On Sunday 29 May 2022 St Nicholas Church in Waverley was full for the final service and secularisation of the Church.

Link to live recording of the service: St Nicholas' Service

Significant people past and present in the life of the Parish who have made this church what it is today were honoured, with many of them being present to take part in this final service.

The Parish is consolidating worship and other meetings at St Michael and All Angels in Anderson's Bay, which is currently undergoing a significant refurbishment. This will essentially be a new space and a new beginning for both congregations. It will also provide the main physical presence of any church in this part of the peninsula.

Bishop Steve spoke of the sadness at saying goodbye to this particular building, but reminded the congregation that the church was always much more than a building and remains very much a part of this community. At this time of ascension tide leading into Pentecost, we remember Jesus was was enigmatically present... and yet absent from us, but with the strong promise of being with us in the Holy Spirit to the end of the age. 

The Parish put together a very thoughtful order of service for this final occasion (attached below) and in the words of introduction said:

Our parish has a name for resilience, self-sufficiency, and a “can do” attitude so that when at times we are without permanent clergy, we have the resources, the willingness, and the experience to sustain the life of the parish, including ensuring worship is maintained to a high standard, administrative systems continue, and pastoral care and outreach are upheld – the local ministry established at St Nicholas’ in the Reverend Cushla McMillan’s incumbency (alongside that at St Aidan’s) has been at the core of the life of St Nicholas’.

What else has been at the heart of the St Nicholas’ faith community over these years? Our people here have been outward looking, participating in social justice projects and initiatives, raising awareness of environmental issues, supporting overseas missions and fund raising for them, joining in Diocesan-wide events and activities, supporting special services in other Dunedin parishes, and offering a special outreach to young families in Waverley through the Thursday morning Music Playgroup. They have also looked inward, offering faithful yet often creative Anglican worship Sunday after Sunday, and as a close-knit faith community, they have cared for each other, providing pastoral care to those in need both within the St Nicholas’ congregation, and our wider parish family as well as in the community around us.

The Parish is taking a break from worship over the next two weeks and are encouraging people to gather with other faith communities on Pentecost and Trinity Sunday. Services will restart at St Michael's in Andersons Bay on Sunday 19 June. 

St Nicolas features on the back page on the Diocesan Survey, April-May 1962:

See below for videos that have previously featured Otago Peninsula Parish.