CHURCH COMING OF AGE

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 18 November 1932, Page 5

CHURCH COMING OF AGE

St., Aidan’s At Okaiawa _ < TWENTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY SERVICE AND REUNION. ■ The 21st anniversary of St. Aidan’s Church, Okaiawa, was celebrated at a special service held on Wednesday ; evening. The service was read by the Rev. C. W. Solomon, the present vicar, and the Rev. W. F. Stent read the lessons and preached the sermon. Mrs. J. C. Barclay presided at the organ. The church was tastefully decorated by the members of the Ladies’ Guild and was packed to overflowing. Mr. Stent, now vicar of Carterton, and the first vicar of the parish, preached an appropriate sermon, taking as his subject the fellowship oi man and deducing from it valuable lessons. The St. Mary’s choir quartette (Mines. Sunderland and Dufrilt and Messrs Buckridge and Morris) rendered the anthem “Evening and Morning, ' by Dr. Oakley, Mr. H. Webb accompanying on the organ. Following the service the company adjourned to the hall, where an interesting reunion was held, many old parishioners being present. All enjoyed the opportunity of talking over old times and meeting the former vicar. Mr. H. R. Penny, who acted as chairman, gave a -cordial welcome to all present and expressed the pleasure all felt at seeing Mr. and Mrs. Stent m attendance. He thanked them for coming from Carterton for the occasion. He also apologised for the absence of -Mrs. Sellers, Mrs. F. A. Bremer (New Plymouth), Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell (Aramoho), and Mr. and Mrs. Laney (Wellington), and conveyed greetings from them all. Mr. Stent, who was given a cordial reception, - expressed the pleasure he and Ins wife felt at being able to be present at such an important epoch m the life of the parish and assured the. people that the years spent in the Manaia-Okaiawa district had been very happy and they treasured many recollections of the people of the district, j He gave some interesting and amusing I reminiscences of the days of twenty-1 one years ago and expressed his pleasure and pride to see the progress made in the district. He added in conclusion liis trust that there would be a continued growth and development and wished the people of the parish the utmost good fortune in the future. Mr. H. H. Mace, of New Plymouth, spoke for the old identities and sauf it was good to come back and meet the people with whom he was so happily associated in the early years of the church in the district. Mr. G. Buckeridge spoke for old residents in the district and recalled amusingly some of his experiences when on the Plains many years- ago. He recalled also some associations with the church in Manaia where he had acted as lay reader on occasions. Mr. A. 15. Morris extended • greetings from the vicar, churchwardens'and vestry of St. Mary’s, Hawera. Mr. Solomon thanked all who took part in the service, especially the quartette from St. Mary’s choir, who had' delighted the congregation with their -artistic singing. He paid a tribute to the office-bearers' who had during the whole of the twenty-one vears assisted so materially to carry on the work of the parish. He assured Mr. Stent that they were all glad to see him in their midst and thanked him for his very good wishes. 1 Songs were given during the evening bv Mrs. T. C. Sunderland, “My praver”; Mr. G. H. Buckeridge, i “Father O’Flynn”; Mr. Herbert Webb, “Up from Somerset”; Mr. A. E. Morris, “I know of two bright eyes. ’ Mr. ; Webb acted as accompanist. The quartette party sang again, and . then “Auld Lang Syne” concluded rmost happy evening.

HISTORY O'F THE! PARISH. Mr. Penny, in the course of his remarks, gave a brief history of the parish and its work. He recalled that in March. 1910, the late .Mrs. I. L. .Toll gave a quarter-acre section ami the church was built there in 1911, the services during the interim being hob in the hall. The original committee and trustees were Messrs T. Carman (chairman), O. A. Clarke, O. JY Olivers (secretary), J. Groves, *7. !Bo\yips, and F. Towler. - Later Mr. H. H. Mace was appointed in place of Mr. Ohivers. The first annual meeting was held on August 29, 1912. when the following were appointed: Vicar’s warden, All' T. Carman; people’s warden, Mr. H R-. Penny; vestry, Messrs J. Graves. C Coxhead, D. Edwards. H. G. Black-, man H. H. Mace, Z. Tiplady, J. C. AVoo'd, F. and AV. G. AVilliams. Later wardens were Messrs h. H AVright, J. Newey and A. Phillips, and vestrymen were Messrs J. Phillips, E Mortimer, J. C. Barclay, A. AVarc and T. J. Allan. Mr; Penny had been a warden for the whole period with the exception o' one year. Other

vestrymen were as follow: Messrs A. Nicholas, J. Baxter, F. Farr (1910), G. A. Kissling (1911), N. J. Crocker, A. Blackwell, J. Newey (1914), G. A-. Riddle (1918), F. H. AAT-ight (1919), OBrooke (1922). ‘ 1 Mr. J. G. Barclay had been auditor for the last ten years. The successive vicars were: Rev: AY,,, F. Stent, 1910-1914;. Rev. A. T. B. Page, 1914-1918; Rev. AAd Tye, 19181920; Rev. G. Ogden, 1920-1921; Rev. A. C. Swainson, 1921-1927; Rev. C. W. Solomon, 1927 to the present day. A number of organists had given faithful service. Mrs. L. Mackie, now of Otalceho, was' organist before . the church was built,, and she was succeeded by Miss D. AVilliams (now Mrs. J. Barclay) for a. term of live years, Miss D. Edwards (now Mrs. R. G. Shearer) 4| years; Alisses Gibbs .and D. AVright, Mrs. H. Lyall and Mrs. J. Barclay had /again acted for nine vears and was the present organist. The only officially appointed . lay reader was Air. J. Newey, who had given great service. . The Sunday school was opened m 1914. Mrs. ,1L C. Smith (now Mrs N. J. Crocker) being the first teacher. She was followed by Miss Laney, Mrs. Flyger, Alisses S. Coxhead, Noebne-, Erna and Vera Wards, and Alisses Vera and Lily Afortimer Air. Penny said that the.work ot all these people had been given freely and readilv and he felt sure - that others would come along as needed to carry on the work of the parish.