On the weekend of 24 - 25 September the Opawa Methodist Parish / Opawa Community Church celebrated 125 years of continual Christian service on their site on the corner of Opawa Road and Ainsley Terrace in Christchurch.

The site was originally purchased for the princely sum of 44 pounds in 1897 although it took 10 years before the first church was erected in 1907.

The celebrations provided time for reminiscing, thanksgiving and reflection on the history of the church and its Christian witness. Former parishioners joined the celebrations, with a number viewing the post-earthquake rebuild for the first time. The current and past two ministers of the parish were present at the event; Rev Russel James (1975-1995), Rev Andrew Doubleday (1995–2021), and Rev Craig Fairhall (2020-current). Their service has spanned a combined 48 years of the 125 year story of Opawa. 

The Saturday evening event was all about story-telling and reminiscing. More than 400 photos rolled over on the screen, thanks to the efforts of Alan Webster who collated many images donated by various members. Margaret Jenkin created historical story boards and a pamphlet highlighting many significant church milestones from over the decades. Sunday morning was dedicated to worship, reflecting on the past and how that impacts the future story of the church and its mission.