COLOMBO STREET CHURCH

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27613, 21 March 1955, Page 14

COLOMBO STREET CHURCH

BAPTISTS MARK 75TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTES TO EARLY WORKERS A fine record of service both in the Christian Church and in civic life had been shown by members of the Coloffito street Baptist Church, said the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfariane, MJ») when he spoke at a tea to mark the church’s seventy-fifth anniversary celebrations on Saturday. In particular Mr Marfariane paid tribute to a former Mayor of Christchurch, Mr J. K. Archer, who held office from 1935 to 1931, to Mrs Archer for her quiet and unassuming work as Mayoress, and to the late Mr J. S. Barnett “who was determined that there should be a scheme in Christchurch for houses tor old people” and after Barnett avenue was named. AH had served their church and, their community well and were typical of the men and women who had come from it. he said. Among the official guests were Judge Archer and the Secretary of Justice (Mr S. T. Barnett), both former members of the church’s congregation. In congratulating the church on its anniversary the chairman of the National Council of Churches (Rev. Canon H. M. Cocks) said that such an attainment meant that someone had done a lot of hard work in the early days. It had been an achievement to have “come through the arrogant twenties” and have buflt a new church during the slump, and it m^m ’ 3ers to carry There was "a great new fact of this age” Canon Cocks continued. “It is the fact that we are now working together and sharing in the Christian fellowship together,” he said. “We are sharing it not only within the boundaries Of our own but we are over-lapping the boundaries." Greetings from the Baptist Union of New Zealand were given by the Rev. L. J. Boulton-Smith. “How on earth the church survived the early days is beyond my comprehension,” he said. “There is nothing so difficult to hold together or so hard to destroy as the church, and 75 years of history has shown that fact to be true. One is not being cynical when one says the church is hard to hold together and I salute you as the miracle of the day.” The tea was attended by more than 140 members of the congregation, friends and former members from other parts of the Dominion. The birthday cake, surmounted by a beautifully-made model of the church building, was cut by the oldest active member of the congregation present at the tea—Mrs M. Calvert. Mrs Calvert, who is 89 years old, is four months younger than another members of the church, Miss Ivy Roberts, who is ill in Burwood hospital. After the tea members gathered in the Sunday School hall and under the chairmanship at Judge Archer told reminiscences. Items were given by the church choir. Yesterday morning a family thanksgiving service was held and in the evening there was a reunion service at which a large congregation was present. A choir of past and present members of the church under the conductorship of Judge Archer sang. The celebrations will continue this . week and conclude next Sunday evening. The guest speaker will be ■ the Rev. N. R. Wood, of Hastings.