CENTRE FOR LAITY

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30576, 20 October 1964, Page 18

CENTRE FOR LAITY

Proposal By Bishop

The Synod was yesterday urged by the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) to consider the possibility of establishing a conference and laity training centre on Cashmere Hills. The Bishop said two acres of land above Princess Margaret Hospital had been given to the Church Property Trustees by Mr J. F. Cracroft Wilson. “Although the use of the land is mine and my wife’s for our lifetime, we would, if we should build a home there on our retirement, only require a portion of it. There would be nothing to stop the Diocese from going ahead with a conference and laity training centre at any time it wished,” he said. If it were possible to build such a place, the Bishop said, he hoped that the Sister Eveleen Retreat House might be sold and the proceeds put into a Sister Eveleen Memorial Chapel on the new site—a course which would be in accordance with the trust under which she gave her name. The house, which housed only 16, was today totally inadequate, he said. “I have long been aware of the need of such a laity training centre in our own Diocese where laity can be trained, clergy schools and conferences held, as well as retreats. These concern young people as well as adults. But the pressing needs of expansion have had to take prior claim. I believe, however, the time has already arrived when we urgently need such a place where groups of 50 to 100 of our people may be gathered for a mid-week or for a week-end, when they may be trained. “I have experienced the value of the conference centre of Gilbulla to the Diocese of Sydney, and there are other such centres in dioceses inEngland. Other dioceses in New Zealand have long been ahead of us in this respect. I do not think that we ought to delay any longer. Other churches have provided themselves with such centres.

“Our young people have had the generous hospitality of the Methodist Church at Leigh camp at Loburn, a place which will ultimately house some 350 at a time. Our Roman Catholic friends have given hospitality for our retreats at the Redemptorist Monastery at New Brighton,” the Bishop said.