Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

Photos: Top - Spring Flower Festival, 2000. Lower - Sunday School pageant 1920s.

Page 1 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

Photo: Bible Class retreat, 1930s.

Compiled and Edited by Jackie Brown-Haysom

A church which has lost its memory of the past can only wander about aimlessly in the present, and despair of its future. Having lost its identity, it will lose its mission and its hope as well. -David C. Steinmets.

Many people have contributed in one way or another to the creation of this book. It is not possible to name them all, but I would like to make special mention of those who took the time to put their memories onto paper, and also of Alec Utting, Joycelyn Pratt and Simon Brown-Haysom, who went the extra mile to help this get published.

Produced for the Birkenhead Methodist Parish. PO Box 34332, Birkenhead. Published March 2005 by Haysom Print, 268 Church St, Onehunga.

Page 2 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

Rev Bob Allen leading worship during Zion Hill’s centennial celebrations, 1980.

BEING THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN THIS PLACE Memories of Birkenhead Methodist parish 1880—2005 For the 125th anniversary of the Birkenhead Methodist Parish we have chosen the theme, Being the People Of God In This Place. We celebrate, not the length of our presence as Methodist people in Birkenhead, but the presence of God among us, encouraging us to be God’s people. The story began in 1854 when William Creamer wrote to Rev John Whitely of Kawhia Methodist Mission, indicating that he was wanted to set aside a parcel of land in Birkenhead for a Methodist Church. The land was given in 1866 to the Auckland Methodist Circuit, but no church built until 1880. By then the Birkenhead Methodists felt strong enough to commit themselves to a far reaching development, the results of which we have inherited, and we now celebrate. This resolve went hand in hand with the establishment of Chelsea sugar works, where many of the early Methodists were employed. The small octagonal chapel which they built - now incorporated in the eastern end of the hall - soon proved too small. A larger Church was built, opening on March29 1885. It is this date that has determined the timing of our celebrations.

Page 3 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom From this beginning the Parish grew to include Birkdale, Beach Haven, Glenfield, Northcote, Albany and Greenhithe. In their time these people sought to be the people of God. In our time we too seek to be God’s people in this place. Birkenhead today is a very different place. From scattered farms and orchards it became first a rural village, then a borough, and now part of a conurbation stretching from Bombay to Orewa. Today it is a suburb of North Shore City. With each step of growth in the community have come similar steps of growth as those inspired by God have sought to be God’s people in this place. Through new ways of living worshipping and witnessing to God’s glory. Remembering all this growth we celebrate 125 years of God’s leading us to be the people of God. But that is not all. Remembering our beginnings and celebrating our history gives us a unique opportunity to open our vision to the next steps that need to be taken, so that we may continue to be the people of God. An anniversary looks at the past, but is also a time to seek inspiration and direction for the future. There is no doubt that the challenge of living in a secular techno world is changing the church once again. The next generation of those who lead the church need to be aware that it is not the God of the past who guides us but the God of the present. And they need to be committed to the presence of the present God who draws them into the future. For God is never still, never silent, always growing into future, towards opportunity, offering insight, and developing life. Let’s celebrate! We celebrate the past that has become the present and will allow us to become God’s future people in this place. -Rev David Pratt, Presbyter 2000 — 2005

Page 4 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE MEN FROM THE MINISTRY For the first twenty years of its existence, Zion Hill had no regular minister. Sometimes parishioners conducted the services themselves; at other times the minister from Pitt St or, after 1882, the sole representative of the newly established North Shore circuit, then based in Devonport, made the journey to Birkenhead. The small community didn’t allow itself to be limited by the absence of a permanent presbyter, however, initially scheduling Sunday School for 2pm, followed by a 3pm service of worship. By 1882, when the North Shore Circuit came into being, it was holding regular morning and evening services. With a far-flung congregation and Sunday School still in the afternoons, this must have meant that many families spent much of the day either at church, or traveling to and from it. Although the ministers of the time were visitors rather than permanent residents, they still managed to make an impression on the parish. Souvenier, the parish’s 50th anniversary booklet, recalls the characteristics of each. The first appointee to the North Shore Circuit, G W J Spence, “sowed the precious seed with faithful zeal”, while his successor, Parsonson, of “gentle temperament mid stormy times, was sometimes harshly judged”. Next was Dewsbury, “a man of intellect and will” and a gifted preacher. The next incumbent, John Dukes, is said to have described himself as a ram’s horn rather than a silver trumpet, although, the booklet says, the notes he played were true. Then followed Josiah Ward, “homely and full of ardour, zeal and jest”, Hudson, a gifted preacher who spent only a year in the circuit, and Crump, an older man said to have had a youthful heart. Best beloved of the men who filled the pulpit during Zion Hill’s first decade, however, was C E Beecroft, who is remembered as “earnest and eloquent, forgetting nothing but his own convenience.” It was during Beecroft’s term of office, in the late 1880s, that a second minister was appointed to the North Shore Circuit. The new appointee, a young man named A B Chappell, was a scholar, musician, and athlete, giving his best to all he undertook — even, the book says, to chopping tea tree on a country road. The successful completion of Zion Hill’s hall in 1902 is credited, in large measure, to his energetic pursuit of the project. That same year the church acquired its first fulltime minister, William Greenslade from the gold mining settlement of Waihi. Described as ‘hopeful and earnest, knowing among us naught save Christ alone, he and his new wife worked hard to beautify the interior of the church before their departure in 1906. G S Cook, was appointed at the same time as Birkenhead became a circuit in its own right. With preaching responsibilities that now included the church at Northcote, and fledging congregations at Birkdale, Glenfield and Albany, it is probably fortunate that he was “a gifted preacher [and] splendid organizer”.

Page 5 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom When ill health forced him to retire in 1909 T G (Tom) Carr [see over] took his place. Carr was an older man, but devoted his energies to consolidating and extending the new circuit, assisted by Rev J D Jory. T F Jones, who arrived in 1913, “by his Christ-like character, won the esteem and love of all”, especially children, many of whom, it was said, would “through their entire life, cherish fond memories of their association with him and Mrs Jones”. Construction of the Glenfield Mission Hall took place during his tenure. Harold Sharp was next. As a young, “impetuous” man, he found it difficult to be in parish ministry during World War I. He “heard the insistent call for still more men and felt his rightful place was with the men afield”, finally leaving in something of a hurry to become an army chaplain. Before his departure, however, he had the privilege of presiding at Birkenhead’s first ever ANZAC Day service, on April 23, 1917. The circuit was vacant for some months before accepting Percy Cook, who had returned from the trenches physically and emotionally damaged. Fortunately “the health-reviving air of Zion Hill restored somewhat his old time strength and vigour” and he went on to have a successful time in the parish, during which the Northcote Sunday School rooms were built and Old Folks’ Day celebrations began. R B Gosnell, another minister with health problems, spent a year helping in the circuit during Cook’s tenure. William A Burley had a seriously ill wife. “The distraction due to this continuous strain and burden of anxiety and care, made thorough supervision of a circuit a task beyond the powers of human being”, yet Burley did not neglect his work and retained a cheery manner. J H Allen was newly ordained, but youthful zeal made up for inexperience, endearing him to the people of the circuit. When he left, just before the 50th anniversary celebrations in 1930, the circuit was in good heart. William Avery is remembered as a man with academic leanings, who was respected rather than loved, a keen gardener with a particular interest in daffodils, and a cricket player. In 1933 his place was taken by William Gatman, an intelligent, if somewhat stern, man, known for his thought-provoking sermons. Howard Jeffreys and his wife, who arrived in 1938, were a young couple whose children were born during their time in Birkenhead. They took an interest in the younger people of the church. The old octagonal church was added to the back of the hall, the basement rooms formed and Beach Haven church opened before ‘Jeff’ left in 1941 to be an army chaplain. As a committed pacifist, Andrew Johnston was sometimes a controversial figure in the parish during the war years. One parishioner of the time recalls that, in the regular prayer meetings held before evening worship, Andrew would pray for those who were suffering for conscience sake, but leave it to others to pray for those in the armed

Page 6 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom forces. During his time in the parish the old Onewa Rd parsonage was sold, and the Johnston family moved first to rented accommodation to Pupuke Rd, then to a house constructed from the dismantled Birkdale church, on a site in Glenfield Rd [now Birkenhead Ave].

Rev William Gatman Gordon Peterson, who came in 1946, was a very quiet man who did not find it easy to mix. Work began on the new brick parsonage when he was in Birkenhead, but it was not completed until after he left, in 1951. Instead Athol Penn, his wife, Ivy, their three teenage daughters and sixyear-old son were the first occupants of the new house. The active family made an impression on the parish, and one of the Penn girls, Jeanette, went on to marry parishioner Tony Benfell. For Bob Allen, son of the former minister, J H Allen, the appointment to Birkenhead was like a return home. The Allens also had four active children, some years younger than the Penn’s. With the opening of the harbour bridge, the population of the area swelled, necessitating the appointment of a second fulltirne minister, R W Widdup, at Beach Haven, and a part time minister at Northcote. Later F Peterson became presbyter at Beach Haven, remaining until 1972, when the church joined St Phillip’s Presbyterian in a union parish.

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Rev. Athol Penn and his wife Ivy. When Don Sherson arrived in 1962 it was the beginning of an association with the parish that was to last for the rest of his life. Thoughtful, capable and always a gentleman, he managed to combine his parish work with the care of an invalid wife and the tending of an immaculate garden, yet still maintain a lively interest in world affairs. After six years at Zion Hill he was appointed to fulltime ministry at Northcote, which had just become a circuit in its own right. After retirement he continued to live in the parish, at Birkdale, and was for some years an active supernumerary.

Rev. Don Sherson and his wife Helena. Henry Woolford, who came in 1968, is remembered as hard working, intelligent and efficient, although he is said to have had some reservations about the appointment of Page 8 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Janet Wright as the parish’s first female Sunday School superintendent. He presided over the church’s 90th anniversary celebrations in 1970 and, after several years in Dargaville, followed the Shersons example by retiring to the Birkenhead area. Ian Grant is remembered primarily for his passionate support of the young people of the church. A quiet and deeply sincere man who often struggled with ill health, he nonetheless worked hard to make the church a place where young people were welcome and their faith could grow. The Bible Classes from All Saints’Anglican, St Andrew’s Presbyterian and Zion Hill had merged at this time, and the three churches took it in turns to host the Sunday evening gatherings of the group, known simply as ‘It’. The support Ian offered these young people saw a large number of them adopt Zion Hill their home church, and he presided at many weddings as a result. Alan Upson came to the parish as a probationary minister in 1978. His wife, Lynne [who, as Dr Lynne Frith, was elected president of conference in 2003], was also at St John’s College at the time, and assisted him with parish work. The Upsons enjoyed hospitality and often invited an assortment of parishioners to Sunday lunch, or organized informal Saturday night get-togethers. John and Enid Osborne arrived in 1981, bringing another teenage family to fill the parsonage, although, by the time they left in 1988, the first grandchildren had started to arrive. The young couples who had been married during Ian Grant’s time were by this time becoming parents, so baptisms, family camps and Sunday School events were regular features of John’s ministry. A gifted writer, John edited the parish newsletter, Vision, for some years after he retired from fulltime ministry.

Rev John Osborne, wife Enid and grandson, Thomas Cornall. Page 9 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom In 1988 there were more Methodist parishes in need of ministers than there were ministers available to fill them, so Zion Hill spent several months without a regular presbyter. John Osborne helped out, but at times members of the congregation were asked to lead the worship. It proved to be a time of growth for many as they discovered and honed gifts that, in some cases, they had not previously known they possessed. In 1989 a trainee minister, Ron Webb, was appointed to Zion Hill. Ron had come to the ministry from the secular workforce, although he and his wife, Tricia, had previously been lay missionaries in Brazil. Despite health and family problems, he worked hard to grow the church’s outreach and set up support services for the disadvantaged. Graham Whaley and his wife, Marion, arrived in Birkenhead in 1993, fresh from missionary service in Zimbabwe. With an enthusiastic approach to life and a keen sense of humour, he entertained us with tales of chasing hippopotami from his vegetable garden, and had an eager audience for his children’s talks, illustrated with felt pen sketches as he went. Not long after their arrival the brick parsonage was sold and the Whaleys were moved into rental accommodation at Beach Haven while a new one was under construction. They moved to the new house, on Birkenhead bypass, in October 1994. At the end of 1995 Graham was appointed to the Methodist Mission Northern. Gary Clover and his wife, Sara, moved to Birkenhead in 1996. Gary was a deep thinker, who wrote considered pieces on a range of theological and spiritual issues, for the guidance of the church and others, and became personally involved in a number of immigration disputes involving those seeking refugee status. Sara took an active part in all aspects of parish life, helping out wherever there was a need (and established a flourishing garden in the unforgiving clay of the new parsonage), despite suffering long term health problems. At the time the church was dealing with weighty decisions, at both a local and a national level, and these caused divisions that made the Clovers time in Birkenhead very difficult at times. David and Joycelyn Pratt - what can we say? Since they came to the parish in 2000 they have been involved in an astonishing range of activities and initiatives, including car boot sales, social events, Bible studies, lay preacher training sessions, projects to develop and maintain the church properties at Birkenhead and Beach Haven, and much more. David’s ministry had been characterized by hard work, forward planning and a delight in surprising us by taking a novel approach to familiar services. As district superintendent, David has a heavy workload, but still contributes tirelessly to parish events. Because of this commitment, Tony Stroobant has been helping in the parish on a part time basis. Malcolm McLeod came to the parish as a pastoral assistant in 1992, and was ordained a deacon in 1996. In his time at Birkenhead Malcolm has been asked to be something of a jack of all trades, not only leading services, serving as a parish steward and taking Page 10 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom responsibility for stewardship, but also coordinating the furniture and food banks, doing pastoral visiting, being a sterling supporter of the Beach Haven fellowship and, on occasions, providing a rousing wake-up call at church camps, with a skirl of the pipes. His wife, Lorraine, has also been a valuable part of parish life in numerous capacities, being there to offer help without fuss to those with needs of all kinds. Malcolm retired from the diaconate in 2004 but he and Lorraine remain active members of the parish.

Rev David Pratt joins with Beach Haven parishioners to lead the singing at the opening of Wesley Room, September2001. In February 1991, St Phillip’s Union Parish went out of existence and Beach Haven church rejoined Birkenhead Methodist parish. Alan Quigley, a supernumerary minister living in the area, helped with worship at this time, and Judy Cooper, a lay member of the congregation, also provided valuable leadership in a variety of capacities. Later Judy entered St John’s College to train for self-supporting ministry and was a regular member of the Beach Haven preaching team. ______DID YOU KNOW... … that in the 1960s, Rev Don Sherson paid a visit to Communist China? He came back quite impressed by what he saw, and believed at the time that the Chinese model of communism had something to teach the rest of the world. … that when John Lennon famously remarked that the Beatles were more popular than God, Rev Don Sherson was invited onto a local television magazine programme, to give God’s point of view? From memory, he didn’t bother to argue, but pointed out that God was likely to last a bit longer. He said he would be happy to have the Beatles in his church at any time, but sadly they didn’t take up the offer.

