What did the Church exist in the world for?

Last Sunday the Onslow Anglicans celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first worship service held at the St Barnabas church building in Khandallah.

Reverend Bek Hickman (Co-Minister) made a birthday cake that replicated the building, complete with a gluten-free dairy-free foyer entrance to accommodate the changing needs of the 21st century diet.

An article in the Evening Post newspaper records that on this day in 1922 Bishop Sprott opened the worship service and in his sermon stated that on such an occasion as dedicating the new church it was fitting to ask themselves why they built churches.

“What did the Church exist in the world for? It was not a useless question to ask, because it was a common danger in our institutions … in course of time to forget the objects for which they existed and to become content just to keep themselves in existence.”

This must have been an encouraging and challenging message to this newly formed congregation as they set out to share the Good News of God’s love to their local community whose population was growing rapidly. A century later the Onslow Anglicans team are continuing the faithful kaitiakitanga stewardship of re-imagining how the worship space can serve residents of Khandallah as a sacred space of rest and renewal. Watch Reverend Andy’s sermon on Vimeo.

You can see photos of the event at on the Onslow Anglicans Facebook page and come see the place for yourself.