MOTU CHURCH DEDICATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16042, 1 February 1923, Page 4

MOTU CHURCH DEDICATION.

.The inhabitants, of Motu had* the pleasure- ? of'seeing consuminated their achievement in Tweeting a- beautiful church m less iharr-’ten months in spdc of;bad .tunes. Tjie opening took place on Tuesday last, \ylien the’whole district ■v \ tiirned'jojit. A beautiful 'dayfavored' the ’when t|io’ Bishop of the , Diopese, Dr. Sedgwick, came up to per- '•* forth the ceremony. The members of the Oddfellows and , Ladies’ Guilds, headed by tlifc .jeypibol o,f, our, faith, formed procession tenth© church, the servers, the • Bishop! being.in the rear. The cereihony of;itliel testry, and churchwardens invitingJ thi’Bishoo to proceed with the, 'dedication. been carried’ out, .the , •profession enteredi The .church to . the singing,® hymn; 242; “-W® love the place, oh'GoiS’ Having taken their-places at, v thfe : alfafeDie" Bishop- consecrated the altar and . afterwards dedicated' the k ‘church] jThen the office of evensong fol«'lowed, iapd the Bishop preached an inspiring ffermonjp.. which he laid down Die iderfef public worship, emphasising the fact*_ruxordii)g to the Old Testament. that God always lead chosen spots to * meet. his. people. They, the Motu petople, had much to thank God for, and they woOLLisee.tbat His house was not less adojjcf tlian their own. Their church hdd bee*.built for the glory of. God, and he hopejf they would! use it for private intercession and that the doors would never h^locked. The church was filled to its Bwiits and! after the ceremony the parishioners assembled, by kind 1 invitatidn of firs W. Gar ran, '{or tea and tennis.'a l4rge number- being present. A short mjfeting was held! to explain the positionwf the huge parish. and! in the hopes oMthe happy day proving to he an uplift to,'gyeat possibilities. Tlio new vic!ir, the-Bev. Mr Beale, did' riot taker over till Easter and the- church has been* erected by the loyal help of the Ladies’ GuilcT and was opened' free of ,;debt.g .wfill for the future of this outpost. The services are to continued) next Sunday, when evensoptfeis.at T’hei annual sale of , the parSl takes- place on February 17 at Mat^Wai. —Contributed.