Page 11 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIES OF BIRKENHEAD Rev T G Carr, Presbyter 1909-1913 It was in 1909 that we transferred from Marton to Birkenhead and right glad we were to get so near to Auckland and to get into a closer relationship with Grandpa Thorne [of Thorne’s Beach, Takapuna] and William and Alick and their families. When we arrived at the Birkenhead wharf we were amazed to find that the man who was to drive us to the parsonage had two stumps, his feet having been severed at the ankles [Tom Horton, the local carrier, had lost both feet in a sawmilling accident]. But it was apparently but little hindrance to him, as he whipped up the portmanteaux and boxes as though they were as light as a feather! [Parsonages were then furnished by the church, so the family would travel with their personal possessions only.] We were soon sitting down to a sumptuous repast provided by Mr and Mrs A L White, Mrs Archie Wilson and others, who were determined that we should have a cordial welcome. The parsonage was beautifully situated; it commanded an extensive view and was close to the church. The congregation had a sprinkling of Anglicans and Presbyterians both at Birkenhead and at Birkdale. Four families of Wilson were really Presbyterian, but they made excellent Methodists. Mr and Mrs Marsden Caughey [of Smith and Caughey’s] resided in Northcote, whilst at Birkdale our great friends were the Levesques. They were great fruitgrowers and their home was always a rendezvous. The most distant afternoon appointment was at Albany. Subsequently I took up work at a schoolroom at Greenhithe. Then there was also Northcote and Mayfield [Glenfield]. Mr A L White was the circuit steward and Sunday School superintendent, and later Mr Archie Wilson was also Sunday School superintendent. There was a peculiarity of the Birkenhead church. The pulpit had an open space behind it and this lead to constant readjustments of the choir. [At this time the pulpit was located in the middle of the church, with choir seats on either side, and the organ in front.] Under my wife’s genial and hospitable sway, the parsonage became an open house, with a cordial welcome for all. Her connection with the Sunday School brought her into close association with the young people. Still further to accentuate this feature of her life, a tennis court was built on part of the parsonage ground. Under these circumstances my wife did not have very much leisure and her sewing machine was kept constantly going. To keep her more fully employed, her husband would invite the Ministers’ Association to Birkenhead, where they would be regaled with strawberries and cream. When these ecclesiastics got to Highbury Corner and Page 12 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom beheld the land and seascape, they pronounced it second-to-none and they did appreciate Brother Levesque‘s strawberries! I must mention the circuit horse. It was left by our predecessor, the Rev Cook, and was of a devotional temperament as, on several occasions, he went down on his knees. Tradition said that young George Cook was responsible for this, as he drove so furiously. On one occasion when I was driving, the horse suddenly subsided and I was so cut about that I had to return home and neglect my appointment. On the way home ‘Dame Trott’ plastered my knob with suitable bandages. The tidings spread, and Mother was summoned home from Sunday School, however the evening appointment was duly taken.

The church and hall as they were in the early 1900s, during Tom Carr’s ministry. As July 5th was my birthday, and as the Quarterly Meeting feel on the same day, it was thought only fitting that instead of the parsonage supplying the usual supper, it would be an excellent thing for the office-bearers to do the amicable. So, the ladies made me a birthday cake and the circuit stewards presented me with a beautiful eiderdown quilt, which also showed how cordial was the relationship between parson and people. As a further indication in the same direction, an invitation was given for us to remain for a fourth year. * Tom Carr does not bother to mention that the birthday celebrations also marked his 40th year in the ministry. He was in his 60s when he came to Birkenhead, but seems to have approached his work with a vigour befitting a much younger man.

Page 13 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom LAY LEADERS Souvenier, a booklet produced to mark the church’s 50th anniversary in 1930, pays tribute to the hardworking laymen and women who not only kept things ticking over before the first minister was appointed to Zion Hill, but also, in the course of five years, swelled the congregation to the point where the original 70-seater church had to be replaced with a larger model. John Johnston is remembered as “a man well versed in Scripture, at home in prayer, a teacher and a leader”, while local blacksmith John Dickens was a “true Methodist, never at a loss.” Dickens was the “earliest labourer” in the Sunday School who, with gifts in prayer and song, was also able to conduct a service when required. Alexander Wilson and his wife Elizabeth [grandparents of Norman Wilson and Rose Edmonds, great grandparents of Shirley Bycroft and great great grandparents of Robert Bycroft] had been raised as Presbyterians in Scotland, but in Birkenhead threw in their lot with the Methodists, giving more than “30 years consistent service to their Lord, loving the church of their adoption, being but rarely absent from their place within its walls on Sunday or the week night service. Their love and reverence for God’s Word, His Day [and] His House were clearly evidenced, and acted as an inspiration or rebuke, as case might be.” Wilson’s untiring efforts as a temperance worker were seen as one of the major reasons that Birkenhead did not have a hotel in 1930. In One Hundred Years of Christian Witness, the booklet produced in 1980 to mark Zion Hill’s centenary, grandson Norman Wilson, says Alexander, although a quiet man, was a circuit steward and trustee, preacher, editor of the circuit magazine and the first president of the Men’s Fellowship. The Wilsons were successful orchardists, occupying a block of land between what is now Coronation Rd, Moore St and Glenfield Rd. A recent history of the Glenfield area1 describes them as perhaps the first settlers to “scrape a living from the clay soil of Glenfield.” In later years their son, Allan [father of Norman] continued his parents’ commitment to Zion Hill. The Forgham family - whose house, Highbury, stood opposite the church on Birkenhead Aye, and gave the area its name were also stalwarts of the early congregation. Mr Forgham [father-in-law of W F Hammond, who designed the original church building] played the flute to lead the singing in Sunday School, while A G Clow and his younger brother led the congregational singing, aided only by a tuning fork. Jonathan Pickering and his ‘winsome” wife are remembered as able and willing workers. Pickering, an architect, designed the present church, but did not charge for her services, while his wife is said to have been a successful canvasser and preacher’s friend”.

1 A History of Rural Glenfield by Valerie Rounthwaite. Page 14 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Even after the church gained a minister, lay members continued to have a big influence. Notable among the early lay leaders were: Edward James White who “for over 20 years... firmly yet gently held the official reins in Church and [Sunday] School. To him and his how oft the Church did look in time of need nor looked in vain.” His brother, Alfred Lovel White, who joined the church in later years, but, according the the Jubilee booklet, quickly won the love, respect and trust of parishioners. He was, it says, “strong, forceful, gifted with tactful grace, a leader to the manner born. As superintendent of our School, and senior circuit steward, he held the highest offices within our church and, in respect of both, proved efficient and successful. His memory, like a fragrance, lingers still within the hearts and minds of those whose privilege it was to know him as a friend.” Tom and John Hadfield, remembered as active and energetic in both church and community life. Tom’s son Albert [father of Millie Ireland] was Sunday School superintendent for 11 years during the 1920s and 30s, hosting the Sunday School picnic at his property in Campbell’s Bay. Willie Cuckson and his parents. The official record provides scant information about this trio, but they were considered sufficiently important in the life of the early church to warrant a dedication on one of the memorial windows that were installed to mark the 50th anniversary. The jubilee booklet notes only that Willie died young, but contributed so much in his short life that, some years after his death, his name “lives even yet in many hearts, and breathes of naught but love”. A children’s class was formed in his memory. His parents too had died some years before the 1930 celebrations, but were remembered as conscientious workers for the church. The Hayman family — Hedley, Frances and Jack — all of whom went into fulltime church work. Jack went as a missionary to China, Hedley, who married Alfred White’s daughter, Enid, became a Baptist minister in the United States and Frances became a home missionary, working in mral communities around New Zealand, predominantly with Maori. Griff Rennie, who is remembered in the jubilee booklet as “one of those choice personalities that are a blessing to any church.” He built the altar rail and communion table. His wife, Ivy, was the daughter of Rev Tom Carr.

Page 15 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIAL WINDOWS IN ZION HILL CHURCH To mark the church’s 50th jubilee, the Trustees decided to replace all the windows with leadlights, commemorating the families who had worked so hard to establish Zion Hill. The new windows were dedicated on July 13 1930, at a service led by Rev William Avery, assisted by the vice-president of Conference, Mr. A. Peak, and other former ministers, Revs. J H Allen, and J D Jory. The NZ Methodist Times of August 30, 1930 reported that the church was full for the celebrations and quoted Peak’s dedication address, in which he paid tribute to “the faithful labourers in God’s vineyard”, whom the windows honoured. “Henceforth, for all who enter here to worship, as the light of the day streams into the sanctuary through these memorial windows, lending beauty and adornment to the structure, and aiding the spirit of worship, there will be thrown into relief the names of these honoured servants of past days who worshipped and laboured here,” he said.”These windows will be a constant reminder of the principles for which they stood, and an incentive to emulate their spirit and follow their example. The simple faith of the humble Christian in tune with his God often produces examples of high resolve and purpose.” The windows were dedicated to Mr & Mrs J Johnstone, Mr & Mrs J Dickens, Mr A L White, Mr & Mrs Alexander Wilson, Mr Tom Hadfield, Mr & Mrs E J White, and Mr, Mrs & Willie Cuckson.

WHICH CAR DO YOU SEE? If your attention has ever wandered during a sermon (I’m sure it hasn’t) and you’ve found yourself taking a hard look at the windows in the front of the church, what sort of car does the leaf motif at the top of the panes look like to you? An informal survey suggests the parish is divided into those who see a ‘Noddy’ car, and those who think it looks like the Batmobile. Just don’t let the minister see you looking!

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Former mayor of Birkenhead Cliff Utting (third from left) with other long-serving parishioners from the 1970s - from left, Norman and Annie Wilson, Miss Flora Wilson, Reg and Joan Woodhams and Cliff Utting’s daughter, Coral Malcolm.

BEYOND THE PEWS The leaders of Birkenhead’s Methodist fellowship have often been well represented in community leadership roles as well. In 1888, when the newly created Birkenhead Borough elected its first councillors, two of Zion Hill’s stalwarts were on the list - Edward White and Tom Hadfield [grandfather of Millie Ireland]- while Charles Button, whose wife and son were church organists, was the mayor. Perhaps this is part of the reason why council meetings were held in the little octagonal church until the first council chambers were built in 1906. In later years more names associated with the circuit appear among the councillors — founding members of the Birkdale church, H M and Thomas Shepherd, and Fred Souster from Northcote among them - while Zion Hill’s Sunday School superintendent, Alfred White, was appointed town clerk in 1900. By 1919 Tom Hadfield’s son, Albert [father of Millie Ireland]- who, coincidentally, had been White’s successor as Sunday School superintendent — had himself been elected to council. In 1922-23 he served briefly as mayor, following on from Northcote parishioner John Court, who held the office in 1921-22. Hadfield subsequently returned to the rank of councillor, although he served as deputy mayor, and acting mayor at different times. He stood the mayoralty in 1929, but was narrowly defeated.

Page 17 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Beyond his civic responsibilities, John Court was a successful and highly regarded businessman [the John Court’s department store, on the corner of Queen and Victoria Sts — now Whitcoulls - was an Auckland landmark into the 1960s] and, in 1921, founding president of the Birkenhead Progressive League. He also served on Auckland City Council. George Hewson [father of Gwen, who married Ashley Petch] was also elected to council in the 1 920s, and went on to become deputy mayor. Charlie Castleton also served on the council for a long period. In 1929 a Queen Carnival was held, to raise funds to equip the new fire brigade. The winner - that is, the participant who raised the most funds — was Gertie Utting. In 1948 Gertie — by then married to George Warth — was co-founder of the Birkenhead Women’s Institute. She retained a long association with this group, which raised funds for charity, donated soft toys to hospitals and arranged entertainment for the elderly and ill. In 1953 another Utting, Cliff, [father of Coral Malcolm] became mayor, presiding over a busy period in Birkenhead’s development, including the establishment of the War Memorial Park, on land that had been made available by Court and by Utting himself. His successor, Cyril Crocombe, who was elected in 1959, was also from Zion Hill. He spent almost a decade in office, during which time the borough grew rapidly, thanks to the new harbour bridge. In 1998 John Malcolm was awarded the QSM after more than 40 years of service to the volunteer fire brigade. For every one of these names there are at least a dozen others who have given their time and energy to a host of community initiatives, including school committees and boards, youth groups, sports clubs, and groups providing for the elderly, ill, disabled or otherwise needy. Birkenhead parish is the richer for its association with them all. ______

DO YOU REMEMBER... … how, in the days before the carparks were sealed, Cliff Utting did sterling work, directing the traffic each Sunday morning to ensure that the maximum number of vehicles could be crammed into the available space?

Page 18 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE CHANGING SHAPE OF BIRKENHEAD METHODIST PARISH The anniversary celebrations mark 125 years since the building of the first church on the Zion Hill site. Although a church is people, this short history of the buildings may give an indication of the life in the church. Initially Pitt Street Circuit was responsible for all the North Shore. 1854 Church section in Birkenhead donated by William Creamer. 1865 Methodist church built at Devonport. 1870’s House meetings began in Birkenhead. 1880 Octagonal church built. 1882 North Shore Circuit, including Birkenhead, Takapuna and Devonport, was formed. Methodist services began in Presbyterian Church at Albany. 1883 Sunday School started in Takapuna at the Northcote Rd Hall on the corner of Taharoto Road. 1885 Present church built at Birkenhead. Worship services began in the Northcote Rd Hall. A section in Huron St. Takapuna, donated by Thomas Buddle. 1891 Services started in Mayfield [Glenfield] School. 1894 Services started in Birkdale School. 1895 Northcote Mission Hall built on RJ Souster’s land. 1901 First Takapuna Church built in Huron Street. Birkenhead Octagonal church shifted back on the section. Northcote hall moved and extended to become Northcote Church. 1902 Sunday School hall built at Birkenhead. 1906 Birkenhead Circuit formed, taking in much of the Shore, including the church at Northcote and congregations at Birkdale, Glenfield and Albany. Services commenced in Greenhithe village hall. 1907 Birkdale church built. 1909 Northcote church extended. 1915 Glenfield church built 1916 Birkdale Sunday School hall built 1918 Northcote church remodelled and extended. 1919 New classrooms added to the Birkenhead hall. 1922 Northcote Sunday School built. 1928 Kitchen and toilets added to Birkenhead Hall. Classrooms added to Northcote Sunday School. 1936 Sunday School started at Beach Haven. 1939 Octagonal church raised and attached to the rear of the ball. Beach Haven church built 1942 Birkdale hall removed. 1944 Birkdale church demolished and section sold.

Page 19 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom 1951 Birkenhead parsonage built. 1955 Beach Haven hall built. 1958 Rotting buttresses removed from Zion Hill Church. 1959 Beach Haven parsonage built. 1960’s Land purchased at Greenhithe and Albany. 1962 St Luke’s church built at Northcote Central. 1964 Illuminated cross added to Zion Hill, porch and vestry enlarged. 1970 Northcote circuit formed. 1973 Beach Haven became cooperating Methodist-Presbyterian parish. 1975 Glenfield/Greenhithe/Albany became cooperating Methodist- Anglican parish, leaving only the Zion Hill Church in Birkenhead parish. 1986 Lounge and foyer added to Zion Hill Church, joining it with the hall. 1991 Beach Haven rejoined Birkenhead parish. 1994 Old Birkenhead parsonage sold and new parsonage built off Highbury Bypass. 1997-8 Category A heritage order, proposed for both Zion Hill church and hall, was challenged and removed from the main hall, but not from the church or old octagonal building. 2001 Beach Haven parsonage sold; lounge, kitchen, toilets and classrooms added to Beach Haven church.

The rear of Zion Hill in the 1960s, showing the clubroom, old vestry and porch.

Page 20 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom BUILDING ON MODEST BEGINNINGS On August 7th 1854 William Creamer donated some two acres of land to the Wesleyan Mission “to be for the site of a Wesleyan Chapel and for other purposes of the Wesleyan Mission”. Creamer had come from Australia on the Border Maid, which left Geelong in November of the previous year. In the History of Birkenhead, Margaret McClure calls him John Creamer, although in the deed of transfer and in the shipping lists, he is shown as William. Little is known of him except that he was one of about half a dozen who were farming the area at the time, others being de Jersey Grut, Henry J.Hawkins, Hugh McCrum, Joseph Hill, James Fitzpatrick and William Bradney. When de Jersey Grut came to Duck Creek (Chelsea) in 1856 he hired a team of bullocks and driver from John’ Creamer to begin ploughing. A William Creamer who was in the Thames goldfields in 1878 may be the same person. Creamer’s son spoke at the 50th Jubilee celebrations. For thirty years, nothing was done with the Birkenhead site. Many Methodists attended St John’s Anglican Church at Northcote, which had been consecrated in 1860. But, by the end of the 1 870s, the Methodist community in Northcote and Birkenhead was becoming eager to have a spiritual home of its own. The group began holding cottage meetings, gathering in one another’s homes to sing some of Wesley’s beautiful hymns and pray together. By the beginning of 1880 the fellowship was sufficiently strong, both in numbers and commitment, to begin plans for building their own church. The little congregation probably dreamed of building an imposing edifice, in keeping with the outstanding location, but funds were short and the future uncertain so they opted for a more modest, octagonal structure, designed by local resident, Williani Francis Hammond. The building was completed the same year by Charlie Johnston, at a total cost of £180. At that stage church members numbered only some half dozen families but they managed to open the 70-seater building debt free. Worship was at 3pm, after Sunday School at 2pm, until 1882, when North Shore Circuit was formed and morning and evening services were introduced. Sunday School remained in the afternoon. About this time a Presbyterian minister — one Rev McCallum — gave the church its name. Standing on the summit, gazing across land and seascapes stretching away to the horizon, he quoted the Psalmist’s words: “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion.” Hence the church became Zion Hill. By September 1884, when the Sugar Works at Duck Creek began operation, Zion Hill’s congregation was too big for the little octagonal chapel, so plans were prepared for a much larger and more striking Gothic-style church, seating well over 200 people.

