Thursday August 6 2015 | Issue 661
Woodstacks: Loburn farmer turns firewood into art. — page 13.
Grand Finals: Kaiapoi hosts rugby finals this Saturday. — page 27.
Real Estate: Nth Canterbury property sales. — page 31 34.
Woodend church faces uncertainty By DAVID HILL The future of an historic Woodend Church hangs in the balance due to the cost of earthquake repairs. The 104yearold brick Woodend Methodist Church on the Main North Road, which is one of only four buildings in the town with heritage status, is facing a hefty $1.3 million bill to strengthen and restore it to its former glory. RangioraWoodend Methodist minister Rev Philo Kinera says there is money available from insurance and other funding sources, but the small congregation is still facing a huge bill. Before making a final decision on the building’s future, Rev Kinera says the congregation has called a public meeting in the Woodend Methodist hall on Friday, August 21, at 7pm to discuss options for the building’s future with the community. Parishioner Evelyn Wilson says she hopes a way forward can be found in partnership with the community. ‘‘It could be restored as a community building. ‘‘We envisaged from the beginning, after the September 2010 earthquake, that it could be restored for performing arts.’’ At a previous public meeting two years ago, more than 40 people representing a range of local community groups shared ideas on how the building could be used for community events, but fundraising ideas were not discussed. Rev Kinera says one option is to establish a community trust, where the local community takes
Contemplating the future . . . Woodend Methodist Church members Rev Barry Harkness (left), Rev Philo Kinera, Evelyn Wilson and Greta Vis are keen to explore options for the future of the earthquake damaged 1911 PHOTO: DAVID HILL. brick building. ownership of the building in partnership with the church. The alternative is demolition and for the congregation to focus on developing the hall. The Methodist church has been associated with Woodend since 1858, when several families arrived in the area and established a Methodist school, making it one of the oldest churches in North Canterbury. Parishioner John Harris says the first church services were
held in private residences until a wooden church building was built on the present site in 1864 at a cost of 1050 pounds. However it was built ‘‘on the cheap‘‘ and was eventually replaced by the brick building in 1911. The Methodist school building was transported across Main North Road in 1864 using horses and rollers, from a property owned by Thomas Ayers. It was later replaced by a hall from a
Methodist church which once presided at Sefton. Waimakariri Mayor David Ayers, who is a member of the RangioraWoodend Methodist Parish and serves on the Methodist Church’s national property committee, say the situation is ‘‘not too dissimilar to the arguments over the Christ Church Cathedral’’. ‘‘You’ve got two badly damaged buildings which the community has a sense of ownership for.
31 August 2015.
1617594
They both have the potential to be be used as community spaces, but they don’t meet the modern needs of the churches themselves.’’ Mr Ayers says his links to the Woodend Methodist Church date back to his greatgreat grandfather, Thomas Ayers’ arrival in the area in 1858. Waimakariri district councillor Kirstyn Barnett, who represents the WoodendAshley ward, says it would be ‘‘heartbreaking’’ to lose such a ‘‘beautiful and iconic building’’. ‘‘We used to drive down the road and think it was our beautiful building. But then it got damaged and it was sad for a town with a proud history going back 150 years. ‘‘I understand the challenges, but we are going to build beautiful, new buildings and they will make their own history.’’ Former RangioraWoodend Methodist minister Rev Brian Turner, who now lives in Waikuku, believes the Woodend Methodists should negotiate with the local Anglicans and combine resources in developing the St Barnabas Church site. ‘‘My first priority would be forming a cooperative parish, as I’m an ecumenist. But another option would be a shared building arrangement. ‘‘The Methodists have a proud history in the area, but today the community doesn’t recognise denominations, but rather effective churches. ‘‘I see the Anglican church as a community church under Anglican auspices, with people from a range of different denominations,’’ he says. Continued Page 2