SEW HALL FOR ST. LUKE'S

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21081, 5 February 1934, Page 12

SEW HALL FOR ST. LUKE'S

DEDICATION SERVICE PAROCHIAL BUILDINGS COMPLETED An impotrant event in the history of the parish of St. Luke's was the dedication of the new parish hall by the Bishop of Christchurch yesterday afternoon. The new hall built beside the church in Manchester street, is of dignified and beautiful design. It completes what is generally conceded to be one of the finest and most up-to-date set of parochial buildings in the city.

In dimensions the new hall, which adjoins the Sunday school building at the east end, is 50 feet long and 30 feet wide. It was constructed for the parish by Mr T. E. Marriott, at a cost of £2068, to the design of Messrs Ellis and Hall, architects. The walls are of brick and the high roof is of slate tiles. The design, both exterior and interior, is strikingly simple and dignified; plain Gothic windows relieve the walls, and provide plenty' of light within. The interior walls are plainly plastered in white, this serving to set off the beauty of the high raftered and panelled roof. Round the inside walls is a dado of polished panels of finely marked selected rimu. Earlier Schemes. An outline of the earlier scheme which the parish had discussed for providing a hall adequate for the expanding social activities of parishioners, was given by Archdeacon F. N. Taylor, the vicar of St. Luke's, at the dedication ceremony. It had been 20 years since the proposal was first mooted, he said. In 1913, a scheme for a building of two storeys, at the west end of the school hall, was thought of. In July, 1914, an appeal was prepared and was in the hands of the printer when the Great War broke out. The concentration of church effort on other tilings during the war prevented anything being done, but after peace was signed another scheme was proposed for a new building. This failed to meet with general satisfaction and was i abandoned.

In 1924 was erected the present Sunday school building, at a cost of £2600, which was paid within a very few weeks after the completion of the building. Then the parish set its face to replacing the old hall. The depression held that proposal in check, but before long the enthusiasm and foresight of one member of the vestry encouraged the parish to embark on the erection of the new hall.

The decision was made in July of last year, and since that date the sum of £6OO had been collected to add to the £9OO which had accumulated from preceding years. The parish wanted, roughly, £SOO to finish paying for the new hall, Mr Taylor said. It had been arranged with the Church Property Trustees for a loan up to £SOO, and that could be drawn on at any time, but the church officers were anxious to avoid using all of the £SOO if possible. At the time the final payment became due it was hoped that that no more than £3OO would be required out of the loan. The new hall would be a great asset to the district, Mr Taylor added. Memorial of Service. Bishop West-Watson, when speaking after he had dedicated the hall to God, said that he hoped that the new hall would always remind parishioners of the fine service and leadership of Mr Taylor, just as the church was a memorial to the work of Mr Taylor's predecessor. It was a brave effort that had brought the hall scheme to fruition, and broken the back of the financial aspect of its erection, he said. Referring to the beauty of the new building, the Bishop remarked that he admired the simplicity of its interior. It was a poor building that needed to be apologised for by all sorts of adornments. It was a fine building, and worthy to stand beside the church of which all were so proud. A Sacred Church. "The lack of parish halls is always a source of worry to church officers. It is of vital importance that we should have them for we cannot open our churches for social activities, and must provide halls. We look on our churches as being particularly sacred places, and usable only to a very limited extent of service. That is because we want them to have a certain power of suggestion. It is not that we want religion to be shut up within four walls, but we live in a world with so many material distractions that we like sometimes to get away into our churches and get into that other-world atmosphere, to return to ordinary life with an inspiration to carry on with the right perspective." The Bishop emphasised the service which a parish hall could perform in allowing the full development of the closer fellowship which was perhaps not provided by actual church worship. The real and best fellowship was that of the Christian Church, but it came not only from praying and kneeling together, but from closer association in social activities. Bishop West-Watson also referred to the value of the new building for the encouragement of the youth ■work of the church, which, he said, was intended to be pushed forward. Many Clergy Attend. For the dedication ceremony there was such a large attendance of the clergy of Christchurch and of parishioners that every seat in the new hall was taken. The bishop was attended by several of the clergy, his assistants for the service including Canon A. H. Norris, the vicar (Archdeacon F. N. Taylor), the Rev. F. B. Redgrave, the Rev. G. L. Harold, and the Rev. G. N. Watson. The bishop, after turning the key in the west door of the hall, was met by the church officers and escorted with the choir in procession to the platform at the eastern end. The choir assisted at the service.

Apologies were read from Mrs Cracroft Wilson, Sir R. Heaton Khodes, Sir Hugh Acland and Lady Acland, Mr and Mrs T. E. Marriott, and Mrs C. Dilworth Fox. Mr Marriott sent a letter expressing his gratitude, as the builder of the hall, for the co-operation of the building committee of St. Luke's, and forwarded a donation to the building fund.