CHURCH SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25085, 26 December 1944, Page 6

CHURCH SERVICES

LARGE CONGREGATIONS

APPROPRIATE ADDRESSES

No festival in all the Christian calendar is so popular as Christmas and none more widely celebrated, and all Churches took special steps to observe the occasion fittingly on Sunday and yesterday. Although so many people are out of town on holiday, the attendances generally were large, and many visitors took the opportunity to join with city, and suburban congregations. Preachers took for their theme some ascpect of the inexhaustible Christmas message, and Christmas hymns, anthems and carols were everywhere sung.

In a .number of Anglican churches the special Christmas observances began at or before midnight on Christmas Eve, when carols were sung and Holy Communion celebrated. In spite of the downpour of rain such a service at All Saints', Pousonby, conducted by Canon Averill, drew a very large attendance of worshippers. Holy Communion was celebrated hourly in many of the churches yesterday morning. Beautiful Decorations

St. Mary's Cathedral was beautifully decorated in white and red. The preacher at the 11 a.m. service was the Bishop of Auckland, the Right Rev. W. J. Sim kin. St Andrew's Presbyterian Church was appropriately decorated, the decorations including an illuminated Christmas tree, and carols were sung bv the junior choir. The evening service of the Mount Eden Methodist; Church was combined with that of the Pre.sbvterian Church, and the preacher was the Rev. J. 1). Smith. Sacred solos were features of some services, and in , some cases lantern slides were used. I On Christmas morning a largely-1 attended service in St. David s Pres- j bvterian Church \vas conducted by the J ltev. W. Bower Black. Chaplain Stephen Crary, of the United States Forces, conducted a Christmas Day morning .service in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and a united service in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Devonport, was conducted by the Rev. G. Budd. Midnight Masses Midnight masses in the presence of large congregations were celebrated on Christmas Eve in all Roman Catholic churches, followed by the customary Masses on Christmas morning. St. Patrick's Cathedral was crowded at midnight for the solemn pontifical high Mass, when the occasional sermon was preached by Bishop Liston. In all churches greetings were given by the priests to their people, and messages delivered in harmony with the spirit of the season. Devotions were continued throughout Christmas Day in many of the churches, and the number of communicants was very large. The combined Christmas service of the Pitt Street Methodist, St. James' Presbyterian, Tabernacle Baptist and Bercsford Street Congregational Churches was held this year in the Pitt Street Church, where there was a large congregation. The Rev. E. T. Olds conducted the service, and the preacher was the Rev. Dr A. Hodge. The Revs. C. L. Welch and R. L. Walker also took part. The service, which was held yesterday morning, was broadcast.