Whanganui Parish Support Diocesan Development Fund

The recent sale of St Laurence’s Church in Whanganui has resulted in a 10 percent contribution to the Diocesan Development Fund, meaning more funding for mission projects. 

The Diocesan Development Fund is aimed at furthering mission-focused development initiatives in the Diocese. Administered by the Diocesan Council, the Fund provides loans to parishes and mission units for mission and outreach projects. 

Parishes are encouraged to tithe profits from any sale of property to the Fund for the benefit of the wider Diocese. Recent recipients of Fund loans include St Hilda’s Island Bay for church restrengthening, Otaki Parish for vicarage re-roofing and seed funding for Two Todman Brooklyn. 

Whanganui Parish Manager Din Bandara said a visioning process had identified that Whanganui Anglicans owned a number of buildings and land which they wanted to steward well. As St Laurence’s had not held Anglican services for at least 10 years, a decision was made to sell the land for housing. 

However, when discussions with the council didn’t pan out, Whanganui Anglicans approached local artist Sue Cooke who had previously expressed an interest in purchasing the church and its 1500sqm site. Sue will be converting the church into a studio space and art gallery and ensuring that the heritage-listed church is restored and maintained. 

Din said that, as a resource rich group of churches, the decision to contribute to the Diocesan Development Fund was not a difficult one. 

“We felt very strongly as a parish to do that because we know there are other parishes who are not in as strong a position,” he says. 

Around 60 people, including Sue, participated in a deconsecration service for St Laurence’s, led by Rev Stuart Goodin and Rev Caleb Rowe on Thursday 22 June.