WHAKATANE NOTES

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 36, Issue 1, 1 April 1945, Page 13

WHAKATANE NOTES

Vicar, REV. J. G. WILSON

On November 8 we had the Confirmation Service. It was indeed a beautiful service. By removing the lectern into the vestry we were able to bring m more seats than usual, and I'm glad that even so, every every available inch of seating accommodation was needed. Twenty-four persons were confirmed. It was the Bishop's suggestion that where there were two of a family being confirmed they -should kneel together for confirmation, although being confirmed singly. It meant that what I have imagined is the usual way of seating, men and boy candidates together and women and girls together, was not adhered to, but instead they were all intermingled. But it meant that husbands and wives could kneel together, and that a mother could kneel between a son and a daughter and a brother and sister could kneel together. It was a joy for one married couple, that it was also the anniversary of their wedding day.

Most baptisms are baptisms of infants, but on the Sunday before the Confirmation we had a baptism service out of the ordinary. Those baptised were a man and his baby daughter, a woman, and three High School girls. All except the baby were adults. For people able to make the baptismal promises for themselves there is no need for Godparents, but they must have at least two witnesses, who both present them for baptism and witness it. This is m the same manner as most societies adopt-^-a prospective member must be nominated and seconded and his admission witnessed.

The Church is a Divine society, but also human, and adopts the same procedure. • Accordingly, at this service for each adult there were two or three witnesses, and for the baby, godparents. Confirmation following closely on Baptism, was the. practice m Apostolic times, and m the mission field to-day; they are two halves of what is one rite.