Andersons Bay parish dissolution approved

Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church. Photo by ODT.
Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church. Photo by ODT.
The Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church is set to host its last service this month, after a move to dissolve the parish received final approval.

Southern Presbytery executive officer Alan Judge said a Presbytery council meeting in Gore last week confirmed a parish vote to dissolve.

Mr Judge said that meant the parish would cease to exist on April 24.

On April 23, there would be a concluding Thursday night service, so people other than just those in the Otago Peninsula parish could attend.

The last regular service - services have been held in the church lounge since an earthquake assessment last year found the main building well below standard - would be on April 19.

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 repair costs which could not be covered.

The church confirmed recently the prominent Andersons Bay building would most probably be demolished.

Mr Judge said the governance of the church building would go to the Southern Presbytery and the Synod of Otago and Southland.

All property in Otago and Southland was invested in the Synod, which had ''sign-off rights over all decisions''.

There would be a meeting near the end of the month where the future of the buildings would be discussed.

''I don't think anything's going to be done at any quick pace,'' Mr Judge said.

''There will probably be an information gathering phase before we anything else.

''There's no particular expression of a desire to sell any property at this point.''

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz

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