Page 21 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom When the new building opened, on Sunday March 29 1885, the New Zealand Methodist, Vol. 1, 1885, reported it as follows: Opening of new church, Birkenhead Four years ago Mount Zion Hill, Birkenhead, was gay with a crowd of Auckland and local friends, who had assembled to take part in the opening ceremony of a little Wcsleyan Church. Great were their rejoicings when they found that the octagon-shaped structure, seating about eighty people, was fully the Lord’s, free from all incubus of debt. How rapidly things move1 Entre Jean passe Jeannot is the way of the world! The four-year old church is now the old church, and a brand-new gothic building, accommodating 220 people, stands upon Mount Zion, overlooking the waters of the Waitemata and-looking down upon her sister churches of the metropolis across the river. On Sunday, March 29 1885, the first services were held in the new church. The Rev Rainsford Bavin, Chairman of the District, preached to large congregations in the morning and afternoon, and the Rev A. Reid in the evening. On Tuesday 31st., a grand soiree was held, at which abundant pabulum for both mind and body was freely dispensed. About 200 people gathered to show their sympathy with the Birkenhead friends, and to have a peep at what was unanimously styled “the prettiest church in the District.” After tea the meeting in the church took place, at which our old friend Mr T. Buddle presided, and the Revs A Reid, A McCallam, W G. Parsonson, and Mr Cox gave addresses. On Sunday last the opening services were continued, the superintendent of the circuit preaching in the morning and afternoon, and Mr Button in the evening. The total proceeds of the opening services amounted to about £35. The entire cost of the building is about £600, of which amount there is yet to be paid about £600 to the Loan Fund. To Mr Bartley2, architect, and Mr Flewellyn, contractor, great praise is due for the creditable result. If any of your readers would like to see a model church in one of the most charming situations in the world, you could do no better, Mr Editor, than advise them to visit Mt Zion, Birkenhead. The old octagonal church began a new role as the church hall. In 1888 when the first Borough Council was formed, it met in the old church for several years. A plaque on the wall of the building commemorates this. It took many cakes and biscuits, and mountains of produce, but the debt of £250 on the new church was paid off by end of the century. In time the old church also became too small for the Sunday School, so in 1901 it was shifted back on the section to make room for a new hall. This was completed by Fred Souster in 1902, at a cost of £558-0-11d, and proved itself a wonderful acquisition for both church and community. By 1919 it too was becoming too small and, on October 18, new classrooms were added in a one-day working bee.

2 Local records name the architect as Jonathan Pickering. Page 22 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom In 1928 the kitchen and toilets were added and in 1939 the old church lifted up and joined to the back of the hall, with a basement classroom beneath. In 1964 the Church porch and vestry were enlarged. In 1984, plans were made for a complete redevelopment of the church site, to take place in four stages: 1. The lounge, foyer, office additions linking the Church with the Hall. (completed 1986) 2. A new parsonage built off site. (completed 1995) 3. A new Church auditorium. 4. Demolition and replacement of the hall. The last two have never been completed.

-Alec Utting

And then there was the painting! Paul Smith (left) and Graeme Gillies hard at work.

Page 23 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

The Glenfield Mission Hall, as it looked when newly completed. Built in a Day Fast track building projects were something of a speciality of Birkenhead circuit in its early years. There were a number of carpenters in the church and, with swelling numbers creating an almost constant need for new buildings and extensions, it didn’t take long to develop a style of kitset construction that would be the envy of many a modern congregation. The first in-a-day project was the Glenfield “mission hall”, built in 1915. With many of the younger men away at war, there were still enough able- bodied men on hand to assemble the cut-to-size beams and boards, paint the structure, and even hang a gate, before nightfall.

No doubt some of those recorded in early the records as stalwarts of the church were present when this photo was taken, during construction of the lean-to Sunday Schoolrooms in 1919. Page 24 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Next job, in 1919, was the lean-to Sunday School rooms at the side of the Zion Hill hall. Photos of the day show a large team of workers, covering a wide age range — and the inevitable apron-clad woman, serving morning tea.

Work under way on the 1919 additions to the Zion Hill hall. Twenty years passed before the circuit attempted another one-day job, so it is likely that no more than a few of those who turned up to build the Beach Haven church on May 6 1939 had been involved in earlier projects. For some years previously worshippers had been holding fortnightly services at the Blennerhasset’s cabaret, behind the general store by Beach Haven wharf. The decor of this building - portraying the lighter moments of life in the trenches during World War I - was not in keeping with a spirit of worship, however, and Rev Gatman championed calls for a new church. A site was purchased and the secretary of the newly appointed Beach Haven trustees, Mr A B Rowland, and his wife, took charge of the fundraising. Finally the job was ready to go ahead, under the supervision of John Hall and his foreman, Harold Chappell. Reports of the time note that workers came from as far away as Northcote. The women of Northcote and Birkenhead also came along, joining with the local ladies to serve refreshments from a hired tent. The Beach Haven women were responsible for morning and afternoon teas, while the visitors provided lunch. When not occupied with catering duties they painted weatherboards. This time it seems that the job was not quite finished by dusk, as the same team assembled the following Saturday to put the finishing touches, and others turned up on weeknight evenings to paint the interior and tidy the grounds ready for the dedication on May 21.

Page 25 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom The NZ Methodist Tunes of August 29, 1939 reports: “The building was officially opened by Mr E J Osbourne, Mayor of Birkenhead. An inspiring service was presided over by the circuit minister Mr H H Jeffreys. An offertory of approximately £35 was received, making possible the payment of all costs, including a piano, with no liability other than £150 to the Church Building and Loan Fund. Mr and Mrs Rowlands presented to the church an enlarged and framed photograph of John Wesley, as a personal token of thanksgiving for the fulfilment of their prayers with the completion of the church. The chairman addressed the assembly and congratulated all concerned on the excellent result of their devotion to the ideal of a place of worship for the Beach Haven community. The following Sunday the Rev H H Jeffreys conducted a young people’s service, and in the evening. Rev G I Laurenson occupied the pulpit. The church was packed to capacity for both services and at each service since, 60 persons at least have been in attendance. The hope of all associated with this enterprise is that the new church will be a spiritual “oasis” in this district and that some day it will be an important suburban area of the city of Auckland.”

Men’s Retreat 1930s.

Page 26 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

Rev Athol Penn at the opening of the brick parsonage in 1951. Guests seated below the windows include the builder responsible for the project, John Hall (centre, leaning on his hand) and trustee Norm Wilson (second from right). THE PARSONAGES The original Zion Hill parsonage was the old villa that still stands on the Onewa Rd side of the church. It was built in 1902, to accommodate Rev William Greenslade, and remained in use until the mid-1940s, when Rev Andrew Johnston was minister. After leaving the old parsonage, the Johnstons lived first in a house just back from the corner of Pupuke Rd and Birkenhead Ave [then known as Glenfield Rd], believed to have been owned by the Chappell family, and later a smaller dwelling, around the corner at 107 Glenfield Rd. This latter house was constructed from the former Birkdale Methodist church, which had become obsolete when the Beach Haven one was built in 1939. These temporary quarters remained in use until 1951, when Rev Athol Penn and his family became the first occupants of the new brick parsonage on the corner of Birkenhead Ave [Glenfield Rd] and Zion Rd. A booklet produced to mark the parish’s 75th anniversary pays tribute to the builder, John Hall, who “literally went the second mile, not only in putting in the best workmanship at a very low comparative cost, but also in including many extras.” At this time, not long after the World War II, building materials were in high demand, and supplies sometimes ran short, but the parish united behind the project, raising the necessary funds, helping out in any way necessary and, eventually, furnishing the finished building. At the oflicial opening, long-time parishioners Mr and Mrs Allan Page 27 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Wilson were invited to ceremonially open the front door. By the beginning of the 60s the circuit needed a second fulltirne minister, so Beach Haven parsonage was built, at 293 Rangatira Rd. The women of the Beach Haven congregation bought furnishings for the new house with the proceeds of cake and bring and buy stalls. Today this parsonage is home to Malcolm and Lorraine McLeod, who bought it from the parish in 2000. By the early 1990s the issue of the Birkenhead parsonage was again on the agenda. The brick parsonage was in need of upgrading and the church already owned a section in Zion Rd. After long debate about the pros and cons, including a serious proposal to build in the lower car park and to buy 95 Birkenhead Ave (the house between the car park and brick parsonage), both the parsonage and the Zion Rd section were sold, with the funds being used to build a new parsonage on a site off the Highbury Bypass. During the construction process Graham and Marion Whaley were provided with rental accommodation in Beach Haven. The Whaleys moved into the completed house in October 1994. ______

DID YOU KNOW... …. that the brick parsonage was the scene of a home birth in 1980, when Jeremy joined the family of Alan and Lynne Upson? ….that attendance at worship became a lot more comfortable in 1967, when the Women’s Fellowship bought cushions for the pews and wallmounted heaters for the church? Perhaps the biggest surprise is that anyone came to worship before that, especially in winter.

Page 28 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

Samoan worship at Zion Hill. THE SAMOAN FELLOWSHIP The idea of forming a Samoan Fellowship at Zion Hill was first discussed with John Osborne on May 4 1986. On June 13 that year the first meeting of Samoans was called, so they could discuss plans to form a Samoan church. Rev Salafai Mika from St John’s Theological College came over the finalise everything before the services officially started. On October 12 1986 the first Samoan church service was held. At the time it was held once a month, on the second Sunday of every month. On January 11th 1987 the group held its first congregational meeting, and which the following officers were elected: Taitai Moemalo Foisa Secretary Se’epoleta Brewster Treasurer Iulieta Logi Asst Secretary Leuli Logo There were eight families in the church at this time, no lay preachers and two matais — Seuiasomalu Brewster and Aiga Aukuso. Today Samoan services are held on every Sunday of the month, apart from the first one, when we have a combined communion service, and the fifth Sunday, when we combine with Beach Haven. There are now eight lay preachers in the fellowship, leading services each week. On the first Sunday in February each year the fellowship holds its first leaders’ meeting for the year. New leaders are elected at the last meeting, in December. Present office bearers are: Taitai Moemalo Foisa Secretary Suefuaina Mulitalo

Page 29 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Treasurer Fualau Meki Assistant Elia Kalolo During the year the Samoan Ekalesia holds services with other Sinoti Samoa churches, such as Ponsonby, Panmure and Henderson Methodist Churches. We also hold Sunday School exams each year, and have special Sunday services for the choir, youth, Father’s and Mother’s Days, and White Sunday. These services mark how valuable the various groups and people are to the life of our fellowship, in the 18 years since the Samoan Ekalesia was formed, it has become an important part of the life of Birkenhead Parish. Su’e Mulitalo

MAFUTAGATAMA’ITA’I -THE SAMOAN WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP This group has long been a valuable part of parish life, raising funds for a wide variety ofprojects over the years and supporting not only the Ekalesia but the whole parish in many different ways. Currently there are 16 members, working in two groups, on alternate Saturdays, to help maintain the church, hall and grounds. Members enjoy working together to meet the needs of the church. They serve refreshments after communion each month, and also provide food for meetings and for selected members preaching at the Samoan church. Hospital visiting for church members and their families is also a regular part of fellowship work. Each year the fellowship shares in a prayer meeting for the Mothers of the World, and attends a national gathering with other Samoan Mothers’ Fellowships from around the country. Current office-bearers are: President AIi’itasi Foisa Assistant president Tiliitana Brewster Secretary Ponesi Taatu Assistant secretary Saili loapo Treasurer Pepa Kalolo.

Page 30 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom AOGAASO SA - THE SAMOAN SUNDAY SCHOOL The separate Samoan-language Sunday School, which has been operating since the 1980s, aims not only to provide children with a good grounding in scripture, but also to familiarize the children, many of whom are New Zealand-born, with Samoan language and culture. In the parish annual reports for 1994, then-superintendent, Se’epoleta Brewster, wrote: “The Sunday School is still holding its annual exams, starting from preschoolers right through to senior Bible class. Prizes are awarded to all children, regardless of their placings. Most of the material or prizes for children are bought directly from Samoa. The books are bought depending on the child’s ability in the Samoan language. “The children have picked up the Samoan language very well since the beginning of the year. Pre-schoolers are quick at picking up the language. Some pre-schoolers only speak Samoan, but maybe when they reach primary school level it won’t be so hard to pick up English. The children are bi-lingual and should continue with their Samoan culture.” Se’epoleta was Samoan Sunday School superintendent for over 10 years. WHITE SUNDAY

White Sunday is a day for children. On this day children get first priority. They eat first, and their parents serve them. They wear new white clothes for the service and have other new clothes to put on when they go to eat. The children lead worship on this day, reading Bible stories, performing dramas and praying.

Page 31 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

White Sunday

MAFUTAGA FAILAUGA - SAMOAN LAY PREACHERS This ministry is at the heart of all ministries within a parish. The people in the lay preacher programme dedicate themselves to the work of God. Lay preachers have always been vital to the life of the Samoan church at Birkenhead. They are involved in all aspects of lay preaching in the district, including meetings and preacher exchanges with the churches in Panmure, Ponsonby and Waitakere. The eight lay preachers in Birkenhead are Fualau Meki (chairman), Saili loapo (secretary’), Tiliitaua Brewster (treasurer), Su’a Esekia, Su’e Mulitalo, Pisiloa Ulutunu, Tuiana Niu and Tali Kalolo. Venture firth my children and spread the good news.”

Page 32 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom AUFAIPESE - THE SAMOAN CHOIR This ministry began in 1973, and 32 years later the choir is still in harmony. There are currently 34 members, six of whom are students. Practices are on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons, at the church, under the leadership of choinnaster Fualau Meki. We sing for the palagi folks’ when we have our combined services for Holy Communion, and also share in fellowship at Beach Haven on every fifth Sunday of the month. We have funded our own equipment, such as the keyboard and piano, and our unifonns are provided from donations given at weekly practices. Current choir committee members are: Choir leader Arnilale Mose Vice choir leader Tiliitaua Brewster Secretary Sarai Meki Vice secretary Fetalaiga Niu Treasurer Iulieta Logi. The Lord’s work is never done, which is why we welcome anyone who want to have a bit of fun, meet new people, make friends, or just to fine- tune those vocal chords, to come along on our practices nights and experience Samoan culture. God Bless The Birkenhead Methodist Samoan Choir. AUTALAVOU -THE BIRKENHEAD METHODIST SAMOAN YOUTH GROUP In 1989 the Samoan congregation agreed that there should be a Bible study or youth group established, not only for the youth, but for anyone who wanted to broaden their knowledge of the Bible. Faimoa [now Fualau] Meki was chosen as president, Tali Malaesaili as vice president and Saili Aiga as secretary. Later the group decided it needed a budget, and appointed Faiese Tauati to be treasurer. New members were charged a $5 enrolment fee, and everyone paid 50c a week for Bible studies. In addition, late coiners were charged a 50c penalty, and those who were absent for Bible lessons had to pay $1. The group divided into two sections, one looking at the Old Testament and the other at the New, under the leadership of Pita Logi and Polo Foisa. It was not all study,

Page 33 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom however, as the group held its first camp in December 1989 and attended a sport convention the following February. In 1995 the group was able to report that, after competing in the Auckland Samoan Youth Group Summer Games, its teams were the current champions in mixed touch rugby and men’s volley ball. Today there are 49 members in the group, ranging in age from 14 to 70. The younger members know how to work with their elders, as respect for older people is something they learn from a young age. The group meets for Bible classes twice a month, and also holds meetings to discuss ideas, ways to better its surroundings and other things that may require attention. The group has bought itself a marquee, which is hired for outside use when not required for youth group activities. Members also have their own uniform, which is worn with pride at church gatherings and special events in the parish. The current leaders of the group are: President Pisikoa Ulutunu Vice president Tui Niu Secretary Saili Ioapo Treasurer Faitele Malaeulu Tiumalu Brewster, Tau Ioapo and Amataga Malaeulu are the members of the games committee.

