On Sunday 17 August, St Christopher’s in Blenheim marked 116 years since the church’s foundation – and they did it in true family style: with a party!
“Even though it’s not what many would call a ‘milestone year’, the reason for celebration is simple,” explains Rev Deo Vistar.
With the parish becoming increasingly multicultural, “Foundation Sunday” – their annual celebration of the founding of St Christopher’s – has taken on a unique flavour. This year, everyone was invited to bring a dish from their cultural background and sign up to perform at a special luncheon after the joint service.
Hours of preparation went into the food and performances, and it showed! From traditional dishes to choreographed dances, the celebration highlighted the rich diversity of the St Christopher’s community.
Guest preacher Spanky Moore spoke on the 1 Corinthians theme of being “one body in Christ”.
“I was honestly blown away by the whole event,” he said. “The community was in such good spirits, and the sense of joy as different generations and cultures shared their lives in Jesus together was incredible."
The luncheon featured presentations from India, Brazil, China, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, and Kiribati. There was also plenty of Kiwi flavour – some locals donned lifejackets and scuba gear to belt out a karaoke version of Six Months in a Leaky Boat, while parish legend Dot stole the show with a tap dance performance.
The event closed with a moving rendition of The Blessing, sung by different cultural groups in their own languages. The laughter, applause, and heartfelt worship made it clear: this is a parish that loves to celebrate together!
Foundation Sunday celebrates a rich history. It began in 1905 with a Sunday School in Redwoodtown, started by Nativity Church to serve local children. Just three years later, land was purchased, and a church was built to house the growing kids’ ministry. Frank Bythell became Sunday School Superintendent, serving faithfully for 48 years.
Over time, the parish grew. In 1967 Bishop Sutton laid the foundation stone for the hall, and in 1989 St Christopher’s became a parish in its own right.
Now, the parish’s story is captured in a new book by Jackie Hall, Through the Years: The People of the Parish. The book gathers vignettes from parishioners, weaving together personal reflections as a testament to the church’s past, present and future.
“Interviewing so many quiet, humble, self-effacing individuals and discovering the innate intelligence behind the happy face was a considerable privilege for me as a student of human nature,” says Jackie.
The book opens with a prayer written by Rev Pam Holdgate, beautifully summing up the heart of the parish:
Lord we journey, each at a different pace, each along a different path… To you we are unique. Each with a special part to play. Each essential to one another – and to You.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
On Sunday 17 August, St Christopher’s in Blenheim marked 116 years since the church’s foundation – and they did it in true family style: with a party!
“Even though it’s not what many would call a ‘milestone year’, the reason for celebration is simple,” explains Rev Deo Vistar.
With the parish becoming increasingly multicultural, “Foundation Sunday” – their annual celebration of the founding of St Christopher’s – has taken on a unique flavour. This year, everyone was invited to bring a dish from their cultural background and sign up to perform at a special luncheon after the joint service.
Hours of preparation went into the food and performances, and it showed! From traditional dishes to choreographed dances, the celebration highlighted the rich diversity of the St Christopher’s community.
Guest preacher Spanky Moore spoke on the 1 Corinthians theme of being “one body in Christ”.
“I was honestly blown away by the whole event,” he said. “The community was in such good spirits, and the sense of joy as different generations and cultures shared their lives in Jesus together was incredible."
The luncheon featured presentations from India, Brazil, China, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, and Kiribati. There was also plenty of Kiwi flavour – some locals donned lifejackets and scuba gear to belt out a karaoke version of Six Months in a Leaky Boat, while parish legend Dot stole the show with a tap dance performance.
The event closed with a moving rendition of The Blessing, sung by different cultural groups in their own languages. The laughter, applause, and heartfelt worship made it clear: this is a parish that loves to celebrate together!
Foundation Sunday celebrates a rich history. It began in 1905 with a Sunday School in Redwoodtown, started by Nativity Church to serve local children. Just three years later, land was purchased, and a church was built to house the growing kids’ ministry. Frank Bythell became Sunday School Superintendent, serving faithfully for 48 years.
Over time, the parish grew. In 1967 Bishop Sutton laid the foundation stone for the hall, and in 1989 St Christopher’s became a parish in its own right.
Now, the parish’s story is captured in a new book by Jackie Hall, Through the Years: The People of the Parish. The book gathers vignettes from parishioners, weaving together personal reflections as a testament to the church’s past, present and future.
“Interviewing so many quiet, humble, self-effacing individuals and discovering the innate intelligence behind the happy face was a considerable privilege for me as a student of human nature,” says Jackie.
The book opens with a prayer written by Rev Pam Holdgate, beautifully summing up the heart of the parish:
Lord we journey, each at a different pace, each along a different path… To you we are unique. Each with a special part to play. Each essential to one another – and to You.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
