Writ final effort to save building

Samson Kazakov hammers a holy writ to the door of the Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church, while...
Samson Kazakov hammers a holy writ to the door of the Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church, while Stu Debenham looks on. Photos by Stephen Jaquiery.
The church.
The church.
The writ.
The writ.

A holy writ nailed to the door of the Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church is a last-chance effort to save the historic building, but its parish has voted to dissolve, and the church says it is expected the building will be demolished.

The Otago Peninsula parish agreed at the weekend to dissolve, ending 150 years of history since the Rev Thomas Burns conducted the inaugural service in the first church building on the Silverton St site.

But two men who attended the meeting say they plan to fight the decision to demolish the church, and they took that message to Silverton St yesterday.

Late last year, it emerged the parish was on the verge of dissolution, facing what parish minister the Rev Alofa Lale said were dwindling numbers, dwindling finances, and an earthquake assessment that meant costs that could not be covered.

A report to a weekend meeting noted ''a deep tiredness'' on the part of a decreasing few who were trying to maintain the congregation.

On the building, the report said it would ''need to be demolished'', although a neighbouring hall could be retained.

A kindergarten on the site could remain.

The parish included the Portobello church, although worship at that building could continue under new governance.

The report said Mrs Lale would receive six months' stipend and allowances, and could continue to live in the manse for that time.

Southern Presbytery executive officer Alan Judge said it was possible Mrs Lale could find another position in the church.

Mr Judge confirmed the parish had voted for dissolution, and the recommendation would go to the Presbytery council at a meeting tomorrow in Gore.

''It's still a little bit of a work in progress''.

If the move was confirmed tomorrow, the question of the building would become the responsibility of the Presbytery, in consultation with the Otago Southland Synod.

The reality of the situation, however, was the building would probably be demolished, unless somebody came up with $1 million.

''The real issue is the Andersons Bay church is well below code in terms of earthquake standards.''

Former Dunedin man Samson Kazakov said he had attended the Portobello church while visiting Dunedin from Auckland.

He had attended the weekend meeting, and felt it was not democratically run.

He told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the Presbyterian church was ''one of the richest'' and should retain and fix the building.

Mr Kazakov said he had set up a trust - The Taiaroa Trust - to preserve the church, and a Presbyterian community on the Otago Peninsula.

''The pioneers who landed here were Presbyterians, and they landed on the Otago Peninsula.

''It's the history and the heritage.''

The trust would attempt to buy the church, and open it to other denominations.

Mr Kazakov and Stu Debenham, a Dunedin Presbyterian, nailed a ''Holy Writ of Mandamus'' to the door of the church yesterday, after two earlier versions had been removed.

The writ said ''destruction of the Holy Temple known as Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church is illegal in Biblical and Mosaic Law''.

It threatened prosecution if the church was demolished, and described the motion recommending dissolution as ''the devil's work''.

Mr Judge said he could not comment directly on the men's claims, but said he would be ''surprised'' if the men did not get a fair hearing at the meeting.

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz

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