Papanui Baptist Church Is Suburban Prototype

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 14

Papanui Baptist Church Is Suburban Prototype

A building opened at Papanui North yesterday afternoon will be a prototype for Baptist suburban development through New Zealand and, from visitors’ comments, the design may be studied by other denominations. New Baptist churches in recent years have concentrated on building first a hall which could serve both as a church and Sunday school, and have later planned the church proper. But because growth in numbers is quickest in the Sunday school (well over' 100 in the first year), there has been difficulty in holding separate classes inside an open shell. The Papanui North Baptist Church, designed in Christchurch, aims at the outset to fulfil all reauirements economically. For less than £6OOO a combined church and hall, with an auditorium 65ft by 25ft, has been provided. Opening off each side are eight classroommeeting rooms, as well as a * ull “ sized vestry, storeroom, , ana a kitchen including an electric stove. The pulpit and choir rails can be removed to .clear a large stage and underneath is a baptistry. A sliding leather partition will divide the auditorium into a separate church and hall, while adult numbers are small, but the whole can be opened up in a matter or moments for large congregations. The building is of brick, stackbonded at the front to give a distinctive effect with vertical pointing. A large inset panel throws a fine-drawn cross into relief. Inside, the church is largely

panelled in blonde poplar, with large clear windows at either end, and there is an unusually bright interior. The sunny rooms on the north side will be popular for meetings by day. Anniversary

The president of the Baptist Union (Mr A. R. Jordan, of Christchurch), who opened the church, recalled that the exact seventyfifth anniversary of the Baptist Church in New Zealand occurred during the week-end. In 1882 the union had nine churches in the North Island and 16 in the South Island. There were now 115 affiliated and more would be admitted at the forthcoming assemly. Besides this total, there were 25 fellowships growing toward full church status. To meet this need the Baptist Church had a record number of applicants this year for ministerial training at the Baptist College.

Others taking part in the service of dedication were the Rev. Roland Hart (minister of the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, which is supporting the new one), Mr S. Whitmarsh (president of the Canterbury-Westland auxiliary of the union), the Rev. N. Winslade (secretary of the auxiliary), and the Rev. W. T. Bright (for other denominations). The preacher was the Rev. Dereck Rogers, of Wellington. 3 *3 The new church in Sawyers Arms road, opposite Morrison avenue, was built by John Calder, Ltd. It is being wholly financed within the province, £2OOO from last year’s tithing fund providing the nucleus.