CONSECRATION OF THE “HOLY TRINITY" CHURCH, GISBORNE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 264, 14 April 1875, Page 2

CONSECRATION OF THE “HOLY TRINITY" CHURCH, GISBORNE.

On Sunday last, the 11th April, the new Episcopal Church in Gisborne was formally consecrated and dedicated to the service and worship of Almighty God, by the Right Reverend Bishop of Waiapu, assisted, by.the Ven, Archdeacon Williams, on which occasion a large congregation filled the edifice, to witness one of the most interesting ceremonies known to the church. Preceding the service, the Churchwardens, Vestrymen and several parishioners assembled at the door of the building and received the Bishop, to whom the following Petition was presented :— To the Right Reverend The Lord Bishop op Waiapu. The Humble Petition of the Undersigned Churchwardens, Vestrymen, and Parishioners of the Parish of Gisborne, in the District of Poverty Bay, in the Province of Auckland, Sheweth, that your Petitioners and others have erected a Church in the Town of Gisborne, at a cost of Eight hundred and Eighty pounds, and have named it the Church of the “ Holy Trinity.” That your-Petitioners are desirous that the said Church should he consecrated according to the usual ceremonies used at the consecrations of Churches and Chapels in the Diocese. Youb Petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Lordship will consecrate the aforesaid Church with the usual ceremony,—And Your Petitioners will ever pray, &c. A procession was then formed, headed by the Bishop’s Warden, and proceeded slowly up the aisle to the head of the church, where the Vestrymen and Parishioners filled off to allow the Bishop and Archdeacon to enter the chancel. After the conclusion of the 24th Psalm, the Bishop read the form of prayer usual at such ceremonies. This being ended Mr. W. W. Wilson, the Bishop’s Warden, advanced to the Communion rails, and read the following Declaration : Know all Men by those presents that We, William, by Divine Permission, Bishop of Waiapu, send Greeting. Whereas a Petition has this day been presented to Us from the Churchwardens, Vestrymen, and Parishioners of the Parish of Gisborne, in the Province of Auckland, praying that the Church of the Holy Trinity, situated on sections numbered 150 and 151 of the Township of Gisborne, should be consecrated. Now We, the said Bishop, do hereby declare the said Church to be consecrated, and the same is henceforth consecrated and dedicated to the service of Almighty God, and separated henceforth from all unhallowed, ordinary,and common uses, and is dedicated to the reading of His Holy Sacraments, and the offering up of Prayers, and Thanksgiving to His Holy Name, and the performance of all other Holy Ordinances. The service was conducted by the Archdeacon ; Bishop Waiapu delivering an earnestly worded sermon, taking his text, from the 29th and 30th verse Bth chapter Ist book Kings, and which we much regret not being able to find room for. At the evening service additional accommodation had to be provided. The Ven. Archdeacon conducted the whole of the service. The building is both commodious and comfortable; and when lighted at night presents a very comfortable appearance. The collections for the day, which are to go to the Building Fund, amounted to £2l 0s 4d.