CONSECRATION SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10107, 20 March 1911, Page 1

CONSECRATION SERVICE.

ST STEPHEN'S CHURCH, ASHBURTON. St Stephen's Anglican Church, Ashburton, which has been completed at a total cost of about £7OCO, and which some months ago was entirely freed from debt, was conseorated yesterday morning by Bishop Julius. The ordinary morning service was held at ton o'clock, and a consecration service com. menced at eleven o'clock,' when a large congregation assembled outside the building. The choir, under tho conductorship of Mr H. A. Gates, marched jn procession from the schoolroom to the main entrance where the vicar (the Rev E. Whitahouse), accompanied by tho churchwardens (Messrs V. Wood and 0» W. Nicoll) read the petition tor consecration, and then handed the key of the church to the Bishop. The church was then entered, the choir, with Miss Claridgo at the organ, singing as a processional Psalm 24. .The iledicatiori service was impressively jonducted by the Bishop. He preached an appropriate sermon, taking his text from St John xvii. 19: " And for their jakes I consecrato myself." The holy jommunion was ad ministered to an minimally largo number of oommunioants it tho close of the sermon, and the servico was brought to a close by the singing of the hymn,'"Now Thank'-wo ■MI our God " as a recessional. Bishop Julius conducted a confirma-, >ion service in the church in tho ajfterloon, and also preached in the evonng. There were large congregations at' roth-services. __