CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXV, Issue 49, 23 June 1937, Page 3

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

EARLY HISTORY OF ST. PETER’S. On Sunday next special services xx-ill be held in St. Peter’s Church to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the opening of the first Church of England in AYaipaxva, Bishop Bennett xvill be the preacher at the 2.30 p.m. service, which has been arranged for the special convenience of country parishioners. The Bishop of the Diocese xvill also be present at this service, and Archdeacon Maclean xvill be the preacher in the evening. There xx’ill also be Holy Communion at 8 a.m. and a children’s service at 10

The building of this church xvas quite an historic occasion, seeing that it xvas the first Anglican Church in Hawke’s Bay for the use of Europeans, and it xvas certainly among the first half dozen between Auckland and YYellington. It might he interesting to record that in the year 1859 a canvass of the district was made for the purpose of raising funds for building the church. In 1860 a site xvas given by Mr F. S. Abbott, one of the earliest residents, and the original owner of Abbotsford. In 1861 it xvas reported in the AVellington Synod that a church xvas in course of erection at Waipawa. This xvas opened the following year by Bishop Abraham, of YYellington, the builder being Mr Robert Holt, of Napier. The timber xvas pit-sawn in the AA r aipa.xva bush by . the late Mr YY. Smith and a native named AYehi.

The consecration of the Napier church took place just a year later.