Caversham Baptist Church celebrated its 150th anniversary at the weekend.
Senior pastor Murray Gordon said new and old members of the church gathered for a dinner at the Green Island Rugby Club and took the chance to reminisce about experiences they had at the church on Saturday.
Some members in their late 70s and early 80s had been a part of the church all their lives.
He said different generations remembered different initiatives the church had been a part of including a second-hand clothing store, the tomato ministry, the firewood ministry and helping Syrian refugees.
"One lady in the church dug up her lawn and grew tomatoes and did tomato ministry.
"They gave away tomatoes for years."
Mr Gordon had only been at the church for four years and said the work the church continued to do was built on what previous generations had already done.
"We’re trying to continue that legacy and also trying to create new ways of doing it.
"What worked 40 to 50 years ago may not have the same impact ... today because it’s a different society with different needs."
Recent initiatives from the church included working closely with Carisbrook School and waste food rescue service Kiwi Harvest.
On Fridays from 2.30pm to 3.30pm the church gave away free fruit and bread to parents when they came to pick their children up.