Page 34 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE MEKI FAMILY Life at Zion Hill began for our family in 1967 when a young couple from Mt Eden chose to live on the North Shore and build their home in Birkdale.

Aliitasi and Moemalo Meki (centre) with their children, Saga (left) Wayne and Sulieti, and granddaughter Talor. Polo [Moemalo] and Tasi Foisa [nee Mekij joined Birkenhead parish with their baby daughter, Sulieti. in May 1967. A couple of years later Tasi’s sister Vasa Mekijoined them from Samoa, followed in 1972 by her brother Tau [Mua’au]. Moernalo and Tasi’s family continued to grow, with the birth of their second daughter Saga and their son ,Wayne. In 1978 Tau married Valerie Holmes, and in 1979 Vasa married Amilale Mose. Tau and Val now have two adult children, and Vasa and Amilale have four. The youngest of the Meki brothers, Faimoa [Fualauj and his wife Siiva arrived in Birkenhead from Samoa in 1979 with the first two of their four children. For several years our eldest brother, Peti Meki, visited New Zealand in the course of his work with the Western Samoan Power Company. He could see the benefits for his young family so, in the mid 1 980s, the first of his sons, Alapati, arrived, followed soon after by his sister and two brothers. Sadly Peti passed away while on holiday in NZ in 1993. Since then, his wife Laelae has spent most of her time in Birkenhead, and is a member of the Samoan Congregation. Over the past 38 years our small family has grown from three to 49, and has celebrated five weddings and 14 baptisms at Zion Hill. Some have moved away, in particular the younger ones, who have gone overseas or to other parts of New Zealand, but most are still active in the day-to-day life of the parish.

Page 35 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Currently, Moemalo is the leader of the Samoan Congregation, Fualau is our church organist and choir master for the Samoan Choir, as well as being treasurer for the Samoan Congregation. Tau [Mua’au] represents the Samoan Congregation on Parish Council and Val is parish treasurer.

Fualau and Suva Meki, their daughter, Karolarne and Fualau s brother, Tau Meki. There is a lot of love in our family and we are proud of the way we support one another, but the foundation of our family this parish. Zion Hill is the centre c our lives. Being part of the Birkenhead parish keeps us all focused on wh we are here and how we live our lives. With God’s blessing our family will continue to grow and be part of th Birkenhead parish at Zion Hill for many generations to come. -Val Meki

Page 36 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE PARISH BANNER

When Conference was held at Paerata in 2001 all churches in the Auckland area were asked to send a banner, representing their logo or identity, for display in the hall. After discussion, Coral Malcolm made a banner showing Rangitoto, to establish our geographical identity, a cross with the horizontal bar made of Samoan tapa, and strands representing the three congregations coming together into a single koru-style design. Above all these is the dove of the Holy Spirit, with the whole design encompassed in an unbroken circle. The banner now hangs in the church and the design had been adopted as the parish logo, appearing on bulletins and other publications.

Page 37 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom FIVE GENERATIONS - THE UTTING FAMILY Fredric Clement Utting lived next door to the hall, on Birkenhead Ave. He took an active part in parish affairs, overseeing the construction of Birkdale’s Sunday School hall in 1916. Although a layman, he was often called on to preach throughout the circuit and was notorious for the occasion when in 1931, as a man of over 80, he “wrote off’ the church gig when the horse took fright and went over the bank by the Greenhithe turnoff. His family of three sons and one daughter Cliff, Harry, Frank and Gertie [Warth] contributed in many leadership roles through their Bible Class years. Harry became a Methodist minister and so was moved around the country, but the other three lived locally and continued their involvement at Zion Hill. Together with their eight children, they were involved with the choir, Boys’ Brigade, Girls’ Life Brigade [later Girls’ Brigade], Bible Class, Sunday School, and many other activities. In later years Fredric’s grandchildren married and shifted away, until only Cliff’s daughter, Coral, remained at Zion Hill and, in later years Harry’s son, Alec, moved back to Beach Haven. Coral married John Malcolm, and they and their five children continued to be active in the life of the church. At different times Coral, John and Alec all served as parish stewards. Coral led — and continues to help with Girls’ Brigade for many years, and regularly took services, while John chaired the parish property committee. Both have worked closely with the Samoan fellowship, have led youth groups and Bible studies, and lent a hand at hundreds of working bees, fairs and fund raisers, social occasions, camps and other events over several decades. Six of their grandchildren attended Zion Hill as children. Alec took a similarly active role at Beach Haven and, at a parish level, worked extensively with stewardship campaigns, and financial recording. He was keenly involved with the Beach Haven building project in 2001. His wife, Judy, was a mainstay of the parish music programme. These days Alec and Judy Utting live in Christchurch, but John and Coral, with their grandson, Luke, [son of Robert, who died in 2000] are still part of the parish, marking five generations of membership, leadership and activity in the life of Birkenhead Methodist parish. The totara tree on the corner of the upper carpark was planted several years ago to acknowledge the input the Utting family has had on the life of the parish.

Page 38 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom BUILDING THE EXTENSIONS I well recall Trust meetings where the perennial issues were raised — “The porch at the entrance to the church is too small!” and “We shouldn’t expect fo!k to have to go out in the rain to get to the toilets in the hall.” Finally it was agreed that we should join up the church and hall buildings. Designs were prepared and David Bycroft, being a builder, offered his services free of charge for the term of the building project, with Malcolm Scott as builder’s labourer. 1 took three months off work as second labourer while Graham Keightley, also a builder, acted as clerk of works and looked after the ordering of materials. This was an invaluable time of fellowship, with working bees occurring on numerous weekends, when the need arose for extra hands to lighten the load — everyone from school age to superannuants working alongside one another. As I recall we were blessed with a period of good weather and it was seldom that we had to sit around waiting for the rain to go off.

Two good keen men - David Bycroft and Doug Scott. All went well, with very few problems, until we came to putting up the roof of the lounge. David admitted to me afterwards that he spent a number of sleepness nights working out how he was going to get the angles right when we came to cut the main timbers that support the roof. Remember, he was dealing with costly pieces of heavy timber and couldn’t afford any mistakes! However, thanks to David, the timbers were cut and fitted perfectly. With Graham’s joinery expertise, cupboards for the classrooms and office, and the tea stations in the lounge were all manufactured on site, or in Graham’s workshop. John Malcolm looked after the electrical work and Keith Mason the plumbing. Wallpapering, painting and varnishing were done by various members of the church.

Page 39 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

Malcolm Scott mixing cement It must be difficult for newer members to visualize the site as it was, or to imagine what older members were prepared to put up with prior to the extensions. Imagine not having the vestibule and lounge areas for weddings and funerals! At the official opening of the extensions, David and Malcolm were presented with photograph albums showing the job’s progress from go to whoa. -Doug Scott.

The rafters that caused David Bycroft so much lost sleep.

Page 40 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom DAVID BYCROFT

David served his church and his God well - as a parish steward and committee member; as a skilled volunteer taking charge of the work on the church extensions as a novice worship leader, excited to share what God was doing in his life; and as a member of Zion Hill’s family, who noticed the needs of others and quietly did what he could to meet them. He was also a devoted husband to Barbara and loving father to Ian and Sharon. After a brave struggle with cancer he died in 1994. Doug Scott, who worked alongside him on the church building project says: “David came to Zion Hill as a 12-year-old, when his parents moved into the area from Cambridge. He joined Boys’ Brigade and went through the ranks, later becoming involved as an officer. He and his brothers [twin brother Peter and older brother Ken, father of Robert] were keen boating people, preferring sail to motor. David was a very good sailor. The last boat he had was a Noelex trailer-sailer. “I don’t think David was keen on meetings, preferring to serve the church in practical ways. I always felt that he was, in his own quiet way, a deep thinker. I can recall occasions, particularly when the parish was going through difficult times, when David would proffer a comment or view of real wisdom.” Jenni Inskeep recalls attending a Life in the Spirit seminar with David: “I saw the delight in his face when he realised that prayers do get answered. He’d pray about something and next week report back, and it was like ‘Wow!’ From then on he really took off spiritually. “He and Barbara were such servants, always there for every working bee, in their matching overalls. And David would go around and just encourage everyone. He could always find a job that was right for everyone.”

Page 41 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom GRAHAM KEIGHTLEY

On June 17th 1999, Zion Hill lost one of her more colourful characters of recent years, Graham Bruce Keightley. At Kerikeri he was an apprentice carpenter and cabinetmaker, farmer, St John Ambulance volunteer, scouter, Rotarian, and National Party electorate secretary and activist. In the Kerikeri Methodist Church he was Sunday School superintendent, Bible Class leader, handyman, and stewardship campaigner. At Birkenhead he was property committee convener and parish steward. In the wider Methodist Church he was Property Development Manager from 1980 until 1990, an MTA Board member, and vice-president of the church during 198 1-82. As a family man he was husband to Ruth, and father of Raewyn and Bruce. Truly, a man of many parts and many talents. But anyone who ever worked with Graham, such as on the building project at Zion Hill, knew quite a different, funny-man, humorist, side to this gentleman, mentor, and friend. Try to put one across him and Graham let rip with: “Every dog has his day and every cat its night!”, or, “The graveyard is full of little boys who have tried to be just a little too clever!” Contribute some outstanding bit of work, or, say a clever line, and you were greeted with: “You’re not just a pretty face, in fact, you’re not even that, you’re a gentleman and a scholar.” Faced with a difficult problem, Graham would exclaim: “It’s like pushing sand uphill with a rake”. Yet another change of plan was greeted with: “Alteration 366!” And Graham’s equivalent of another man’s oath was to exclaim: “Flippin’ Nora!” Then there was: “You can call me anything you like, but don’t call me late for breakfast, . . . lunch, . . . dinner!” Yes, a meticulous and generous craftsman. A wise, immensely loyal and supportive man of honour and integrity. A gentle, loving man who never had a harsh word for anyone, and, perhaps, felt and bore other’s pain too deeply for his own good. A man of deep and attractive faith of which he gave expression by his own inimitable fund of deliciously humorous turns of phrase. Graham — even five years later you are still deeply missed. -Rev Gary Clover Page 42 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom REGINALD ALBERT WOODHAMS 1913 -1996 A lifelong resident of the Birkdale/Birkenhead area, Reg was connected with Zion Hill Methodist Church for eighty years. He died suddenly, on the morning of Sunday January 7 1996, as he arrived for morning worship at the church that has been so much a part of his life. Reg came from a family of Congregationalists who for a time attended Beresford St Congregational Church in central Auckland. When the family settled in Birkenhead, he became involved in Bible Class and Easter Camp activities and joined Zion Hill. In subsequent years there were not many positions in the parish which Reg did not fill. He was a Sunday School teacher, with periods as superintendent both before and after his war service, a long-serving choir member, assistant conductor and conductor, remaining in these roles until the choir disbanded. He served as a Trustee for 40 years, was a parish steward and remained a minister’s steward until his death. For 25 years he organised Zion Hill’s Save The Children’s Fund sponsorships. He was also a longtime Synod representative, serving on the pastoral visitation committee, and a Conference delegate. Preparation and attention to detail marked all areas of his life. Reg desired to train for the ministry, but family difficulties and economic pressures during the Depression prevented it. Nevertheless, he will long be remembered by a former generation of student ministers, with whom he shared weekends, driving them - in a car lent by his boss, Len Hayman - to outlying preaching posts like Port Albert and Wellsford. In 1941 he became a lay preacher. He was a widely read student of theology, and preached with distinction for more than fifty years, taking his last service a few months before his death. His desire to serve his church full time was fulfilled in 1965 when he was appointed manager of the Auckland Epworth Bookroom, a position he held until retirement in 1977. He was an enthusiast, who encouraged many to expand their theological horizons from Epworth’s resources, even though the shop often struggled with severe under-capitalisation. He was a member of the Methodist Board of Publications and, after retirement, secretary of the Christian Booksellers Association of New Zealand. To quote a former Zion Hill presbyter, “We all have much to thank God for that Reg was a Birkenhead boy — and a Birkenhead man — who served his community, church and family with Christian integrity and love.”

Page 43 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom JOAN CORDELIA WOODHAMS 1918-1997 Joan lived all but six months of her life in Birkenhead, growing up in one of the brick houses at Chelsea. She married Reg on August 2 1941 and, despite strong family connections with All Saints Anglican Church in Hinemoa Street, chose to worship at Zion Hill with him, quickly becoming part of the congregation and participating in church activities. She served many terms as president of Zion Hill’s Methodist Women’s Fellowship, preparing devotionals which were greatly appreciated by other members. As part of her Fellowship involvement, there were few parish social events at which Joan did not play some part in organising the food and running of the kitchen. She also served on the regional committee of Women’s Fellowship for a number of years. When Joan left school she learned floristry, joining her mother in the family florist business. Her skill with flowers was widely used over the years. She organised the church flower arranging roster for many years, supervised the decorations for countless Spring Flower and Harvest Festival services, and, in later years, often created the arrangements for the sanctuary. Many Zion Hill brides walked down the aisle carrying one of her bouquets, and each year the oldest guest at the annual Old Folks’ Day celebrations was presented with a posy bowl crafted by Joan. She supported Reg in all his efforts, teaching Sunday School alongside him and spending many hours creating costumes for Sunday School Anniversary and Christmas productions. Music was a keen interest and she spent many years in the choir. Sewing and knitting were also favourite pursuits and a large percentage of what was on sale at church fair sewing stalls was made by her — often out of scraps of fabric left over from the clothes she made for her family. During her later years she knitted many yards of wool into beautiful jerseys, cardigans, matinee sets and booties which were sold to support a child or family sponsored through Save the Children Fund. After Reg retired she joined him on many pastoral visits to the elderly, the shut-in’s and those in resthomes. Joan’s love for her Lord was the catalyst for her to serve the church to the best of her ability and support Reg and her family. -Alison Sinclair [née Woodhams]

Page 44 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom JOYCE SOUSTER

Joyce Souster began teaching Sunday School in the infant department when she was a teenager, in the 1930s, and did not quit until well past retirement age. She maintained a keen interest in the young people who passed through her care, saving any newspaper clippings that referred to “he?’ children, and posting them on the notice board for all to see. By the time she stepped down from her role, three generations of some families had had their first formalized Christian education under Joyce’s tutelage. CAROL PRIESTLEY

The whole church benefited from Carol Priestley [née Phillips]’s gift for hand crafts. As a Sunday School teacher her class regularly blitzed the competition in Sunday School Union events, and the amazing dioramas and models they produced were often on display at Zion Hill. On top of that, Carol mass-produced velveteen lions, and every church family having its first baby was given one. The church crèche was given a magnificent Noah’s Ark play mat, complete with removable animals and people. Hundreds of Zion Hill infants cut their teeth on the little felt animals (in many varieties, and two of each of course) that slipped inside the ark. Page 45 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom BEACH HAVEN EXTENSIONS After some years in a union parish with St Philip’s Presbyterian, Beach Haven church rejoined Birkenhead parish in 1991. By the late 90s, however, the congregation was becoming discontent. While Zion Hill had commissioned an architect to draw up plans for a new complex to replace the hall, Beach Haven worshippers felt they were having to scratch for financial crumbs to do even necessary maintenance on their buildings. Perhaps fortunately for inter-parish relationships, the concept plans for Zion Hill were rejected as unsuitable, and the departure of a number of parishioners meant this ambitious building project was taken off the agenda. instead, by the 2000 annual meeting, plans were being made to sell Beach Haven parsonage to fund development at its associated church. It was decided to put an Initial Home on the back of the church, to provide much needed Sunday School and meetings rooms, kitchen and toilet facilities. The interior of the church itself was to be turned around, moving the sanctuary to the road end, and the main entrance to the side. In 2001 Malcolm and Lorraine McLeod bought the parsonage, which had been their home for some years, and work began on the building project. Things went remarkably smoothly and the Wesley Room, as the development was called, was officially opened on September 30 by the president of the church, Rev Dr Mary Caygill. One of the highlights of the opening was a new hymn, written by Tess Franklin and put to music by Judy Utting: Chorus: Little church with coastal airs, In answer to our earnest prayers You have grown with room for more To receive blessings through your door. Friends or strangers come in to raise Your voices with the songs of praise. God will hear and know you’re there And you will know you’re in His care. God’s arms will stretch from inside Out to touch the hearts of all about And welcome children to receive his love Brought on the wing of a gentle dove.

