When the Rev Margaret Mayman arrived at St Andrew’s on The Terrace, Wellington, as its new minister, she found that the elegant old church was an earthquake risk, the congregation were sitting near crumbling concrete and the building had been given a deadline of just 10 years to be strengthened and made earthquake safe.
“Not the best start! The church building was a hazard but no one had mentioned this to me prior,” Margaret says. “We had buckets in the church when it rained. It was demoralising. The risk was that after the 10 years were up, we would be told we couldn’t be there. We were faced with ‘fix it up or it will fall down’.”
Margaret launched herself into a fundraising feasibility study. “We found the perception of the church was that it has lots of money and doesn’t need any more”.
St Andrew’s raised $500,000 towards the necessary restoration work – but was still $1 million short of the stage one target. “We had to sell the Crossways building or we would not have had enough for the work. It was a tough decision. We delayed the sale for a year so that the Crossways Trust could fundraise. They could not meet the price and the building was sold. Ultimately, it is not the church’s role to run community centres that are not connected with worshiping communities,” Margaret says.
With the funds from the sale of Crossways, St Andrew’s was able to completely restore the church building, including replacing the roof; carrying out earthquake strengthening, concrete repair and treatment; and making a sanctuary area for performance and worship (a loan allowed work to be started in 2008).
In 2007, the congregation had begun the church’s inner refurbishment, donating new heaters, new seats and the funds for the painting of the church door.
Margaret says that St Andrew’s has received generous support at their restoration fundraising events, such as the “Art on Slate” fundraiser that used the church’s old slate roof tiles as artists’ canvases, fundraising concerts, and most recently a Fair Trade sale of artisan-made fashion bags from Cambodia. “Through events
we raised $150,000 towards stage two of the restoration”.
The restoration fund has also been boosted by donations from “people who aren’t members of our congregation but want to support what we are doing as a welcoming church”.
“Since stage one of the restoration was completed, we have seen our congregation grow, with new people coming every week. Our free concerts and lectures are popular now that we have a good sound system, heat and comfortable seats, and our walls regularly host exhibitions of art with a religious theme. We are involved in the life of Wellington, in reconciliation, with refugees, peace activities, Trade Aid and ecological issues.”
In January 2010, St Andrew’s began the second stage, which involves replacing the dilapidated wooden building that houses the office, toilets and green room. “We
are making the buildings disability-
friendly, and updating the hall, kitchen and upstairs offices.”
The final stage will be the demolition of the oldest part of the building – a hideous lean-too entrance.
Margaret says she is looking forward to the day the buildings no longer require so much of her energy. “I haven’t really “known” the church outside of renovation. I imagine life will be quite delightful.”
By Angela Singer