Hastings Baptist Church is turning 100 in October and members want to celebrate with old and new friends.
On Labour Weekend, the church will be holding its centenary with a special dinner and congregation. "There's been so many people we've had contact with during the years and we'd love to hear from them," children and family worker Jo Cox says.
The church was established in 1909 with just 28 members in a small house in downtown Hastings. Since then the congregation has grown to an average of 180 parishioners each week and is located in a much larger building on Karamu Rd South. "The church is certainly growing. We have people with all sorts of skills and talents contributing now," Jo says. "It's a really nice feeling to be part of something with such a rich history."
To encourage new members to the church, leaders have also sent out 10,000 pamphlets explaining the gospel of Luke. "It's our birthday so we're giving everyone a present from us. It also explains who we are," Jo says.
A revamped website has also just been launched which features archived material from the church's history as well as current sermons. "We've set it up so people really get the feeling of a virtual church," Jo says. People wishing to come along to centenary celebrations can also register on-line. Celebrations extend further than Labour Weekend with plenty of festivities planned for coming months. "We're doing a number of events with a centenary flavour," Jo says. "We're wanting to take the history and heritage we have and continue it on."
Throughout its history the congregation has enjoyed a number of services and one of the most enduring is a women's group which has continued for more than 30 years. "They began as young mother's group when they had children and they're not so young anymore but they still meet regularly," Jo says.
LOOKING BACK: Hastings Baptist Church pastor Paul Davison shows off a 100-year-old Bible which lists all previous ministers. Parishioners are preparing to celebrate the church's centenary.
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