Beach Haven church, your history is long And that must show your spirit is strong. Let the future begin with a joyous start And may God’s blessings warm each heart.

Page 46 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom OLD FOLKS’ DAY

An early Old Folks’ Day gathering - the gentleman with the large white beard is Millie Ireland’s grandfather.

The first Old Folks’ Gathering was held at Zion Hill in 1922, and seventieth and the last one in 1997. Each year dozens of parishioners — many of them themselves well over the qualifying age for attendance at the gathering — would work together to bake sponges, make sandwiches, decorate tables, provide transport, pour tea and do the dishes afterwards. Invitation was never limited to Methodists, or even to those with some form of church affiliation. Attendance was open to anyone over 60 who wanted to be there — and each year dozens of people did. In its heyday the gathering often attracted 100 or more, although the range of entertainment options available to the elderly in more recent years meant that this figure declined markedly in the last few years of the event. From the first, flowers were an important part of the day. Not only was there a bouquet for the oldest man and woman present, and for any who had celebrated a ‘significant’ wedding anniversary in the preceding year, but there was also a floral buttonhole for each guest. Joan Woodhams was responsible for the bouquets for many years, and Dorothy Mason [nee Lewis] had a hand in the buttonhole making from her earliest years. “When I was a child, Grandma [Sarah Runcieman] used to do the buttonholes at her place. We would do them on the Friday night — trays and trays of them. Mother [Elsie Lewis], Auntie May [Hall — mother of Win Hall] and all the grandchildren would help.

Page 47 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

“Old Folks’ Day was a really big thing in those days. As well as the flowers the church did miles of baking for the day. Grandma would have already been old enough to go to the gatherings at that time. She did go in later years and was the oldest woman there for several years. “When Grandma was widowed she moved in with Auntie May, and the buttonholes were done from there. Then, in the late 1960s, I started doing them at my place, with a team from the three Birkenhead churches. “It was always held in March, so I would be anxiously watching my garden in the weeks beforehand in the hopes that my dahlias would still be in bloom and there would be enough flowers to go around. We did the buttonholes at my place right up until they stopped having Old Folks’ Day.” OLD FOLKS GATHERING 1924: “The Pastor and Officers of the Circuit desire the pleasure of your Company at a Gathering of Old Folks in the Birkenhead Church on Saturday, February 23, 1924, at 2.30 p.m. A short, bright service will be held, followed by afternoon tea, a musical entertainment, and social intercourse. Conveyance to and from the Church will be provided.” Such was the invitation presented to every person in the Circuit known to be 60 or more years old. No thought was given as to what Church the old folk belonged. Motor car owners came forward with offers to convey the guests from their homes and back. They were met and welcomed at the church door by the pastor, Rev WA Hurley, Mr and Mrs Archie Wilson, Mrs Sussex, Mr and Mrs Alan Wilson, Mr and Mrs Todd, .Mr and Mrs Chapman , and Mrs Usher, also Mr McCracken . The choir rendered selections before the service. Rev P N Knight delivered a fme address on the Everlasting Love of God. The service ended with the singing of Sun of My Soul, and the old folk wended their way to the schoolroom, where a dainty afternoon tea had been laid. Each guest was presented with a buttonhole or spray. A short musical programme was given by Miss G Brooke (Auckland) and a bevy of Birkenhead girls, while little Margaret Evans delighted the gathering with her recitation Shocked. Mrs Martain-Sinclair, aged 94 years, as the oldest lady present, was presented with a bouquet. Mr John Stanley, aged 85 years, the oldest “boy” present, also received a floral offering. From The New Zealand Methodist Times - April 26, 1924

Page 48 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MINISTERS AND MISSIONARIES Among those who have passed through the pews at Zion Hill are a significant number who have gone on to some form of fulltime Christian service. One of the first of these was Jessie Graham, who travelled to India as a missionary in 1906, after spending a couple of years training in England. A gifted linguist, her work included evangelism, scripture translation, and outreach to women who were held in strict purdah. Over forty-one years, she travelled widely, often in very rough conditions, and won hearts with her wann personality. She retired to New Zealand in 1947. Arnolis Hayman, brother of Len and Frances, joined the China Inland Mission in 1912. His, too, was a hard life. Bandits were a constant problern, and in 1926 he was widowed, with four young children. He remarried in 1930, and had two more children, but in 1934 the whole family was captured by the Communist army. His family was released, but Arnolis was held to ransom, remaining in captivity for over a year, until the money was paid by Chiang Kai Shek. Weakened by this experience, he moved to an office job at the mission’s Shanghai headquarters, and was still there when the Japanese invaded in 1937. The family spent five years in internment, so damaging his wife’s health that she died soon after their release. Arnolis served as secretary for the Overseas Mission Fellowship in Sydney then, in 1948, at the age of 58, he was ordained into the Anglican ministry, remaining in parish work until his death in 1971. His sister, Frances Hayman , also opted for mission service, although she remained in New Zealand. After training as a nurse she worked as a home missionary, serving Maori communities in remote locations.

Francis Hayman Page 49 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom George Carter [brother of Pam Howard, formerly Pam Stringer] first went to the Solomons as a nursing orderly to the forces during World War II. After the war he went to Bougainville, initially as a teacher, and then as an ordained minister. He was involved in scripture translation and superintendent of a circuit there, before transferring to Munda in the British Solomons. In 1966 he became general secretary of the Methodist Church’s Overseas Division, travelling widely in the South Pacific over a number of years. He also served as president of the Bible Society in New Zealand. In the early 1970s, George Carter arranged for two other Zion Hill parishioners, Brian and Molly Williams, to take up missionary work in Darwin, Australia. The couple, from England, had been in Birkenhead for about five years, and had a small daughter, Kerry, who was born in 1973. Their work in Darwin was to involve Aborigine programmes in Arnheim Land. However, only three months into their posting, on Christmas Day 1974, Molly and Kerry were killed when their home was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy. After home leave in Britain and New Zealand, Brian returned to Darwin for a further three years service. Others from the church involved in ministry or mission work include: Harry Utting, John Hall [brother of Win], David Edmonds and Bill Rice, all of whom were ordained into the Methodist Church, Glyn Cardy, ordained an Anglican, now vicar of St Matthew’s in the City, June Hilder, who served as a deaconess in the Solomon Islands, Maurice Warth, who spent a year working with the Order of St Stephen, Kathy McClusky [née Malcolm] - 13 years on the Mercy ship, Anastasis, John Fabrin, now chief executive of the Rhema Broadcasting Group, Terry and Deb Cunningham [née Rice] with YWAM, Chris and Ginny Edwards, with Youth for Christ,Rebecca Hawkins [née Hansen] with Campus Crusade for Christ, Shirley Le Roy with Radio Rhema, Alan and Tania Jenner [née Gillies] who spent three months in Nepal, Ross Forsyth, who worked as a pastor in a city church for several years. Zion Hill has supported missionaries over many years. In the 1940s and 50s the Missionary Auxiliary raised funds for those in mission work, at home and abroad. Speakers at the monthly meetings included June Hilder and Frances Hayman. The Auxiliary’s collection boxes were gathered up once a year and funds distributed according to need. Women’s Fellowship has been a longtime supporter of Helena Goldie Hospital in the Solomon Islands, along with other projects. In the 1990s so many one-time parishioners were involved in outreach that services featured a Missionary of the Month.

Page 50 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom SUNDAY SCHOOL IN THE 70S At the time when the ecumenical movement was progressing towards an expected union between certain churches, a completely revised Christian education syllabus, New Beginnings, was introduced. All ages were looking at the same topic at different levels each week. Combined with this, we introduced a new class and staffing system in which each two-year class of 20 children had three leaders. In this way different talents and skills could be used storytelling, craft, drama and ‘mothering’ — and absences could be covered more easily. Singing, Bible reading and prayer was a combined effort between the groups. Each year the Junior Church (as it was then known) led the whole church worship in what was essentially a cross between the Sunday School anniversary and a Christmas service, which included a dramatic presentation. One year we had the theme of Christmas around the world, another year, Christmas arrives in New Zealand. I remember Mr Woolford was very much against having services in the hall. He believed that if you have a service of worship it should be in the church, so we did. We did Christmas arrives in New Zealand the same year that Samuel Marsden was on the Christmas stamp, and all the little boys wore binder twine puipuis. Vivienne Souster lent us a very old black shawl that Mrs Marsden wore, and the Samoans pretended all to be Maori. One of the things that I tried to get across to the children is that we were doing this to worship God — it wasn’t just a play that we were putting on. One memory is the year in which a film of the Christmas story was made. The children from Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches met after morning worship one day. We had lunch, explanations were given and the costuming was done. There had been no previous rehearsals. The parts were allotted - how we decided who took what part, I can’t remember - and the children costumed, scene by scene. As each scene was ready, children, helpers and properties were driven to the location. The scene was set up — we arranged to use an appropriate archway at a Chatswood house for the inn yard — a run-through was done and the final shooting completed, then we tidied up the straw and moved to the next location. This was in the days before videos and, with film at approximately $20 for three-and-a-half minutes, much of the editing was done before film was wasted. The last scene to be filmed was in the paddock at John Duthie’s place. The shepherds had seen the angels and gone on their way to Bethlehem. We were going to edit in the Bethlehem scenes after that, but we also wanted to film the shepherds return, so carried on filming immediately afterwards. At that point the cars started to arrive, as parents came to pick up their Janet and Peter Wright children. When we saw the film, there along the top of the picture were all Page 51 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom these cars, so we had to refilm it. We did it in the middle of the week, by which time the staves had gone back to the people they belonged to, all the beards and what have you had gone back, so while the shepherds had been in Bethlehem they all had a shave.

Janet and Peter Wright By mid-afternoon filming was over. The children and their parents read their parts, which were recorded and added later. Not until weeks later did we realize that the morning sunshine would not allow the film to be shown as part of a combined morning church service! Therefore the three congregations met for an evening service at St Andrew’s for the premiere of this act of worship commemorating the birth of Jesus. In 2003 the footage was transferred to a video cassette. -Janet Wright DID YOU KNOW.. … that in the days of multiple Sunday services, at different locations, the parish once agreed to pay a speeding fine for a minister who had been apprehended by the law while dashing front one church to another? … From the property and finance committee, July 1990: ‘There appear to have been people living in the hall basement. - muddy footprints in the Boys’ Brigade cupboard and evidence of bacon and eggs being cooked in the kitchen.”

Page 52 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom DYNAMITE BAY It’s not a place but a different way of doing Sunday School. The Dynamite Bay programme was introduced to Zion Hill in 1997. Although it only ran for a couple of years, it had a big impact on me and I still use its methods and ideas. It was intended to be more of a ‘club’ than a ‘Sunday School’ and so be more appealing to children with no church background. We covered each topic over 5 weeks, with different activities, expecting that each child would be able to relate to at least one of them. There was a dramatic introduction followed by games, craft, discussion, and an adventure. So we got to make dinosaurs on Milford Beach, use compass bearings to find treasure at Soldier’s Bay on a very misty morning, use the Scout’s confidence course, and have a volcano explode with our teenage helpers, Hannah Andrew and Meredith Brown-Haysom, hurling out Jaffas. The key idea of Dynamite Bay was to start with something the children were familiar with to introduce a spiritual truth - so volcanoes lead to anger management, and dinosaurs to creation. Another important aspect of the programme was being in contact with the children during the week. But it was the team aspect that, for me, made it the highlight of all the years I’ve been involved in Sunday Schools. When I felt quite blank on a subject, others would be fizzing with ideas and amazing creative stuff happened — Sandra Flint, Helene Robinson, Gaye Edwards and Tania Jenner made a pirate ship, David Jones a volcano, and so on. You could attempt so much more as a team. And we had others to call on when things got extra busy — Meredith Hannah and, later on, Christine Lepine.

Kaiaraki Gaye Edwards leading the adventures in Dynamite Bay. Page 53 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom It was great seeing the children tackle so many new activities and discover abilities they didn’t know they had. Some were really city kids without a lot of outdoor kiwi stuff (not always easy for the immigrant families from Korea and Iraq, but for me the contact with immigrant families was another special opportunity during our time at Birkenhead).

“The lads” at Milford. We put a lot of work into an Easter programme at Mt. Victoria. . . .and counted the day a success because the kids (and leaders) had so much fun sliding down the slopes on cardboard that had been left in the rubbish bins. We were fortunate to have David’s involvement as Youth Worker, as the rest of the leaders were female, and we had a great contingent of lads. I remember their papier mache cave that was pinpricked to show the constellations, a skiing trip, and a paper hot air balloon. David was great at outdoor experiences and knew the bush well. I remember him in Kauri Glen Bush, telling us that the kawakawa leaves can be used for pepper flavouring, and one boy promptly stuffing fc leaves in his mouth. Yow! There was an overnight camp at Kaukapakapa, when he had us following a string through the bush in the dark — very scary for young lads, and a great way to see the glow worms. And remember the dramas he put on? David Sharrock was wonderful as an Italian pizza parlour owner offering Joseph and Mary the use of his garage. I was always amazed at the activities of Colleen Dutton’s group of 6 and unders, too. How she managed so many kids and so many activities in that room I wonder. They would pour out of the room with their clever creations... I remember kites made of adorned supermarket bags one week. In the end we weren’t able to continue in the direction the Dynamite Bay needed to go, but nor were we able to maintain the level of leadership that was needed, with all our people heavily committed. We tried to maintain a high level of activity for the children after that, but didn’t have the leaders. -Sara Clover

Page 54 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom SUNDAY SCHOOL IN 1939 Miss Joyce Souster had all under-fives in the building at the back of the hall. There was a goodly number of us — about forty, I think. In the hall were all ages, five years and up — a large number of these children. The intermediates — about 24 of them - went downstairs at class time with their leaders — myself and Mrs Cook. At anniversary time there was a stage built in front. The Sunday School children and teachers met downstairs. The hall was well attended for three services over two Sundays. At the start of the service the children would come and be seated on the stage — older classes first, with their teachers. When they were seated, the choir came and sat in front, then the Bible Classes. Mr Joe Wright was choir master and his wife the soloist. There was an anniversary tea and also a Sunday School concert where each class competed for a prize — a shield or something. Sunday School in those days was on a Sunday afternoon. There were three church services each Sunday. There were also annual Sunday School picnics. We went to Takapuna Beach by bus and camped on property in front of Mrs Price’s parents place. There was a gate leading on to the beach. We got hot water from the house. We entertained the children with swimming, sand castle competitions and races — including three-legged ones, races for the teachers and any mothers too! At home time Mr Hadfield, who was Sunday School superintendent at the time, would climb a few steps on to a balcony and say a little speech. All the children would gather and he would throw handfuls of paper- wrapped lollies for a lolly scramble, and then we would all climb into the buses and home. Two of the teachers at this time were Mrs Price and Mrs Simpson. On weeknights were Band of Hope meetings once a month, run, I think, by the Temperance Society, to stress the dangers of alcohol. My mother wore a little white bow to show she belonged to the group. As teenagers we had a monthly — or was it weekly? — Saturday night social, where there was no concern over drugs or alcohol. Mrs Ashley Petch [Gwen Hewson] was often the leader. We used to visit other church socials. I remember going to one out at Birkdale Methodist. We walked there. There was a group of us — I remember Bob Atkinson, Eileen Prince [who later married Bob], Reg Woodhains, Stanlowns, my sister Jeanette and myself. When we walked home past Bob’s place, Mrs Atkinson was waiting by her gate to have a chat. One thing we did, and had great fun doing, was to apple pie’ the beds of other young people. And there were also surprise parties. I remember one for Louie Roberts, who lived next door to me in Seddon Rd (now Colonial Rd) and hadn’t been well. We took

Page 55 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom the supper and the programme for a surprise party and asked the family to make sure Louie was home. Half of us went to the front door and half to the back. At times it was hilarious! The young people went to Bible Class camp each year. Bible Classes were well attended. Mrs Chappell was leader of the one I was in. At one after-camp evening service, the message was given by Harold Chappell and myself. I remember it well, with the singing of the hymn, I went in the garden alone. I remember my mother and three of my sisters came to the service, which was very well attended. —Elva Hennessey née Giles

Win Hall’s Sunday School class from the 1930s - Back row -. Vivienne Luker, -, Margaret Petersen, W. Simpson, Carol Phillips; middle row -,-, Shirley Wilson, Margaret Lowe; front Athol Robertson, Jim Ryan, Eric Luker. SUNDAY SCHOOL IN THE 1960S Debra, Vincent, Odette and Sandra Deinpster attended the Methodist Church Sunday School from 1962 to 1969. Rev Sherson christened them all together in the church at a private family ceremony in 1966. In those days my Sunday ritual was regular as clockwork - starting out early, getting the children ready, piling them into the car and making sure they were strategically stacked to make room for the Morris children, whom I’d pick up on the way to Sunday School. In those days the area around Zion Hill was hectic, with people and cars everywhere. You’d have to park your car a good distance back from the church, in Birkenhead Aye, and walk the children to the door. I’d then rush home to prepare breakfast for their father, who would arrive home off night duty, with just enough time for a quick clear up, then off down to church for the pick up.

