Over the past two weeks we have said goodbye to two faith locations: St Thomas's in Pine Hill and Brockville Community Church. Bishop Steve reports on these two occasions.

St Thomas’s Pinehill

On February 28th, in the context of a Eucharist, a Service was held to secularise the church building of St Thomas in Pinehill – formerly part of St Martin’s Parish and now within the parish of Dunedin North. About 30 of us gathered to recall memories from over the years: we heard about the focused approach and dedicated labour that resulted in the construction of the building that still bears the roof paint of the original painters. Clergy, Laity, ministry and events were remembered with humour, poignancy and love.

After celebrating the Eucharist Bishop Steven read the Deed of Secularisation, and the congregation removed the church furniture, symbolising the ongoing nature of the church’s commission in different places.

The current intention is to see how the buildings may be of use the local community.

See the following article in The Star plus photographs from this closing service below: St Thomas’s secularised

Brockville Community Church

In 1972 the Community Church in Brockville was built, as a co-operating venture between the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. In the 1990s – with the closure of the Anglican church of St James – an arrangement was made between the three denominations to include the Anglicans in the agreement. Over the years the church has seen numbers grow and then fall, ministries to children include a Sunday School roll of over 100 at times, homegroups formed which allowed for friendships and fellowship that persist to this day, ministry opportunities being given to lay people from the three denominations. The church has helped individuals in their coming to faith, and has nurtured that faith, with some realising a vocation. The community outreach for a time saw regular meals being offered to any who wanted to attend.

Times and seasons change, and over the last few years it became obvious that there were not sufficient resources to maintain ministry in the area, and regular services were stopped about 2 years ago.

On Sunday, March 7th a service was held to give thanks for the years past, to commit ourselves to the future, and to formally end the Agreement. Rachael Masterton from the Methodist Church, Anne Thomson from the Presbyterians and Steven Benford from the Anglicans led the service with input from people who have met together over the years sharing memories. Glenys Webber accompanied the singing on the piano – as she had done on the opening service in 1972. We continued to share memories over refreshments.

Continue to pray for these communities that people of faith will still be encouraged to journey with others into the love of Christ.