2011 - ... Rev Anne Stewart (Interim Moderator)
Rev. Anne Stewart is the Interim Moderator for St Giles following the retirement of Rev. John Hunt on 6th March 2011.
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1981 - 2011 Rev John Hunt
The Rev. John Hunt was inducted as our Minister in February 1982. He has ministered to us all with Faith, care and kindness. Celtic Spirituality has been a great healer as Rev. John has practiced it.
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Rev. Winifred Biggs (Honorary Minister)
Rev. Winifred Biggs had returned from Vanuatu and became the Honorary Minister and undertook various duties, especially of caring for the senior members of the Parish and Windermere.
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1965 - 1978 Rev. R. W. Simpson
Rev R. W. Simpson commenced his ministry in Feb 1965 and with his wife May, began to further the work of the parish.
The books in the archives tell of Men's Fellowship, Ladies Fellowship, Young Marrieds, St Giles Evening Missions, Ladies Guild, Choir, Pastoral Care Teams, Linking Committee, Young People Groups, Sunday School, and Bible Classes, Mission Birthday Envelopes, the Envelopes for Church Collection.
Promised funds meant the Church could financially anticipate its income meeting costs. Further fairs were held to gather funds for refurbishments.
The Church Magazine started in 1927 was still giving the Parish News and what things to join and take part in. Many wedding and baptisms took place over those 1950-1980 years. Rev. Simpson retired in 1978.
The women were still doing catering for various functions, and sewing for Windermere home and Missions. A group from Ladies Fellowship did some entertaining at Ecumenical functions and Christmas parties.
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1956 - 1965 Rev. Walter Hendrie
Was Inducted on 1st Mar. 1956. Westholme St Sunday school closed 1958. In Feb 1957 there were 80 Primary Dept, 60 Junior Dept, 70 Intermediate and 58 Senior Dept.
Sister Jean Alexander was Inducted as Deaconess and contributed much to the parish until she resigned in 1966.
In 1963 our first woman Elder was ordained, Miss A. L. Baxter. Sister Jean Alexander became an Elder also and other women followed, both as Elders and later as members of the Board of Managers, to give their service to the Church and parish.
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1952 - 1956 Rev Allan A. Brash
Since the beginning of 1952 the congregation continued to grow steadily, and by June 1953, the roll reached 249 and several communion services had been shared by over 190 members.
The New Life programme was followed enthusiastically, both on the spiritual and financial sides. The financial target of 1,500 pounds was doubled for the five year target, so that a considerable sum would be available to supplement the funds raised by a series of Spring Fairs in order to extend the youth buildings.
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1951 No Minister
Then followed one of the greatest years in the congregation's history - a year without a minister, yet in which real advance was made in most departments of the congregation's life. A complete survey of the parish was made, and it was discovered that the district contained 550 Presbyterian families.
A new manse was built and 1,000 pounds raised to the cost ready for a new minister starting in January 1952. |
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1945 - 1950 Rev. J. E. Stewart
The congregation was in a position to call the Rev J. E. Stewart at a salary of 350 pounds including a grant of 50 pounds. This restored the parish to full status as a congregation with the Right of Call.
In the year 1945 a Cradle Roll was started as was also a parish newsletter. In the same year, dancing was permitted at the socials. By 1947, the roll of the Sunday School stood at 124. In that year the branch school at Westholme was established with Miss Baxter in charge. The roll of the congregation stood at 218 in 1947, and the attendance at the September Communion 1948 was 153.
In December 1950, Mr Stewart was called to the parish of Feilding.
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1936 - 1945 Rev. Alfred Simmonds
During the next ten years the congregation slowly but surely regained its former strength. In March 1937, 128 attended the Communion service, and in March 1940 the number was up to 169.
This advance was achieved in spite of all the difficulties that the war years inevitably brought.
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1930 - 1935 Rev. E. Bandy
From June 1930 till his death on 16 March 1935, the Minister was Rev. E. Bandy. This period in which the country was undergoing an economic depression was a difficult one for the congregation with the number taking Communion dropping to 106 by March 1935.
When Rev. Bandy died on the bowling green, the congregation had debts in its current account totalling 130 pounds.
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1926 - 1930 Rev. James Miller
In 1926 the Rev James Miller was Inducted and a period of advance followed. On 18 February 1926 the Church became St Giles, named after the High Kirk in Edinburgh. A small tablet on the wall shows that Old Kirk. Some other names must have been suggested, as one of the Marriage Registers has St John's. The road opposite was then St. John's St - now Blair Ave, after the bakers of that name who lived there. The former Church property was sold for 200 pounds and was let for grazing.
