A decommissioning service is being held at 6pm for the Presbyterian Church’s Stanley St church, St Andrew’s.
Opened in 1968, it was sold early this year after the church decided its future lies in Frankton — where its St Margaret’s Church is located — while the Stanley St site was also becoming more difficult to access.
In turn, this meant community groups were also using the building less, causing a drop-off in rental income needed to maintain it.
Sunday’s service will be led by Lawrence-based southern presbytery moderator, the Reverend Andrew Harrex, following which there’ll be fellowship and refreshments.
Following the decommissioning, Queenstown services will all be held at St Margaret’s. The church has said they’ll use the proceeds of the sale to possibly expand this church or build on a greenfields Frankton site.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s service also ends the Presbyterian Church’s 155-year presence in the CBD — the original St Andrew’s opened at what’s now the top of The Mall in 1870.
— PHILIP CHANDLER
