CHURCH PAGEANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1058, 23 August 1930, Page 16

CHURCH PAGEANT

HOW THE GOSPEL CAME

TO ENGLAND TOWN HALL SPECTACLE A pageant of early English Church history, which promises to be bo+h spectacular and impressive, will be given in the Town Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday evening by ohildren of Anglican Sunday schools in Auckland Depicting the birth of the Church of England in early Birtain the pageant, which is called “Avalon,” consists of 20 scenes from eight periods of history. The pageant starts with the picturesque scene at Avalon or Glastonburv showing Joseph of Arimathea and his companions and the origin of the prettv legend of the thorn in bloom. 7

Then there is the martyrdom of St Alban, Columba setting forth on his mission. Bishop Gregory and the slaves in the market at Rome. Three beautiful scenes centre round the story of King Oswald and three more deal with Su Aidan and his school at Lindisfarrie And so history is traversed in colour by several Sunday schools. The pageant concludes with a great procession of all the characters through the hal! Suitable hymns will be sung in between acts and as a conclusion.

The whole presentation will be steeped in the events of stirring historical narrative. The producers have been at pains to produce a pageant of notable quality which would make a wide appeal. Scholars of the following Sunday schools will take part:—All Saints’, Si. Alban’s, St. Andrew’s, St. Thomas’s, St. Oswald's, St. Aidan’s, St. Mark’s, Holy Sepulchre. St. Mary’s, and St! Matthews.