On 10 July 1927 - 50 years was commemorated by a high tea in the Memorial Hall. (Many photos are in the Archives.)
Rev. Miller resigned in March 1930 and in his letter of resignation stated that "the new Minister should be young and get around on a cycle and thus overtake more than he had been able to do". Walking was well in fashion - with everyone walking miles for any gathering.
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1921 - 1926 Rev. J. B. Bickerstaff
Rev. J. B. Bickerstaff was Inducted on 29th Nov. 1921. Shortly after, a service was held in the
Masonic hall, and proved that there was a need for a Church in the Papanui Road area. Sunday School services took place in the Waimairi School. During Rev. Bickerstaff's time, the Parish made steady progress and in 1923 an acre of land on Papanui Road was purchased. The land was part of the 50 acres purchased by the settler William Horner and was low lying, so the Council had earth taken off the high ground at the south end of Blighs Road, and added to the section. This was then ploughed in by Mr Barnard with his horse and plough and readied for the building of the new Church.
In 1924 the Church on the corner of Daniel's Road was built and some parishioners of the first Presbyterian Church were asked to attend this church if they lived in the northern part of the parish. Some structures of the first Presbyterian Church had been taken there when the Papanui Road Church was opened. Rev. Bickerstaff found the parish too extensive and resigned.
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1911 - 1921 Rev. D. D. Rodger
Rev. D. D. Rodger (who had been at Cust and Waikari) was invited to become the Minister and was Inducted 6th July 1911. Rev & Mrs Rodger were a most popular couple and consolidated the Parish. Great emphasis was given to the service of the people
and to the various groups of the Church, and it was from this time that the Papanui Presbyterian Church gathered strength and made steady progress. Young people had their Bible Classes, Sunday Schools and picnics.
It was at this time that Rev. Rodger and the Session could see that the present position of the Church on the Main North Road was not in its best interests and thought it would be better if it was on the Papanui Road area near the shops which had become established there, and the large houses of well known people. At this time a tram (first horse pulled and later steam driven) travelled from Christchurch to where St Bede's is today - at first stopping at the Railway Station near St Paul's Church of England.
Rev Rodger's retired in 1921 after finding his responsibilities being too much for him.
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Rev. J. Maxwell
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1906 - 1911 Rev. P. Riddle (acting Minister)
For the next five years the Parish was without a Minister and the retired Rev. P. Riddle acted. With his faithful administration he gave the people new hope and stimulated the people to make an effort to get and maintain a permanent Minister.
Papanui was beginning to grow. After the first years of growth, there was a period of stagnation but then the railway came and made industry possible and travel easier. New Brighton was detached from the Parish but the area of Mairehau remained.
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1903 - 1906 Rev. Peter Wilson
Rev. Peter Wilson was Inducted on 15 January 1903. A manse was built on the Main North Road on land which had been gifted in the early days of the Parish. The Parish was far flung and it was hard to establish the Church into a more financially stable condition. Rev. Wilson resigned in 1906.
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1898 - 1902 Rev. James M. Simpson
Rev James Simpson B.A. was Inducted July 1898. The Presbytery at this time decided to make Papanui and Belfast one charge with New Brighton joined with it! During this time the congregation grew and consolidated. It was a very large parish.
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Rev. Dr R. Erwin (Knox Church relieving Minister)
Rev Dr. R Erwin of Knox Church, Bealey Ave, served for a time as the relieving minister in charge of Papanui, attending to Session meetings, Marriages and Baptisms.
Records are often found in the books belonging to Knox Church for this time.
An afternoon service was held at Papanui, which could not afford a Minister for some time.
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Rev. Robert McGregor (at Kaiapoi)
In 1888 Rev. Robert McGregor (Minister of Kaiapoi-Belfast) was taking care of Papanui.
What a huge district he had, with travel in those days by horse or train.
These were the Depression years of the 1880's when there was much unemployment, low prices for wool and sheep meat - until meat refrigeration started and marketed to the U.K.
Belfast became a place for the employment of men at the Freezing Works and a Church was opened there in December 1896.
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1882 - 1885 Rev. F. Marmaduke Hauxwell
Inducted on 25th January 1882, in 1885 resigned and returned to Scotland. In his time many of the Marriages show the brides and grooms came from the United Kingdom (with N.B. for 'North of the Border i.e. Scotland). Some of the Streets of Papanui are named after these early settlers. The marriages were
often celebrated in people's homes.
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1878 - 1881 Rev. William H. Horner
Rev Wm H. Horner was inducted 13th March 1878. He remained until 1881 when his wife died and he wished to return to England.
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1876 - 1878 Rev. J. Elmslie
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