A NEW CHURCH

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 125, 24 November 1930, Page 3

A NEW CHURCH

SILVERSTREAM PRESBYTERIAN

DEDICATED BY MODERATOR

Silvcrstreani's new . Presbyterian. Church was opened.on Saturday afternoon by the Eev. George Budd, Moderator of the General' Assembly. . Situated in the centre of tho district, just off the'main road, the church is a, beautiful building of brick with stained and leaded windows.. Its exterior is in keeping with the.rural surrounding* and tho interior is no less'handsome. At the opening on Saturday the build* ing was full. Those, present included the'Eev. G. Budd, the Eev. J. "H. M'Kenzie, clerk of the General Assembly, the Rev. J. E. Blanchard, acting for the Moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, the Eev. J. C. Loan, of Petone, Mr. J. KeiT, of Petone, and Councillor J. O. Duff and Mr. J. TV. Harbord, of the Upper Hutt Borough. Council. Apologies for absence wera received from the Eev. J. "W. Wilkinson, Moderator of the Wellington Pres« by'tery, the Eev. J. M'Caw, of Knos Church, Lower Hutt, the Eev. B. J. Orange, Kilbirnie, and Mr. J. Whit<» and Councillor W. Greig, of Upper Hutt. • After a few introductory remarks by; the Eev. Mr. Budd and, a hymn, tba door of the church was opened by Mrs. F. Castle and the .rest of the ceremony; was held inside. ■ ' : The Eev. Mr. Budd offered the prayer of dedictatiou, and then the local minister, the Eev. G. W. Hunt, briefly; traced the history of the Presbyterian. Church in Silverstream. He thanked; Mr. Andrew Fletcher, who was the designer and the contractor for the building. Without his generosity, such a beautiful building would not'have been possible. He was pleased to announce that the section on which the church stood was paid for in fulL and thafc most of the furnishings of the building had also been paid for. Later in the afternoon the Eev. Mr, Hunt expressed his personal appreciation of tho gift of a handsome pulpit by Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Jones.' He also thanked the Ladies' Guild and its president, Mrs. F. Castle, for the inspiring example they had set. As a token of the esteem of the congregation, an inscribed silver key was presented to Mrs. Castle by Mr. Budd. Mrs. Castle suitably replied. The Moderator congratulated tha Eev. Mr. .Hunt and his eongregatioa on the completion of such a fine build* ing on a section which a little over two mojiths ago was empty. He' delivered a short .address, taking for-his subject tho words "The. House of God."' '■■ The Eev. J. E. Blanchard conveye.dth* congratulations of the Wellington Presbytery to all concerned in the building of the church. It was a. splendid achievement in so short' a' time. Hu gave them the' Presbytery Vbes't wishes for the future. . . : ' : On- behalf of the Silverstream branch, of the Upper Hutt Presbyterian Church, Mr. M'Dougal expressed thanks to all who had helped with the church; to Mr. Fletcher, and his , foreman, staff, and electrician; to the managers of tha Upper Hutt Church for .their gift of aa organ; and to Mr. and Mrs. Jones for their gift of a pulpit. ' ;: During, the .afternoon' there wera Scripture readings by ■ the ' Eev, Messrs. Hunt, and M'Kenzie, a-sacred solo by Mrs. Phillips,' and hymns by; tho congregation. .• .■■ Mr. Hunt announced that as th« building was to be a gathering place'for the children, a special service would bo held for them nest Sunday afternoon, the preacher to .be the Eev. Mr, Blanchard. Tho . first baptism would also- take place then. . ■ ■'