VISIT OF BISHOP
CONFIRMATION SERVICES LARGE CONGREGATIONS PRESENT On Sunday, 31st October, the Bishop of Waikato, the Rt. Rev. C. A. Cherrington, visited Te Awamutu to take Confirmation Services at St. John’s and St. Saviour’s, Pirongia. For the service at St. John’s in the morning, the church was filled to overflowing. The candidates, 24 in number, sat with their families, and were presented to the Bishop by one of their godparents, or by a parent or other Christian friend. Before asking’ them the question as to whether they now took responsibility Tor their baptismal promises, the Bishop explained these promises. In his usual graphic way, he explained how of the three promises—to renounce evil, to belie.ve the Christian faith, and to keep God’s commandments —the second was the most important, as everything we do depends on what we believe, and the, only real test as to whether a thing is right or wrong is found in Jesus Christ.
The question was then put to the candidates who stood and answered “I do” one by one as the.ir names were read, thus accepting the full responsibility of Christian life. Prayers were then offered for them, including the ancient prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Spirit. Then while the hymn “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest,” was being sung, the candidates were brought up one by one by their sponsors to the Bishop, and kneeling before him they received the, laying on of hands, a practice which the church has carried on ever since the time of the Apostles, and which is described in the Acts of the Apostles. After all the candidates had been confirmed, and further prayers said for them, the Bishop gave his second address, which dealt mainly with their privilege, as full members of the Church of now coming to Holy Communion. He pointed out that the regular rule in the early church was “The Lord’s service for the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day.” »In fact, that was how Sunday became the Lord’s Day, because that was when the Lord’s service was held. He went on to correct the mistaken idea that spiritual things were not as real as material things, showing that on the contrary they were the only real and permanent things.
The service concluded with the hymn “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven,” and the blessing. Other hymns sung during the service were “>0 God, Accept My Heart This Day” and “Our Blest Redeemer.” The service held in the afternoon at St. Saviour’s Church, Pirongia, in its picturesque setting on the site of the old Redoubt, followed the same lines. Here nine candidates were presented. Members of the St. John’s Choir were present to lead the music.
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Bibliographic details
Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6985, 3 November 1948, Page 6
Word Count
454VISIT OF BISHOP Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6985, 3 November 1948, Page 6
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