". Feron, A. 11. Acheson (the present j vicar \ and A. 0. Harris (Methodist). ! Mies Julia Brown, who was organist at j file consecration of the church, and Mr | (j. Wiggins, who was the second churchwardci ° also were present. A number ; of apologies for absence were read, including one from the Hon. IX Buddo, i ALT'. "

The churchwarden, Mr W. Smith, invited Archbishop Julius to lay the foundation stone, and after doing so ; his Grace, in a short address, paid tribute (o the work and faith of the early settlers in Canterbury, who, using what ever materials were available, erected :-omn beautiful little churches, of which Fcrnside had one. The present belfry had been built with the best of timber, but unfortunately the bottom part had rotted. With the portion of the old tower carrying the bell placed on top of the new concrete structure, there would still be something to remind those growing ut> of the earliest days of the church, and' also of the jubilee year. During the "singing of "The Church's One Foundation," si collection .was taken up, resulting in a good sum being placed on the stone. After the religious ceremony, Mr W. Smith expressed the appreciation of the vestry to the Archbishop and visiting clergy, and also to the past and present parishioners ■ f"or their attendance. Messrs F. Bowron- and W - . Cattermo.or presented fra7ned records of the vicars and churchwardens of the church from 1871-1924 to the Archbishop, who. in turn, handed them to Mr Herbert Brown to be hung in the church vestry. The Bevs. F. P.. Fondall and C. A.' Fraer, who had both been connected with the church, made short congratulatorv addresses, after which all adjourned to Mr Smith's farm adjoining for afternoon tea. A number of sports events were conducted for the children in a paddock nearby, and during the afternoon the Eangiora Band played selections; Yesterday afternoon (St. Matthew-a Day) a jubilee and patronal festival service was conducted in the churcli by the Kev. A. 11. Acheson, and was 'well attended.