BAPTIST CHURCH AT OPAWA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27192, 9 November 1953, Page 2

BAPTIST CHURCH AT OPAWA

OFFICIAL OPENING AND DEDICATION UNUSUAL DESIGN OF NEW BUILDING

The new Opawa Baptist Church, Wilsons road, was opened and dedicated yesterday afternoon. A crowd, of about 300 filled the church and about another 200 heard the opening service through a loud-speaker system outside. . • The ceremony began with the opening of the door, the Rev. R. J. Thompson, minister at the church, Mr J. Calder, the builder, and Mrs E. Towart, oldest member of the church with the longest continuous service, taking part. An outline of the efforts made to build a new church was given by the Rev. R. C. Hart. In 1942 a meeting was called, and at that meeting cash and promises of money amounting to, £ 300 were given, and it was upon this modest foundation, that the church, was built, he said. He paid a tribute to the late Mr and Mrs H. W. Oatway, whd, though not members of the church, had left between £4OOO and £5OOO to the building fund. The church treasurer (Mr P. J. Day) said that the total cost of the church and youth hall was £14,000. There was a mortgage of £3OOO, and £lOOO was still needed.

In the church the scripture reading was taken by Mr R. N. Clarkson, secretary of the church, and the Rev. C. B. Boggis, president of the Baptist Union, gave* the address and dedication. The Rev. L. A. Day said the prayer of dedication. The last service in the old hall was held yesterday morning. Last evening a fellowship hour was held to conclude the ceremonies. The church is one of the most unorthodox in Christchurch.

The aim of the designers was to produce a building with traditional church form without being traditional in structure. They point out that the building came about not through any striving for effect, but as a natural result of honest, straightforward, untraditional methods of construction, which have produced a building that is impressive yet simple and very economical in cost. The church relies on form rather than on detail for its effectiveness, and in this the designers consider they have been greatly assisted by the Baptist tradition of simplicity and severity of design. They consider that the structural motives have given the'building its distinctive note of simplicity. Thet,e characteristics, together with the great height and strikingly steep pitch of the roof, make the building the dominating feature of the district. Economical Design The design does not use materials wastefullv or just for pretence, and has proved a very economical one. Thanks to this aqd a sympathetic contractor the building has been brought within the means of the Baptist community in the district. The designers point out that structural materials are not in any way concealed. Great 14in x 6in beams meet in the central ridge nearly 40ft above the ground. These bed on to a low concrete wall with buttress construction. The dressed and oiled beams add to the dignity of the interior. The ceiling is formed by the 6in by 2in dressed decking on the outside of the beams. This dressed and oiled decking gives, a pleasing interior texture. It provides both adequate bracing for the roof beams and bearing for the tiled roof. The big west window is an important feature of the plan. It is designed to give a general brightness to the interior without the disturbing glare which cEfn result from many smaller window openings. The repetition of the open beams on the inside helps to give an effect of length. Skylights assist the lighting scheme, as also do diamond panes at the east end.

The designers wish to correct a misleading impression that the design is a “modern American one.” They say that advances in Sweden and Finland as well as in America have shown that a lot more could be done structurally with timber and at less cost. America could make no claim to be the only authority on this method of timber structure.

The designers of the building were the design associates of the C S.G. Draughting Service. Christchurch.