PATRONAL FESTIVAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1005, 23 June 1930, Page 14

PATRONAL FESTIVAL

ST. JOHN’S, NORTHCOTE LARGELY ATTENDED SERVICES The Patronal festival of St. John the Baptist Church, Northcote, was held yesterday. The church was the first on the North Shore. A choral celebration of the Holy Eucharist was held at 8 a.m., the celebrant being the vicar, the Rev. F. W. Wilkes. There were 65 communicants present. After the service a men’s breakfast was served in the Parish Hall by women of the church. The breakfast is a feature of the Church's work. At the morning service there was a large attendance of worshippers, the preacher being the Rev. Jasper Calder, who stressed the character of St. John the Baptist, the ruggedness of his personality, and his absolute

| sincerity. The speaker enjoined the I necessity for fearless opposition to | vice and the necessity for sincerity, j In the afternoon the, children were addressed by the vicar on “Birthdays.” | The evening service also drew a j large congregation, the preacher bej ing the Rev. F. G. Harvie, of St. Barnabas’ Church, Auckland. Mr. Harvie also spoke on the character of St. John the Baptist, emphasising his constant witness to the truth. He reminded his hearers of the fact that people in the Church today must be prepared to stand as witnesses to the truth of things eternal. During the service the choir sang the anthem, “Send Out Thy Light” (Gounod). The commemoration will be continued tomorrow, St. John’s Day, and after the evening service, at which Canon W. Fancourt will be the preacher, a social will be held in the Parish Hall.