Page 56 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Once home, while their father slept, we’d all sit around and quietly chat about their Sunday School lesson, and discuss what they had to prepare for the following Sunday. There was always so much going on, in each of their Sunday School classes — whether it was the choir, and upcoming day out, a picnic or some national undertaking. When Debra was five years old, I remember she came second in New Zealand for her handwriting in the Sunday School writing competition. That brought so much joy to us all. In those days my contributions came when they had an outing — I’d go along and help out with food preparation or whatever was needed. If Rev Sherson got called out when he was looking after his grandchildren, he’d drop them off for me to look after because his wife had very bad arthritis. One incident that comes to mind is one of many zoo outings with Debra’s Sunday School class, in those days the zoo was always as busy as the church Sunday services. Hence it was necessary to have back up helpers to keep tabs on the children. The class numbered nine children, with my extra three making 12. I was the head counter. On this particular occasion we were all gathered outside the giraffe’s paddock, which was a great drawcard. Every child became mesmerized in front of the high wire fence, watching the lazy, lanky, loping giraffes. But counting 11 heads instead of 12 didn’t help my composure, especially as I was mindful of the momentum the giraffes were gathering as they crossed the paddock towards us. Still only 11 heads. My anxiety was building, when I happened to look up and spot my son, hanging over the very top of the fence, waving his arm and calling the giraffes. Fighting shock I called, “They’re coming to eat you Vincent.” He heard me above all the mayhem, reaching the ground before I took my next breath. There were many fun times — games and memorable picnics down at Birkenhead Wharf. Turning back in time, that period brings some wonderful memories. -Maggie Boyle SUNDAY SCHOOLANNIVERSARY - 1908 The Sunday School anniversary services, held on November 15 and 22, were in every way successful. The preacher for the first Sunday was Mr C H Olds, Theological student. On the second Sunday the morning and afternoon services were conducted by Mr J Evans, and the evening by Mr Allen, Theological student, all of whom delivered appropriate sermons. The attendances throughout were large, the schoolroom being taxed to its utmost at the evening services. The singing of the children, under the conductorship of Mr Le Petit, assisted by the church choir, other friends, and an efficient orchestra, was the principal feature. The collections for the two days amounted to £20 6s 11d, the highest in the history of the school. The tea meeting was held on November 25, and despite unfavourable weather was well attended. Rev B Taylor of Devonport presided. The programme consisted of songs, recitations, and Page 57 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom musical items by the scholars and friends, and the presentation of the prizes and certificates won by the scholars at the last union examinations. The presentations were made by Mr Falkner, president of the union. The fmancial position was satisfactory, there being an income of £61 l4s 11½d, and leaving a credit balance of £11 7s 4½d. There are 180 scholars and 21 teachers on the roll. Thirty-three scholars sat for examination in July last, and secured two third prizes, three first prize certificates, 14 seconds, and eight thirds. As a result of Decision Sunday, held during the mission of Mr Staines, a junior endeavour class, meeting on Sunday morning, was formed of those who had decided for Christ. The officers and teachers are looking forward to the coming year’s work with hope. The Outlook December 12, 1908 EARLY MEMORIES - MILLIE IRELAND My earliest memories include Zion Hill — Sunday School in the first little building. I can still remember singing: Hear the pennies dropping —Listen as they fall, Every one for Jesus — He shall have them all. My first teacher was Miss Jory — she was a nurse who brought babies into the world. Then I had Olive Ashby — she was a lovely Sunday School teacher. When we were older we came up to Sunday School in the existing hall, and the hall was full. There were partitions all around the edges, separating the classes. Later on I went to Bible Class. Gwen Hewson was our Bible Class leader. At church — the Hadfield pew was full, with Mum, Dad and six children. I used to sit and admire the choir. They had a wonderful choir, and Mavis Hewson was so lovely. We had Young Worshippers League and Sunday School picnics, concerts, the anniversary and socials. There was no dancing in those days, but we did have the Grand Old Duke of York so we did have a chance to hold hands. The socials were more games evenings in those days. We would go to the Birkdale ones, and they would come to ours. Harvest Festival was a sight to behold with mountains of fruit and vegetables. Through the week the goods were auctioned. I have enjoyed our Women’s Fellowship meetings. They used to be at held at night and that was great because that was Doug’s night to bath the children while I went out. One thing I remember about Fellowship from those days is that, whoever was president, the next minute they had a new baby. It happened twice, and then I was asked to be president. I had my two boys and I didn’t think it would happen to me, but I had Joyce! Long may the memorial cross lead us to worship at Zion Hill. -Millie Ireland [née Hadfield] Page 58 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom EARLY MEMORIES - ERIC CHARMAN I started at Zion Hill when I was five, and was there until I went north teaching before the War. We lived at the top of Ocean View and Raleigh Roads, on a farm, next door to Allan Wilson. The Wilsons were very great fillers of Zion Hill — there were a lot of them and they had a long association with the church. We went to Zion Hill too because it was the nearest church. Dad was a Baptist and Mum was an Anglican, but we could walk to Zion Hill, so we did. The one thing that really sticks in my memory is all the celebrations for the Sunday School anniversary, it went on over two Sundays, three times a day. Joey Wright was the conductor. Because we lived some way from church as did others — we had a lunch on great big tables in the church hall. Someone — probably Mrs Allan Wilson and her daughters - had great hanging baskets of flowers suspended from the ceiling. I’ll never forget the lunch on anniversary Sundays, and the great baskets of flowers — mainly daisies. I suppose I got sent up on the platform. As I got older I moved further up, towards the choir. They were in the first two or three rows, and really carried the anniversary. It was a great occasion for the kids, and for the church generally. Dancing in the Methodist church was a great bone of contention for many years, in many churches. We started running dances before the war, while I was still in Bible Class. Even my future wife, over at Mount Eden Methodist, heard about Zion Hill Methodist — They ran dances. That was disgusting.’ One of the younger conservatives in the church was most indignant about the depravity of dancing in the church. What was wrong with the good old socials, he wanted to know. So he set to work and organized a social, where we would play Jolly Miller and aithese things, in opposition to the Bible Classes. Len Hayman was a much loved Bible Class leader for many years. Then he got ill and my brother and other senior Bible Class members continued to run the Bible Class. To raise a bit of money for the Bible Class they used to come out to the farm at Northcote and cut down a pine or two, chop them up and sell the firewood. -Eric Charman. DID YOU KNOW... … that the first four “ladies” — Valerie Aitken-Smith, Colleen Faulkner, Vivienne Souster and Kath Neville — were appointed to the church trust in 1967? Another five men — H. McCaffley, Les Pooch, Peter Wright, Jobi Malcolm and Noel Souster — were also appointed, bringing the total number of trustees at the time to 27, although some of the longer standing members were no longer resident in the parish.

Page 59 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom

44th Auckland Company in the 1930s. The front row includes Shirley Wilson, officers Alma Chappell, Mrs Roberts and Edna Lewis, chaplain Andrew Johnston, Pam Roberts and Nancy Hayman. GIRLS’ BRIGADE I was a member of what was then the 44th Auckland Company of the Girls’ Life Brigade [it later lost the word ‘Life’ and is now the 1st North Shore Girls’ Brigade Company] in the 1940s. At one time it was one of the largest companies, with 44 members. I remember how much we enjoyed the church and Anzac Day parades, when we marched to the Boys’ Brigade pipe band. We were also in Auckland parades, up and/or down Queen Street to the Town Hall. When Mrs Roberts was Captain we all dressed up appropriately and danced Irish reels, practicing on the grounds where the original Church! Kindergarten was. I remember the Cadets and their complete trust and how loving they were. It was good to see them move up to continue in Brigade. Some girls earned lots of badges to wear on their sleeves. I was VERY proud when I first got my uniform as a Warrant Officer. The other officers were Mrs Roberts and Mrs Chappell. Nancy Hayinan and Pam Roberts helped with Cadets while Jean Edmonds helped with Brigade. -Edna Rasmussen [née Lewis]

Page 60 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom 60 YEARS OF GIRLS’ BRIGADE The 44th Auckland GL.B. Company was founded in 1944. I joined as a cadet, went through the ranks and became captain in 1958, not long after I was married. In 1968 G.L.B. became Girls’ Brigade, and we became the 1st North Shore Company. Mrs Roberts was the original captain, followed by Kath Neville, another English woman whose name I can’t remember, Carol Priestley and then me. I stood down at the end of 1989 and now my daughter, Jennifer Goodwin, is captain. Over the years we had 10 girls get their Queen’s Awards and many receive Duke of Edinburgh Awards, including several gold ones. One of the most pleasing things is that most of the leaders over the years, including the present ones, have come up through the ranks. -Coral Malcolm In 1990 the Girls’ Brigade Company from St Luke’s church joined with 1st North Shore. In 1999 a shortage of leaders forced the company to merge with the 10th North Shore, meeting at St Andrew’s church. This group went out of existence a couple of years later, but in July 2004 the North Shore Company was re-formed, meeting once again at Zion Hill. Current leaders are Jenny Goodwin [née Malcolm], Judi Scheffer [née Brown] and Maree Wilton [née Coombridge], all of whom began as juniors/cadets at Zion Hill.

1977 -DawnAshton, Jennifer Malcolm and Dianne Coombridge receive their Brigader Brooches from the national secretary.

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The 18th Auckland Company on parade in Onewa Rd- Bill Waller leads with Athol Robertson at his shoulder. Cyril Lewis (Snr) carries the flag. BOYS’ BRIGADE The 18th Auckland Boys’ Brigade Company was established in the late 1930s. The founding captain was Mr Parker, and Cyril Lewis junior [Dorothy Mason and Edna Rasmussen’s brother] was lieutenant. Soon afterwards Cyril left for the war and his father - also called Cyril — became a leader in his place, under the captaincy of Charlie Robertson. Cyril senior went on to serve as district secretary for the Brigade, and to do a lot of work at the district’s Orewa campsite, although he ceased active involvement in Boys’ Brigade at the end of the war. William Lewis, father of the elder Cyril, donated the company’s flag — a silk creation that remained in use for the entire life of the company. The 18th Auckland Company closed in 1988, although the team section [formerly called Life Boys] remained in operation. In 1993 Dorinda Duthie became leader of the team section, but it ceased operation in 1997.

MP Don McKinnon with Boys’ Brigaders Ian Bycroft, Chris Edwards and Malcolm Scott, 1970s.

Page 62 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ In the 1980s, Neil Staveley, a member of the Boys’ Brigade, was an apprentice at Chelsea sugar refinery. At the time the company that owned both the refinery and the neighbouring houses was restoring the old workers’ cottages to their original colonial style, and, as a result, had put the garages up for tender. Neil put in a $1 tender with a note explaining why he wanted the garage, and why he had so little to offer for it. As a keen mechanic he had the idea for a fantastic project for the Boys Brigade, restoring an old American Ford truck with a jailbar, which he had seen at a wrecker’s yard at Horopito, near Waiouru (where the movie Smash Palace was filmed). He wanted the garage so he and the BB could do the truck up, but could not afford to more. Fortunately Chelsea accepted his tender, and a team from the BB dismantled the garage and re-erected it at the back of Zion Hill. The team then headed to Horopito to bring back the truck. It was a difficult journey — not only did the truck lack a Warrant of Fitness and registration certificate, but it also had a nasty leak in the radiator and a very marginal clutch. They drove home, with those in the car going on ahead so they could stop at each town and find a public toilets or other place to fill water bottles to top up the radiator. At the time there were still tolls of the harbour bridge, and as they approached the city the team became concerned that, because of the worn clutch, it would be almost impossible to stop without stalling the truck. They were uneasy about their chances of restarting it so, after discussion, it was agreed that the car would go through first and pay double, so the truck could continue without stopping. The plan worked and the truck was delivered safely to Zion Hill, where restoration work soon began. Shortly afterwards, however, the BB company closed because of a lack of leaders. Neil Staveley took the truck back to his house and finished the restoration, turning it into a flatbed. When completed he sold it, recovering his costs and giving the balance of the proceeds to the Boys’ Brigade. DID YOU KNOW... … that, in the late 90s, the property committee considered leasing part of the car park for a KFC outlet? Had it gone ahead, would the counter staff have asked customers: “Would you like prayer with that?”

Page 63 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIES: ALISON SINCLAIR Zion Hill has been my spiritual home since I was just two weeks of age. In those days the family did not own a car, so we walked from Bank St each Sunday. I was pushed in the pram and, on fine days, was left to sleep under the tree outside the church. As I grew I spent time in crèche before moving onto Sunday School. The infant department was ably led by Joyce Souster and Beattie Begg. And so my spiritual growth began. I remember how proud I was when, as a primary school pupil, I was old enough to join the “big” Sunday School. Sunday School Anniversaries were always big events — especially with Dad and Mum organising them. A new dress was made especially for the event and, when I was old enough to sing a solo or in a quartet, I was honoured to be asked. Win Hall ran a junior choir. Practices were on Sunday afternoon and a number of Sunday School children were involved. On occasions we sang for the church congregation. The ministers made a great impression on me, one way or another in those early years. I am told that I took my first steps for Athol Penn. But when I was 4 years old, Bob Allen stood on my foot, and I have never forgotten it! The first photo on my first camera was of Don Sherson, when he visited one afternoon. Teenage years approached all too fast and I became part of the youth group, which met at nights. With nothing to do on Sunday mornings, I joined Joyce Souster and Beattie Begg, along with Henry Woolford’s daughter, Catherine, to teach the infant Sunday School. When, as a 13-year-old, I attended my first Combined Churches Easter Camp at Camp Wesley in Henderson, I asked Jesus to be part of my life and dedicated my life to serve Him as Lord and Saviour. A couple of years later I was confirmed into membership of the Methodist Church and Zion Hill. When the youth groups of Zion Hill, All Saints’, and St Andrew’s combined, Catherine and I became part of the leadership, under Don Schiessel. We met at each churches for a term at a time. The group grew and thrived. Girls’ Brigade took a large part of my time. I remember eagerly waiting for my 6th birthday so I could join Cadets. I progressed through the ranks, gaining the Queen’s Award and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that Girl’s Brigade gave me to develop abilities and leadership skills. I went on to be commissioned as a Lieutenant and, over the years, led Juniors, Intermediates and Seniors, as well as Pioneers. The halcyon years of childhood and adolescence gave way to adulthood and I chose to train as a nurse. This meant living at Middlemore Hospital, but when I was not working Sundays I continued to worship at Zion Hill and also came back on Wednesdays to help at Girls’ Brigade.

