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Celebration of Yesteryear

Memories of yesteryear were recalled for the members of St Colomba's Presbyterian Church in Napier at their 135th anniversary celebrations recently. A packed church, some in period costume, recalled the growth of Taradale's faith community since 1866, during a service led by current minister Rev Brett Walker.

Parish elder Francie Reed says the church wanted to observe the occasion coming in between the 125th anniversary of 1991 and 150th anniversary in 2017. "We didn't want to go overboard but we felt that we should mark it in a special way." The service was broken into different time frames including the building of the church first sited in Meeanee, (shifted to Taradale by traction engine in 1906) and the opening of the Sunday School hall in 1917, upgraded in 2000. Elder Roger Thomsen talked about the country outstations in the parish and the church's original Bible was loaned from the museum. Two of the late Rev Duncan Jamieson's grandchildren came forward to show children some of the soft toys he used for his junior sermons during his 28 years at the church. Francie says past parishioners attended from as far away as Wellington and the event was a "marvellous occasion".