150 YEARS OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN INVERCARGILL

In November 2010 the First Church congregation will be 150 years old, We need to celebrate this important milestone of Christian worship within the city.

Settlement began to take place around Invercargill and the town was surveyed in 1856. Amongst the settlers to come south was the Rev. A Bethune M.A., who at the time was a teacher at Green Island. The Rev. Mr Bethune had been educated for the ministry in Scotland but did not follow that calling as his life's work, instead caring for the spiritual welfare of the Presbyterian community in the growing town.

On Mr Bethune's arrival he took up a section of land at Myross Bush, opened a private school in Tay Street and, calling the people to worship, conducted on 10 November 1856 in a small building at "Kelly's Point" (now the Bank of New South Wales corner) the first Sabbath service of any denomination every held in Murihiku, as Southland was then called. He, assisted by the Revs. Burns, Bannerman and Will, conducted Divine Service regularly. In due course the Rev. Andrew Hamilton Stobo, a licentiate of the Free Church College of Edinburgh, arrived from Scotland and was inducted into the pastoral charge of First Church Invercargill on 29 June 1860, the induction ceremony being conducted in the Courthouse by Rev Mr Bannerman, and Rev. Mr Todd of Tokomairiro. Thus was established the first Presbyterian congregation in Southland.

The church with its Christian influences came at the very commencement into the life of Invercargill, and not later on, as was the case in some northern towns. As soon as the town of Invercargill was surveyed in the year 1856, the Rev. Bethune was on the spot and gathered a congregation on Sundays for divine worship. And before even a Town Board was formed in 1861 First Church was established as an active Christian force in the community.

From an article in the Southland Times 31 July 1935

Before an organising committee forms to plan the 150th anniversary celebrations, it would be useful to know how our congregation would like to celebrate this event. Pleae tick the items on the list below to give us some ideas of the activities that you would be likely to support.

I would be likely to support:

* THANKSGIVING SERVICE
* AFTERNOON CONCERT
* CEILIDH / CONCERT IN THE EVENING
* CATERED DINNER (Approx $60)
* POT LUCK DINNER
* PROGRESSIVE DINNER
* PICNIC LUNCH
* BUS TRIP OF INVERCARGILL'S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE (Approx. $25)
* DECADE PHOTOGRAPHS ETC.
* COMMEMORATIVE BOOK (Approx $50)
* CD OF CHURCH MUSIC (Approx $20)
* ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS?

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Place the completed form in the offering plate, or give it to Pam Gare, who is helping to set up the 150th Celebrations Committee.

If you would like to join the 150th Celebrations Committee, or become involved in any way, please include your name and telephone number.