Page 64 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Naturally I was married at Zion Hill, in 1977. David and I set up home in Glenfield and continued to worship with our Zion Hill family until we moved to Hawke’s Bay in 1985. When I returned to Zion Hill to worship last September, I felt I was coming home. It was good to see familiar faces and remember the good times that were such an important part of my growing up years. Now, as I look back on my association with Zion Hill with fond memories. I know that I received excellent grounding that has empowered me to grow in my faith and abilities. Since then I have continued to grow in my spiritual experience, recently completing my Diploma of Ministry internship. I am currently seeking God for a pastor position so 1 can encourage others in their faith, as I was nurtured and encouraged at Zion Hill. I pray that the work of Zion Hill will continue to be effective in the community of Birkenhead. May God Bless you all as you continue to serve Him in the way He has called you. -Alison Sinclair (née Woodhams)

Page 65 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE YOUTH GROUP In the early 1970s church union was seen as an inevitable step. With this in mind, the three Birkenhead churches made the decision to close their respective Bible Classes and set up a combined evening group, meeting at each church in turn. Initially the Sunday night gatherings had adult leadership and, while lacking any structured teaching plan or rigid format, began with a church service, went on to discussion groups on topics of our own choosing - I remember Eric Weatherall from the Presbyterian church explaining to one group that a nominated topic of euthanasia’ was not young people in Hong Kong’- followed by supper. As time went by, the group began to assume responsibility for its own leadership. The church service remained, but there was always a contingent who would turn up afterwards, just in time for coffee by candlelight in All Saints’ hall, which had by this time become the permanent home of the group known only as ‘It’. At one stage membership cards were printed, and had to be shown at the door, to keep out the riff- raff. There wasn’t much else going on in Auckland on a Sunday night in those days, so gate crashing a church gathering might have been some people’s idea of fun. Perhaps it was the dearth of alternative entertainment that initially made It such a success. The hall was full to busting most nights, with many people who had never been regular participants in the Bible Classes. But, as the Sunday nights became more social in focus — and they were a great place to meet members of the opposite sex, as many a married couple can now attest — there grew up alongside them a Friday night Bible study, meeting at John and Jenni Inskeep’s house. Over time this group drew numbers to rival — and ultimately outstrip — those at It. The Sunday night social wound down, but the Friday night studies took on a life of their own, attracting more young people than most of us would have thought possible to cram into a suburban dwelling. One way or another, the majority of the young people from the youth group made Zion Hill their home church, at least in the short term. Looking back now, it is easy to see how the relationships — matrimonial, social and spiritual— that grew out of both It and the Youth Group, shaped the future of Zion Hill over several decades. -Jackie Brown-Haysom In 1973 John and I wanted a little study group at our home. It started small, until Ross Forsyth came along and started bringing people from It. Northcote College had quite a strong Christian fellowship in those days, and little groups would wander down the driveway after school to have some Jenni Juice [Jenni’s famous orange cordial] and a chat. We kept saying we can’t lead, we don’t know enough, but John Duthie kept bringing along speakers. Vanessa and Robert used to love Friday nights because all the teens would spoil them rotten. We had no furniture the kids flopped all over the floor. We’d start with sharing answered prayer, then singing for three- quarters of an hour. After that we would split into groups for serious study, or have a guest speaker. Rev Rob Wheeler came several

Page 66 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom times and made a big impression. I remember he told us there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, so anytime you don’t know what to read in the Bible, read the Proverb for whatever date it is. He made the Bible wake up for us. We had groups meeting in every room of the house except Rob’s bedroom -two groups in the family room, one in the kitchen, two in the lounge, one in the family room, Vanessa’s bedroom - we even had a group in the laundry. Study would stop about 9. We’d have Jenni Juice and biscuits, socialize and share a bit, and chucking out time was 10pm. We were asked to go to the first camp they had because camp rules said they had to have someone over 21 as camp mum and dad. There were some great camps over the years, but the one that stands out is the Easter Camp at Poutu. We went by boat from Helensville, leaving before dawn, and watched the sun come up on Good Friday as we crossed the Kaipara. At the camp two of the young guys built big drift wood crosses up on a hill. The neighbouring farmers were very impressed — one went rushing to Dargaville to get film for his camera — but unfortunately the fanner whose land it was on complained, so we had to take them down. Zion Hill became the group’s unofficial mother church because Ian Grant was so supportive. After about three years the youth group outgrew our home and had to move. We were talking about taking a wall out to accommodate more people, but John Duthie was alarmed at that idea. Our home was blessed because of that bunch of kids. There are still so many of them committed, and now we are seeing the second generation coining through. -Jenni Inskeep FRIDAY NIGHTS AT THE INSKEEPS... … camps at many different sites and lifelong friendships - the Youth Group was a special part of our lives during our growing up years. We were privileged to be part of a close knit, caring group of people, able to share in many special experiences together - particularly our individual decisions to become Christians. The Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches of Birkenhead provided a background of support for our activities, leadership for the Sunday night services, and venues for all kinds of events. We also had a lot of freedom. There is a look of amazement on the faces of people when they hear that we were running our own camps - booking sites, arranging speakers, cooking, sorting out transport and arranging the programmes - at the advanced age of eighteen. There were a few adults in the background (special thanks again to John and Jenni Inskeep and John and Coral Malcolm), but mostly we sorted out our own activities. Having the focus on our Friday night Bible Studies was an important feature. Other Youth Groups had social activities as their primary focus, but we were adamant that the studies, often with a speaker, came first, and any social activities came after the studies. Even so, we did have a lot of fun. There were trips to Motuihe Island, World Vision Famines, general gatherings at different homes etc and library shifts. The Page 67 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom library shifts might not have always been continuous fun, but they did teach us a lot about cooperation, organization and the Dewey system. Camps were always a special part of our Youth Group years. We went to Waiheke, Carey Park, Peter Snell Youth Village, Houghton’s Bush, Red Hill, Knock-NaGree, Whakamaru, Mangawhai Heads, even Pouto. This last site was memorable for several reasons, including a certain driver having to convince police that he was not burgling houses when collecting people at 5 in the morning for the early ferry. This same driver also managed to drop his car keys into the mud, through the planks on the wharf at Helensville.

John Duthie - hard at work as usual What is the legacy of the Youth Group? Many who were involved still continue strong in their faith. Becoming a Christian has meant a lifelong commitment. Youth Group members are scattered far and wide around the world, but there is still a significant number on the North Shore, involved in various churches. Many of us have children who are now involved in their own youth group activities, with the wholehearted support of their parents. Heb 10:24-25 sums up our Youth Group years: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near -Dorinda Duthie One Friday night someone came to our house to talk to me about business matters, but the youth group was there and there was nowhere to talk in the house. I had to take him down the garden. - -John Inskeep. Page 68 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE YOUTH WORKERS In late 1993 the parish appointed its first paid youth worker. Over subsequent years a number of people have held the position, most working part time in combination with study or other activities. The role was intended not only to provide activities and a point of contact for the young people of the church, but also to serve youth in the wider community, reaching those with no church affiliation by offering them a place to come and a person to talk to.

Nanette Capistrano, who was youth worker from 1986 to 1988. The early morning smokers’ group — those who popped into the church for a cup of coffee and a cigarette before school each day — was a regular feature for years, and often provided valuable support for teenagers in need of a listening ear. At the same time the young people of the parish benefited from having a committed youth leader, who could organise camps and social events, as well as providing spiritual guidance. During the parish’s baby boom years, the youth worker was even called in to babysit for the mums at Dorinda Duthie’s Friday morning Bible study. Those who filled the role of youth worker over the years include Greg Baker, Murray Coombridge, Chris Edwards, Nanette Capistrano (anArnerican who spent two years in Birkenhead), Kerry Dewson and David Jones. Ian and Janelle Coombridge also served as unpaid youth coordinators for an extended period. DO YOU REMEMBER... … the clubhouse? It had been the caretaker’s shed at Northcote College, but the church bought it — for £5 — in the early 60s and shifted it to the back of the hall. Parishioners donated their old lounge suites and arm chairs to furnish it and it became the Bible Class room. In later years the youth group made dozens of cushions for the room, stuffing old t-shirts that had been tie-dyed. Page 69 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom CAMBODIAN REFUGEES

In the early 1980s — the days of Pol Pot’s regime - Zion Hill combined with St Andrew’s to sponsor two Cambodian refugee families who were being resettled in New Zealand. First to arrive were the Tans — ten people spanning three generations. — followed a year or so later by the Choirs — a couple with four children. When the Tans arrived, a rental house was found at Glenfield, and a team from both churches went to look it over. Ivan Fordham recalls: “We all sat on the floor in the main room and talked about what we should do. That was the Saturday morning, and that afternoon I thought I should go and have another look. “Paula Johnston [wife of Malcolm, who was then the minister at St Andrew’s] turned up too, and another lady from the Presbyterian church. We had a talk and decided we had to get a team in to spring clean and paint the place, and make a few alterations “On the Sunday morning we canvassed for help and that afternoon lot of young folk John Duthie and the combined youth group —plus quite a few from the congregation, turned up. We washed the place out and stripped the wallpaper from the kitchen — there were about six layers of it. “Over the following week Jim Pike, who was a painter and decorator, and couple of chaps from the Presbyterian church got to work to repaint it. Graham Langridge from Birkenhead Builders’ Supplies provided some big trestles for the job. At night Doug Scott and David Bycroft came and made racks for hanging clothes, with a curtain across the front. “We worked four or five nights that week, and the next weekend we had to organize the furniture. We had people with trailers going around to collect whatever people could give — sheets, blankets, linen, crockery. In a fortnight we had a fully furnished house. “Later on we did a place in Mokoia Rd for the other family. “One of the little Cambodian girls, who was only six when she came, comes to visit every Christmas and brings us a box of chocolates. She goes to several people who were involved with her family when they arrived. Last Christmas she brought her mother and brother with her — I hadn’t seen him since he first got here, but now he has a European wife and three little boys.”

Page 70 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom SOME MEMORIES OF MINISTRY 1993-95 In 1992 Marion and I were coming to the end of our second term in Zimbabwe. I was teaching in the United Theological College in Harare, and Marion was working as secretary for ZIMCARE, and organization that supported mentally and physically disabled African children. We were seeking stationing and, after eight years of hard work, were looking forward to returning to our Methodist Church family in New Zealand. The Leaders’ Meeting at Birkenhead, unable to have a face-to-face, was determined to have a phone link-up. The questions asked, and some of the issues raised, seemed to us far removed from the realities of life in a third world country! We arrived, and were duly installed in the parsonage on the corner of Zion Rd. The congregation had been good in supplying us with furniture, as all ours had been destroyed in a fire while we were in Zimbabwe. This was the first of three houses we were to inhabit during the three years we ministered at Birkenhead! The congregation was alive and vibrant, with a large Sunday School and a growing youth group, led by Kerry Dewson. Worship services were a mixture of the new and the traditional, supported by an excellent music team under the leadership of Graeme Gillies. The church ran a successful social programme and was involved in outreach to the less privileged in the area through the work of Malcolm McLeod, who was employed part time by the parish, to work mainly in the Beach Haven/Birkdale areas. Graham Keightley and Graeine Gillies were the parish stewards — we became know affectionately as the three Gs’! Marion and I enjoyed being part of this large and diverse congregation with its variety of programmes and activities — and we made some wonderful life-long friends. Diverse is probably the right word! For beneath the surface there were several unresolved issues that were a continual source of conflict within the congregation. Many focused on the format of worship, others concerned strongly held theological positions, while still others were indicative of a growing dis-ease with decisions being made by the Methodist Church of New Zealand at that time. However, for the three years of our ministry there, the church held together and the groups worked together. The situation at Beach Haven was very different. While a small — and largely elderly — congregation, there was a real feeling of oneness there — a concern for one another and for the building which had served the community so well over many years. We came to love and appreciate the people there and treasured their support. Some of our happiest memories concern the very special relationship we have with the Samoan congregation that worshipped at Zion Hill with us. Communion Sundays were always special, with the Samoans joining us and presenting various choral items. They also assisted by conducting a quarterly service at Beach Haven, which was greatly appreciated. Though not always easy, we remember our time at Birkenhead with great fondness, and we still have a great love for the people who were involved in the Lord’s work with us there. -Graham and Marion Whaley. Page 71 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom THE HEALING SERVICES When Maureen and I were worshipping at St Luke’s there used to be a regular monthly healing service, led by Rev David Pond. That had been going for some years, but after David retired the services stopped. In the early 1990s Graham Whaley, who at that time was presbyter at Birkenhead, led a healing service at St Luke’s. Soon afterwards we moved to Zion Hill and, under Graham’s leadership, the services became a regular thing. We get quite a few people from outside the parish coming along. There have always been some from St Luke’s and, because it is an ecumenical service, people from the other local churches come as well. It is quite a unique service. We get around 20 people each time, and sometimes as many as 30. It’s a very social gathering. Everyone sits at the front of the church, which isn’t what you get at most services, and they all stay for a cup of tea afterwards. These days Rev Larry Samuels from St Luke’s and David Pratt from Birkenhead alternate the leadership and serve communion, with laying on of hands available for anyone who wants it. -Ron Davis.

DO YOU REMEMBER... • ..Motutapu Easter camps? They were run by the an interdenominational group, but became a Zion Hill enterprise, with Dorothy Scott and Barbara Bycroft buying the food, and John and Drin Duthie initially doing the cooking, and later becoming camp directors. All the Duthie children were Motutapu veterans before they were out of nappies. • . . library jobs? John Duthie’s library connections [his father was head librarian at Auckland Central Library] meant that when a library anywhere in Auckland had to be relocated, he heard about it. At first it was the youth group that organized the boxes and the brawn and worked through the night, packing books into carefully labelled boxes, and unpacking them at their new location but, as the youth’ grew older, it became a church initiative. Over time Zion Hill established quite a reputation as a mover of books, and the jobs provided a steady source of funds.

Page 72 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIES: LES POOCH Nostalgia:Recalling the fun without remembering the pain I learn as the years roll outward And 1 leave the past behind; With only the tears I’ve shed To prove that God was kind, That many aflower I’ve longedfor Held a hidden thorn of pain And after the rugged pathway Comes the fields of ripened grain. While some may consider me an “oldie”, I am really only 20¼ years old, having changed my birthday to February 29! But in those years are crammed many experiences which can be adequately headed as “I remember”.... Fifty-five years ago, shortly after our arrival in Birkenhead, the dedication of the Birkenhead Ave parsonage, with Athol and Ivy Penn and their family. The parsonage door seemed never to be shut. After church on Sunday nights it was full of younger ones enjoying supper and fellowship. The Penns had a young family who mixed well with our young ones (now the older generation). The parsonage was a loving, friendly place to visit - handy, but not too handy, to the church - and there was some sadness when it was decided to sell it. Twice helping to teach Dorothy Allen [wife of Bob, minister from 1956-62] make cape gooseberry jam and bottle peaches. The congregation at the morning service being so large that we instituted the 9.30am service to relieve pressure on the 11am one. How Birkenhead was a really huge circuit including Northcote, Beach Haven, Glenfield, Albany and Greenhithe! The minister would travel from one to another each Sunday to preach, then back to Zion Hill for the evening service, which was very well attended. The socials that were regularly held in the hall, especially the Christmas ones, where we had a huge pine tree, reaching above the crossbar in the ceiling, decorated with coloured lights and tinsel. One year we evn had “snow’ — paper clippings about the size of a 20c piece, held in up-turned beach umbrellas in the ceiling. Towards the end of the evening we swung the umbrellas until they emptied themselves, completely covering the floor, and danced in the paper snow. What a mess — but we loved it! Another time, early in the year, we had a barbecue night, with a big ‘bonfire’ in the middle of the hall. It had red bulbs down low, a fan underneath and

Page 73 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom long strips of cellophane, giving a flickering fire-like appearance. We used electric frypans (which had only just become available) to cook sausages and, to the young John Malcolm’s concern, blew the fuses.

