Laying the foundation stone of Holy Trinity Church at Port Chalmers was a big occasion in 1871. The Anglican congregation remembered the event on the afternoon of 24 November 2021 by setting up a new foundation fund to renew links between the church and the West Harbour community.

Local projects that involve community service, environmental sustainability, peace, reconciliation, and challenges to violence can be assisted. Encouraging artistic talent is an important part of the scheme.

Port Chalmers School wholeheartedly helped the church celebrate the occasion on the afternoon of 24 November. Flags and bunting were a noteworthy backdrop to the original stone-laying ceremony. Evoking the spirit of that day in 1871, every child of the Years 1-8 school decorated a pennant. Dunedin printmaker Manu Berry worked with classes to print and paint the pennants which carry the emblem adopted by Holy Trinity Church. 

 “It has been really neat to have this whole of school project. The children are really excited,” said school principal, Vicki Nicolson. “As we are both part of the Port Chalmers community, it is wonderful to work together and we look to strengthen this relationship in the future,” she said.

The whole school paraded with their pennants from the school to the church on the afternoon of 24 November. They passed the former Masonic Lodge in Wickliffe Terrace, where a similar parade started in 1871. A trumpeter played “When the Saints Come Marching In” as the parade as neared the church, with the music echoing around the neighbourhood. On arrival, the whole school sang their waiata, Koputai E. The church community responded with the waiata Te Aroha.

Parish leaders and clergy, joined by Bishop Steve Benford, welcomed everyone inside. It was a very tight squeeze. The church was included in the school’s bubble for the occasion. Sadly, because of COVID-19 Level 2 guidelines, participation was limited to the school and congregation.

“Our building has seen and been part of so much of the life of Port Chalmers,” say the parish leaders, Judy Ringland-Stewart and Hannah Holzer. “We are pleased to open the church like this to be used for educational and cultural purposes.” The events of 1871 were retold along with their significance.

The church and school share a similar outlook. “Solid foundations are essential for constructing a building and for building good health,” say Rose Scott and Shirley Brunton, the parish clergy. “In Aotearoa New Zealand, we often use the wharenui / meeting house to symbolize good health. Equally strong corner posts of physical, mental, spiritual, and family and social support are needed to build and sustain good health. The good health of the whenua / land provides the right foundation of good health for each and all of us,” they said.

The events of 1871 were retold along with their significance. Given the children’s enthusiasm for role-play, stonemasons should have a promising future! Every stone, like every individual, is special, has its place and is supported by others.

Highlight of the celebration was the exchange and blessing of gifts. The pennants were offered to the church. The children’s creativity provides a visual feast of colour and local imagery. The pennants are a taonga and will proudly decorate the inside walls. In return, the church has gifted to the school library resources on mental health for students, teachers and whanau. These have been chosen by the school. Mental health and wellbeing are important to the school.

On leaving the church, every child was given a souvenir of this historic occasion, and their own well-being kitset of Mental Health Foundation stickers and bookmarks.

Link to video slide show