Anzac Service Of All Denominations

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30680, 20 February 1965, Page 14

Anzac Service Of All Denominations

For the first time, Christchurch citizens of all denominations would take part in the Anzac Day commemoration service in Cathedral square this year, said the president of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association (Mr D. Barrett) yesterday.

The association had worked very hard for many years to get a combined service for Anzac Day, he said. “We are delighted with the progress made so far.” General agreement on the order of service had been reached between the association and all Christchurch churches, he said. Final details of the order of service still had to be made, but agreement had been reached by making additions to the order used at previous services.

Mr Barrett said he hoped that the combined service, on the fiftieth anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli, would open the way for similar joint services. An outline of the proposal was given on Thursday evening to the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Churches by Archdeaeon W. M. Davies, and approval, subject to minor modifications in future years, was given. The Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev. B. P. Ashby) have also approved the order of service.

Both Bishop Warren and Bishop Ashby are to have active parts in the service together, with the Moderator of the Christchurch Presbytery (the Rev. R. J. Griffiths), the ehairman of the North Canterbury Methodist Circuit (the Rev. H. C. Matthews), and the president of the Can-terbury-Westland Baptist Conference (the Bev. L. N. Rawlings). Mr Barrett said that as it was a citizens’ service it was intended that the chairman—usually the Mayor—would

take a more active part in the service itself.

This year the service will be at 3 p.m. The exact site in the Square had not yet been decided.

The rector of St. Andrew’s College (Mr I. T. Galloway), a former brigadier, has been invited to give the address. The participation of Roman Catholics in the service could be regarded as a civic first fruit of the Second Vatican Council’s decree on ecumenism, Bishop Ashby said yesterday.

“Since it is a citizens’ memorial service, and not the official worship of any single church, I have agreed that Catholics may publicly offer prayers with their fellow citizens for the fallen of both wars, given the special aig--01 thiS y<!ar ’ the fiftieth anniversary of the Gallipoli landing," he said. “The order of service follows closely the consecration of tb* colours ceremony, in which the Catholic Church has co-operated with other churches in the past A similar order of service is proy^r d Welltnst On this “in their striving for unity, the Christian churches canpromises in principle that this unity is already fully achieved. To do w would an faiths, and suggest compromises in principle that be hatful ti Ul »ty and frith of each communion,” said Bishop Ashby.

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