A self-sufficient parish is celebrating 75 years of togetherness.

Minister the Rev Anne Stewart said St David’s Union Parish was “not wedded to bricks and mortar”.

The group had begun as the Marchwiel Union Church on August 5 in 1951.
In those days, they gathered at the Methodist Church on the corner of Evans St and Waimataitai St.

The parish began building on the corner of Cross St and Andrew St, with the foundational stone laid on July 31, 1954.

In 1971, a worship centre was added.

However, when the location was no longer accessible to all of their congregation, they made the novel decision to sell the buildings to a childcare in 2007.

After trialling a few different locations, the parish rented Woodlands Rd Methodist Church.

In 2023, the St David’s congregation moved to the Enliven Centre in the Timaru Botanical Gardens. 

Senior lay leader Margaret Johnson said despite the many moves since selling the buildings, nobody did not move with them.

“Being together was more important.”

Mrs Stewart said with around 40 on the roll, most attended every weekend.

They were a very committed congregation, she said.

When her husband described the parish, he would use the biblical quote, “see how they love one another”.

As the parish had become self sufficient, her job was “not to muck it up”, Mrs Stewart said.

Compared to other parishes, church leaders were more on an even level with the congregation.

With no high pulpit to preach from, the building helped with that, she said.

The anniversary would take place at the usual worship time of 9.30am on Sunday at the Enliven Centre.

She welcomed along anyone with a connection to the church.

“This event is all about the people. The people are the most important thing.”

shelley.inon@alliedmedia.co.nz