ST. MARY'S CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 21499, 25 August 1933, Page 10

ST. MARY'S CHURCH

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS i * 111 . ' The fiftieth jubilee celebrations of St* Mary’s Church, in Whitby street, Mornj’ngton, are to commence to-mormy afternoon and continue until Sunday week. To-morrow the assembly will participate in devotional services in the church and then the choir will proceed with the congregation to the grounds, where a ceremonious planting of an oak will be performed by Mrs £. T. Clarke, the oldest .parishioner. Later, at [afternoon tea, Canon. Statham , will give, early reminiscences of the church. On Sunday, .the services will be of a special nature, and ex-vicars, will preach in the morning and the evening. Canoq: Hutton will preach at the children’s services in the afternoon. A meeting of parishioners, past 'and present, will be held on Monday, and will be of an historical nature, speakers representing three different periods of the fifty years of the church, delivering addresses. - A jubilee dance rs to be held on Wednesday evening, on Thursday afternoon there will he Vai ladies’ gathering, and in the evening a men’s social function. A children’s jubilee tea and entertainment ds-tha feature for Friday, while the. celebrations will close on Sunday," when tha Rev. Lionel Richards will address th® children in the afternoon and Dean Cruickshank will preside in the evening. It is interesting to note that prior to 1883 the services were held in the ■ old Temperance Hall, near the Presbyterian Church, and in 1883’the old St, Peter a church at. Caversham, which was replaced by a new brick one, was bought and transferred to Mornington, Bishop Nevill performing the official on August 26. The first vicar waj tte Rev. William Ronaldson, who held the charge in conjunction with Caversham and Green Island. The first resident vicar was the Rev. W. Cotes, and he was followed by the Rev. C. S. Bowden. who was there for very many years, and who was regarded as an outstanding parish priest. He was followed'by the Revs. A. Neild, E. L.Woodhouse, Canon Small, the. Rev, SJ. Cooper, and the present vicar, th® Rev. F. yivian Fisher,