Re-opening and Consecration of St. Mark’s Church, Rakaia.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 246, 19 January 1881, Page 2

Re-opening and Consecration of St. Mark’s Church, Rakaia.

This church, which has lately been in the hands of Messrs. Baker and Brown, of Ashburton, for the erection of an addition to it, was re-opened and consecrated by the Primate on Sunday. It was feared at one time that the ceremony would have to be deferred, owing to the delay in coming to hand of some of the necessary mouldings, which had to come from Dunedin, but happily this difficulty was got over, by means o' strenuous efforts on the part of the incumbent and the contractors. The church has been lengthened to about twice its original size, giving considerable additional sitting room in the nave, and also a spacious chancel in the transept for the choir. The trancept has not been completed, owing to insufficiency of funds,, but has been temporily boarded up. When completed, it will include a commodious vestry at one end, and an organ chamber at the other. The chancel has been separated from the nave by a screen, rather heavy in appearance, but still very pretty. This was the gift of Mr. D. G. Holmes. The altar, which is not yet in position, has been subscribed for by several members of the congregation, and promises to be a very handsome piece of workmanship. The reredos, which was erected in an incomplete state for the opening, is also very handsome, consisting of three panels, the centre pannellingcontaining a neatly carved cross in white pine with a black pine background, the letters “ Alpha and Omega,” also in white pine, are on each side of the cross. The two side pannels are plain, the boarding being .white and red pine alternately, running diagonally. The centre pannel is surmounted by a massively carved cross, at the point of which there is to be a piece of stone carving. This also has been erected by means of subscriptions raised among the congregation. The church; in the morning ; was full, many persons having come a long distance to be present at the ceremony. The prayers were read by the incumbent, the Rev. W. H. Elton,, and the lessons by the Rev. W. C. Harris, organising chaplain of the diocese. The Primate performed the consecration service, and was the preacher. The service, which was plain, was joined in heartily by the congregation. The Bishop and the Rev. C. Harris were celebrants at the Communion Service. In the evening the congregation was not so large. The incumbent again read the prayers, the Bishop the lessons, and Rev. C. Harris was the preacher. The service in the evening was choral, and passed off very well, Mr. Elton intoning and Miss Cox being organist. It is confidently expected that the whole of the work will be completed before next Sunday.