ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS’ CHURCH.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 270, 23 April 1875, Page 3

ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS’ CHURCH.

The chancel lately erected at the Church of St Michael and All Angels was opened for divine worship on Thursday. When the present church was built, a temporary chancel was used, the amount of the funds at the disposal of the building committee not being sufficient to allow of the original design being carried out. It may not be uninteresting therefore to give a brief history of the steps taken, and which have eventuated in the erection of a structure designed, built, and ornamented in the true style of ecclesiastical architecture.

At a meeting of the parishioners held in St Michael’s schoolroom, shortly after the Easter meeting of 1872, it was resolved to make an effort to erect the chancel, and a subscription list having been opened in the room, the sum of £IOO was at once subscribed, including £SO generously given by Mr Vincent. Mr B. Mainwaring-Johnson next devised and successfully carried out a plan which realised £250, and • soon afterwards the foundations of the chancel were laid. Previous to resigning the incumbency in 1873, the Dean of Christchurch made a confidential appeal on behalf of the chancel building fund. A large number of circulars, each bearing a specific number, were addressed and circulated very widely. An urgent appeal was thus made to the good feelings of churchmen, and it was distinctly intimated that no person other than the Dean would know the names of the donors, or the amount given, but that the receipt of donations would be acknowledged in the Church News according to the numbers on the circulars. This appeal was liberally responded to, the total sum received by the Dean being upwards of £4OO in sums varying from ten shillings to twenty-five pounds. The present incumbent, the Rev H. J. Edwards entered upon his duties in July, 1873, and as the congregation had greatly increased and was increasing, it was found necessary to provide additional sittings, the incumbent therefore urged upon the parishioners the absolute necessity of proceeding with the building of the chancel. This appeal was not fruitless, increased donations were given, and a special offertory made for the purpose yielded upwards of £44. Ultimately tenders were called for, and a contract was entered into with Mr Read, builder, St Asaph street west, the building being carried out under the superintendence of Mr F, Strouts, architect.

That portion of the chancel set apart for the choir is 20ft in length by 20ft in width, and is approached from the nave by two steps covered with carpet. On the south side is the vestry, 13ft by 20ft, and separated from the choir by a screen of Gothic equilateral arches, with embattled crest, the open work being filled in with dark blue cloth. The organ chamber, situated on the north of the choir, is screened off by quatrefoil paned panels, having the open work also filled in with dark blue cloth. It is the same size as the vestry, and the organ has lately been removed into it by Mr F. Jenkins of Kaiapoi. Two steps lead from the choir to the sanctuary, which is 16ft long by 20ft wide, and is separated from the choir by an altar rail, covered with crimson velvet, and supported by polished brass ornamental stanchions. The altar is approached by three steps from the sanctuary, and is covered with a cloth of crimson silk velvet, bordered with blue and white silk fringe, the superfrontal has the sacred monogram worked in gold bullion, on either side of which are fieur de Us and stars of the same material. This cloth was presented to the church as an Easter offering by the Most Reverend the Primate. The reredos which surmounts the altar was designed by Mr Strouts, and is composed of three panels of dark blue surrounded by carved fretwork tapering upwards to finials. The base of the reredos bears upon a dark blue ground the inscription in gold letters—“l am the bread of life.” The centre panel bears a Latin cross in gold; the northern panel has the Alpha, and the southern the Omega, also in gold. The sanctuary, the altar steps, and platform are carpeted. The chancel walls are 24ft from the ground to the wall plate, the height from the floor to the apex of the roof is 44ft. The chancel and sanctuary are lighted with gas; the former by four coronie of eighteen 'lights each, and the latter by two standards Bft high, of polished brass, elaborately floreated, and each bearing eighteen lights. On the chancel steps stands an elegantly formed lectern of polished brass. This, together with tho stanchions bearing the altar rail and the brass standards in the sanctuary, were presented to the Church as an Easter offering by the members of the Ladies’ Working Society in connection with the parish. This society was first instituted by Mrs Edwards (wife of the incumbent), whose energy and ability have been ably supported by the several members of the society.

The opening services commenced at 8 a.m. with a choral celebration of the Holy Communion, at which the Most Rev the Primate was the celebrant, the curate, the Rev De Berdt Hovell, being epistler, and the Rev the incumbent being the gospeller. The services were as follows:—Processional, Hymn 242 (2nd tune); Kyrie, Doxologies, Credo, Dykes in F; Offertory sentence, “He that soweth,” Barnby; Sarsum Corda, Sanctus, Gloria in Excelsis, Dykes in F; Recessional, Nunc Dimittis. Matins and plain celebration took place at 11 a.m., at which the Very Rev the Dean of Christchurch was celebrant, the Rev Canon Dudley being epistler, and the Rev Canon Willock gospeller. Prayers were' said by the curate, the incumbent reading the first lesson, and the Rev Canon Dudley the second. , t , >

Evensong commenced at half-past seven o’clock. The appearance of the church from the western door was very fine. The nave and aisles were illuminated by twelve corona; of eighteen lights each, the transepts with two coronm of twenty-seven lights each, and the choir and sanctuary were brilliantly lighted up. The choir, with the Bishop and clergy, entered by the western door singing as a processional, “ March, march; soldiers of Christ.” The service was sung by the Rev the Incumbent; the responses being Tallis’. The first Lesson 2 Chron. vi. from 12 v., was read by the Rev W. E. Paige, and the second Lesson, Rev. iv. by the Rev Canon Willock. The sermon was preached by the Most Rev the Primate, who selected as his text Mark xiv., 8 and 9v. The following is the service:—Proper Psalms, 84, 122, 134 ; Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Monk); Anthem, Mass in B flat (Henry Farmer) ; Hymn before Sermon, 306. After the Benediction had been given by the Primate, the cho r retired by the western door, singing as a recessional. “ Angel voices ever singing.”

There were good congregations at Early Celebration and Matins, and at Evensong the church was very full. The musical portion of the services went well, Mr R. Parker presiding at the organ. The offertories amounted to upwards of £26.