ST. LUKE'S CHURCH.

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 October 1933, Page 6

ST. LUKE'S CHURCH.

BUILDING SCHEME. NEW PORTION DEDICATED BY BISHOP OF WAIAPU. BIG IMPROVEMENT On Sunday* September 17th, after being closed for three weeks, to enable an enlargement scheme and other improvements to be carried out, St. Luke's Church was re-opehed for the

use of Divine Service. The Bishop of the Diocese, the Right Rev. H. W. Williams, M.A., Litt.D., performed the ceremony of consecrating the new portion and dedicating the pulpit which had been presented to the church. Other improvements have also been made. The work has been very successfully carried out by Messrs Lloyd and Quinlan, under the supervision of Mr. H. E. Goodwin, the architect. The

extra length of 20 feet added to the* nave has been a very great improvement m the proportions of the building, and members of the church are? unanimous m their expressions of satisfaction with this forward move that the authorities of the church have undertaken to bring St. Luke's Church, building upvto-diate with the many other developments that have taken, place m Rotorua m recent years.

They have every hope that this enlargement of the building will fully justify itself. CONSECRATION SERVICE. A large congregation assembled on Sunday morning at 11 o'clock to take 3>art m the service at which the Bishop consecrated the new portion of the church and dedicated the pulpit "which had been presented and which was the more necessary m consequence of the increased length of the nave. The order of service was as follows : The opening processional hymn, "The ■Church's One Foundation," was sung as the choir and clergy entered the •church at the main entrance and marched to their seats m the chancel after which tho Vicar (Archdeacon F. "W. Chatterton) read the followingrequest to the Bishop: — "Reverend Father m God, on behalf of the people of the Parochial District of St. Luke, we request you to consecrate the additions to this church and to dedicate the pulpit which has been placed therein to the honour and glory of God, and for use m the worship of His Holy Name." In responding to this requestion the Bishop gave out Psalm XXIV., which 'was sung by the choir and congregation to a simple chant, and during this the Bishop, with his chaplain '(Rev. S. R. B. Corbin) and the Vicar, proceeded to the new portion of the building, where the Bishop, after announcing the special object of the service, which was m accord with ancient 'Christian practice, offered up appropriate prayers for the Divine blessing upon the building, which was thus set apart for holy uses only. Then, proceeding to the pulpit, prayers were -offered dedicating- it to the service of •God. The clergy returning to the sanctuary, the Holy Communion service was commenced, during which the hymns "Love Divine all Love Excelling" and "Lord Enthroned m Heavenly Splendour," were sung, the one before and the other after the Bishop's sermon. The whole congregation remained for the celebration and over 100 communicated at this service.