A PILGRIMAGE TO LOCAL CHURCH

On Wednesday, May 31st, Reverend Loyal Gibson, who is in his ninety sixth year, visited Greendale Church, where he was the Methodist Minister from 1955 to 1960. During that time, the new Church was built, and Loyal designed the beautiful glass window in the Church depicting the landscape of the Greendale area.

It was a visit to the service to remember and recognise a special person bringing back many memories for those who attended.

Aunty Lyn, the current Minister, welcomed Loyal and his family, son Mark and daughter Dawn, and Loyal shared some memories from his time stationed in Greendale. At that time, there was the general store, public hall, sports ground domain and three churches. Each Sunday in Greendale, there were five services of worship – all reasonably attended. The Baptists and Methodists had two, morning and evening, and the Presbyterians held one in the morning. His circuit consisted of seven preaching places. Some Sundays he travelled 100kms, much of it on gravel roads , to Greendale, Darfield, Te Pirita, Glenroy, Whitecliffs, Hororata, Aylesbury and occasionally Arthur’s Pass. At Aylesbury, they met in the old school building, squatting at juvenile desks. This service was discontinued soon after his arrival. Ninety percent or more of the Methodist people were landowners or farm workers. During his five years, he conducted six hundred and fifty Sunday services, though some sermons were used several times!

Some of his ‘naughty’ past Bible Class members, now in their late seventies and early eighties, attended the service and shared their memories of Loyal’s time in Greendale, along with present and past Greendale families. Ian Warren.