ORDINATION SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 November 1939, Page 4

ORDINATION SERVICE

AT ST. MATTHEW’S CHURCH ON THURSDAY. A UNIQUE OCCASION. An ordination service of more than usual interest is to be held in St. Matthew’s Church on St. Andrew’s Day, November 30, at 10 a.m. This will be the first occasion in the history of New Zealand on which a Maori and Pakehas have been ordained together to the ministry by a Maori Bishop. The Right Rev. F. A. Bennett. Bishop, of Aotearoa, will conduct the service. The Ven Wm. Bullock, Archdeacon, of the Wairarapa, will present the ordinands, and the Rev. Canon H. Watson. Diocesan Missioner, will be the preacher. Visiting clergy will include.the Rev. Canon W. G. Williams, of Napier, superintendent of the Maori Mission: all the Maori clergy of the Diocese, and clergy from the Wairarapa and Wellington. Those to be ordained deacons are: — Mr Hepa Taepa, for work in Masterton and the Wairarapa Maori Mission; Mr V. W. Joblin. of Masterton, for St. Matthew's Parish; Mr R. M. Gourdie, of Ashburton, for Petone Parish and Mr J. Cook, of Wellington, for Karori Parish. A party of Maoris from the Lower Valley have already indicated their intention of being present and it is expected that many of both races will join in what should prove a most inspiring as well as historic service.