The installation of the illuminated cross on the top of the church. It was a long way up, and I enjoyed the opportunity to take photos (below) from that high vantage point.

Page 74 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom The choir and choir masters - Mrs Peoples and Norman Wilson. It was in Zion Hill choir that the famous tenor the late Tony Benfell started his career. Lyn Stewart was organist for many years. He liked strict tempo - no jazzing it up! Quarterly meetings — talk about parochialism! But once things were settled there was never any continuing ill feeling. They did go on very late. Many a meeting was extended after the 10.30 limit by more than one 30 minute extension. How Highbury Bypass was commenced, taking a large corner of our lawn as they widened and lowered the road. Later the council took even more of our section to permit a double carriageway in Birkenhead Avenue. They wanted to go even further, until we pointed out that the road would go straight through the middle of the church. We won! The people who put us where we are today — personalities who stirred the congregation into action, men and their wives who guided our progress, built parsonages at Glenfield and Beach Haven, assisted with the construction of St Luke’s Church in Northcote, and so much more. Doug Ashby, Buster Brown and Ivan Fordham - both cooks at our annual family camps - Ray Bycroft, Jack Coombridge, Harold Chappell and Vern Cox - Birkenhead’s first funeral directors, Aif Haines and John Hall, two first class carpenters, Cliff Utting, one-time mayor of Birkenhead and father of Coral Malcolm, Arthur Turner, who guided and guarded our finances for many years, Reg Woodhams, Norm Wilson, Stan Luker, and many more. They were all, at times, vocal and formidable members of quarterly meeting. Then there was the tremendous enthusiasm and support of church activities given by people like Joan Woodhams, Annie Wilson, Miss Flora Wilson, Mrs Utting, Mrs Chappell and Mrs Coombridge, to name but a few. The end of year quarterly meetings, when Beach Haven and Glenfield, then both strawberry growing areas, competed to be the venue and provide a strawberry supper. The laying of carpet in the church - one of our centennial projects, following the painting of the interior. Carpet in the church! What next? When the organ was in the middle of the sanctuary, the choir stalls to the side and the communion rail went straight across in the front. And our beautiful raised pulpit, no longer in existence. The little room at the front left where the choir music was kept — and woe betide anyone who touched anything in that room. -Les Pooch

Page 75 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIES: KATH NEVILLE Jack and I made our home in Birkenhead in 1948. My first invitation to a church meeting came from Mrs Leys at the corner shop, who invited me to a missionary meeting and asked me to bring a plate. Thinking the church was short on plates, I obliged — no realising, like so many recently arrived people from England, that I need to put food on it! From that first meeting I realised what great work the people of Zion Hill had done for the Solomon Islands, and still continue to do today. I was soon found a job, as an officer in Girls’ Brigade. As the captain moved away from the district shortly afterwards, I found myself in charge of a large group of very lively girls, although I knew nothing about running a company. I did, however, remember being taught during my war service that the easiest way to control a body of people was by drill and marching. So drill and marching we did. The girls became so good at this that we won the Auckland G.L.B. Cup for marching. 1 thought that one of those girls who was always reminding me of what 1 ought to do would have made a better leader than I was — and this proved to be true when one looks at the valuable years of service that Coral Malcolm has given to Girls’ Brigade. I remember, too, the beginning of the Fireside Group that was started in Rev Athol Penn’s time. This was started for young mothers and working women who found it difficult to join the Women’s Fellowship’s daytime meetings. Many friendships were formed in those evenings together, and have continued through other activities in the church over ensuing years. Mention should be made of the long Quarterly Meetings that we suffered when we were part of the Birkenhead Circuit along with Glenfield, Northcote and Beach Haven. We often did not arrive home until near midnight, sometimes frustrated and sometimes feeling we really had accomplished something after long debate. I have a lovely memory of Mrs Wilson senior, mother of Norman and Flora, standing at the church door with a small bunch of freshly picked violets from her garden and handing them to my mother, newly arrived from England. A warm welcome indeed from a gentle lady. I have many happy memories of the 50 years spent at Zion Hill and am grateful to the many friends and ministers who helped to guide me on my Christian journey. -Kath Neville

Meetings are seldom popular, but the minutes of one meeting from October 1996 speak of the level of Samoan representation on “pariah council”.

Page 76 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIES: IVAN FORDHAM

I was born at Birkdale in 1917 and lived in what is now Fordham Rd. I started coming to Zion Hill for Bible Class when I was about 15 or 16. The roads were just loose metal in those days, so it was hard work on a bicycle. And when going home from socials I had to watch out for the night cart, because there weren’t any street lights. I remember going to church at night in Birkdale. A chap came from Takapuna to take the service. He had a horse and trap, and the horse used to wander around the section during the service. There were five preaching places in the circuit then, and only one minister, so old Mr Wilson, Mr Cox and others would come to take services. We also had students from Trinity College come over in pairs every Sunday to take services at Glenfield, Birkdale, Greenhithe and Northcote. Cliff Utting used to drive them. Birkdale Methodist Church was the only hall in the district so it was used for everything. There was a gym there. The Utting boys were involved with that - Cliff Utting was pretty good - and the Bentley boys, and the Taylors. The hall and church are where the Presbyterian one is now. Quarterly Meeting [predecessor of Parish Council] used to like to meet in Birkdale during January and February because they would get strawberries and cream for supper. Before the war I led junior Bible Class at Zion Hill. There were 10 in my class, the Bycroft boys and the Warth boys, and some from Northcote and Birkdale as well. Harold Chappell led the Bible Class. One year the two Stanleys, Reg Woodhams and I won the Bible Class Union table tennis tournament, beating WYMI, the Wesley Young Men’s Institute from Pitt St, who were very good. We had two or three retreats [camps] in Howard Jeffreys’ day. For the first one we went out to Pukekohe, because that was where he had been before he came to Birkenhead. Another time we went to Blockhouse Bay. We joined up with the young people from St Paul’s in Remuera for these - they had a small group and ours was bigger one. There were Easter camps too the first one was at Brown’s Island, then Hunua, at the YMCA camp there, then Puketutu Island. We went there five or six times. Puketutu was owned by Sir Henry Keilliher [founder of Dominion Breweries]. He was quite happy for us to be there. These were district events, for boys only. The girls had their own ones, in the school at Paerata, but ours were always under canvas. In between times we kept all the equipment under the church building in Grafton Rd. Page 77 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Before the war Don Haylock was a home missionary in the Warkworth circuit and they used to go to Pakiri for a King’s Birthday Weekend camp at the local hall. Someone got Harold Chappell to take a carload up, to help with numbers and to pass on a bit of experience from Easter camps. Harold had a big old car with side curtains. About six of us would pile in. Going over the Pakiri hill was pretty hectic — it was a terrible road. We did this over three or four years. That was when I first met John Goodall, who then had a farm at Snell’s Beach. When I came back from the war, in 1944, Len Hayman - who was a forward thinker in lots of things - decided the Auckland District needed its own permanent campsite for young people. He heard about a place at Henderson - a farm in a valley with a stream and a large house. The price wasn’t high, so he paid 15 shillings deposit to secure it and set about raising the rest of the money. He formed a committee and I was asked to help. We sold campsite bonds’ for £1 each - it was only a donation really- and held concerts and did all sorts of things to get the money. That became Camp Wesley. John Hall [Win Hall’s father] and Harold Chappell, who were both builders, did some work out there, making a room that was large enough for meals and gatherings, plus one or two other additions. I don’t think they got paid for it at all. Once that one was paid for, we decided we needed something bigger and bought a camp at Omana. It was at a camp at Camp Wesley that I met my wife [Mavis]. There have been a lot of people who have contributed to the church over the years. John Hall and Harold Chappell built the Beach Haven church, then there was Doug Ashby, Alf Haines and old Arnold Paterson, who all did a lot of work around the circuit as well. Then there were the Lewis’s — big Cyril and little Cyril [Dorothy Mason’s father and brother], and the Hadfields [Millie Ireland’s parents]. Albert Hadfield made toys during the year and, at the Sunday School bunfight at the end of the year, all those in the primary department got one of his wooden toys. There were the Lukers too, and the Woodhams, Noel Souster, Keith Mason and so many others I could name. So much of our work has relied on having all the various tradesmen who were all good Methodists. -Ivan Fordham

Page 78 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom GROWING UP IN THE CHURCH: DOROTHY MASON My parents were the second couple to be married at the newly constructed Glenfield church in 1915. They were supposed to be the first one, but one of the Edmonds boys [brother of Arthur Edmonds, later a member of the Trust] was going to the war and wanted to get married before he went. Tragically, he didn’t come home, leaving a widow and small child. The first couple to marry was to be given a Bible, but I think they must have both been given one, because we had a family Bible that had been given by the church. It had places to record births, marriages and deaths. My mother, Elsie Runcieman, lived at Glenfield, not far from the church, and my father, Cyril Lewis, was one of those who helped to build it. It was put up in a single day. When I was a child the church had a movie showing the construction process. We thought it was very funny, because at one point Dad’s head popped up through the roof. Dad had been an Anglican before he came to New Zealand, and my mother was a Baptist. My father’s family lived in Zion Villa, which was the house on the corner of Zion Rd and Birkenhead Aye, opposite the old parsonage. It is still there, although it was converted into flats years ago. We lived at Glenfield until the late 1920s, moving to Northcote when I was three or four, but my first memories of Sunday School are at Birkenhead. The infant department in those days was in the lovely little octagonal building, which hadn’t been joined to the back of the hall at that stage. We had little wooden chairs to sit in, but when it was your birthday you got to sit in a special chair with arms on it. Although Zion Hill was our home church, we used to go to the other churches in the circuit — particularly Glenfield —for bun fights, anniversaries and so on. All the churches had separate anniversary celebrations. Zion Hill’s was the biggest, and the singing was always the best there — our choir had a reputation all round Auckland. Joe Wright led it for years. He was a little, very dapper man who lived and breathed music. There was nothing light-hearted about practicing for the anniversary — it was a very serious thing. Practices went on for months beforehand. We’d sing lots of popular hymns, with the choir singing all the parts, backed by the Sunday School children. There were crowds of us in the Sunday School then. We packed the hall on a Sunday morning, with 12 classes — a boys’ and a girls’ one for each year, from rimer one right up to intermediate. There were always some very good singers in the choir — one of the Wallaces, Trevor Stanley, Keith Robertson and Bernie Smith were all good. I remember particularly one anniversary where three boys sang the verses of We Three Kings and the children sang the choruses.

Page 79 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom When it came to the anniversary itself all the girls had to have new dresses. it was a very poor show if you didn’t have one. It was a very busy time of year because as well as the singing, we had plays to practice and there was also a Saturday night anniversary concert. We had the anniversary tea — the bun fight’ for the Sunday School children - first, and then the concert. I don’t know who provided the food for the tea — we didn’t take plates, so I suppose the church provided it. We used to have lots of sandwiches for Sunday School teas and picnics and I remember Stotts the butchers always used to make some special spicy filling, made of minced ham or something. Picnics were an annual event. All the years I was in Sunday School we used to go to Hadfield’s place at Campbell’s Bay. Mr Hadfield [Millie Ireland’s father] was the Suiiday School superintendent. We’d have a wonderful time. The Sunday School would provide the lunch — cakes and things from Wrightson’s Bakery and the sandwiches with Stotts’ filling. We’d go swimming and have three-legged races, sack races, egg and spoon and so on. We had the races at low tide and the swimming at high tide. Whole families went along. Not many people had cars in those days, so I suppose we went by bus, and possibly on Uncle John [Hall]’s truck. it was a totally different world in those days — lots of unsealed road, and nothing but baches at Campbell’s Bay. There was a wee store there, and the Smale family had a house, but not many people lived there. The tennis club at the church was a big thing before the war. There were two courts — one where the upper car park is and another on the flat ground behind the hall. Ivan Fordham and Cliff Utting were regulars. I had a few games there, although I was too young to join the club before the war, and once the war started all the older players disappeared overseas. it never got to be as active again after the war. They took the lower court out soon afterwards because they couldn’t maintain it. Another important thing in the church calendar was the Bible Class Mother’s Day teas. On the Saturday we all made white floral buttonholes to be given out on the Sunday morning, then on the Sunday evening the Bible Class members would bring their mothers to a special tea. I remember when my older brother, Cyril, used to take Mother to the tea and I had to stay home, so I was delighted when it was my turn to take her. We used to have a lovely time. The Bible Class would put on the tea. We weren’t supposed to let our mothers do the baking. We’d set tables out in the hall and make quite an event of it. We had Labour Weekend retreats with Remuera Bible Class, and Easter Camps run by the Auckland District. They were separate ones for the boys and girls. I only went to one — at Wesley College in Paerata — although I went to visit the boys’ camps sometimes. Cyril was medical officer at those for a number of years. They used to call him Aspro. I remember at one camp at Long Bay, I was introduced to Prince John of Tonga, who was then a pupil at Wesley College.

Page 80 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom Mrs Jeffreys [wife of Rev Howard Jeffreys] used to have a girls’ club in the parsonage [then beside the church, in Onewa Rd] for all the Bible Class girls. We did embroidery, knitting, smocking and tatting, and at the end of the year we sold what we had made. We had a social about once a month, and when we weren’t doing it one of the other Bible Classes would be having one, so there was something on almost every Saturday night. We used to go across to Kingsland, Mt Albert, Mt Eden, Dominion Rd, Devonport — all over the place. I wasn’t allowed to go to a lot of them because I was young for my class, but I went to Pitt St, which were the big ones, Northcote, Takapuna and Remuera after the combined retreats. We’d play games and, by the time I was going, we had dancing too. The dancing started when Jeff [Rev Jeffreys] was minister, before the war. He danced, so didn’t have any objection to dancing at Bible Class socials. Bob Atkinson played the piano — by ear — and there was a boy from Takapuna who played when they came to Birkenhead. We began with one or two dances each night then, just before the war, Conference agreed that there could be 50/50 dancing and games. After that, gradually the games got dropped, although Reg Woodhams used to have some fabulous house parties as well. During the war we invited the soldiers from Hillcrest camp to our dances. There were New Zealanders stationed at the camp at first, and later Americans. We’d invite all the local churches to take part too — the Presbyterians and the Anglicans from Northcote and Birkenhead. Four of us married soldiers who came on one particular night. -Dorothy Mason [née Lewis]

DID YOU KNOW... … that the first four “ladies” — Valerie Aitken-Smith, Colleen Faulkner, Vivienne Souster and Kath Neville — were appointed to the church trust in 1967? Another five men — H. McCaffley, Les Pooch, Peter Wright, Jobi Malcolm and Noel Souster — were.. also appointed, bringing the total number of trustees at the time to 27, although some of the longer standing members were no longer resident in the parish.

Page 81 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom MEMORIES: KEITH MASON I first came to Zion Hill on July 18th 1942. 1 was in the army camp at Hillcrest at the time and we were invited to a dance at the church. That was the night I met Dorothy. Soon afterwards I joined the air force and was sent to Canada for pilot training, but was sent back to New Zealand early in 1945. We married in April that year and I started going along to the church and to Men’s Fellowship. There weren’t many young men in the church at the time most of them were still overseas — but I went along to Fellowship with my father-in-law [Cyril Lewis].As the younger men came home they joined in too. 1 had been raised a Presbyterian, but joined the Methodist church in 1946. After that I became a member of Quarterly Meeting and the Trust. In those days the Quarterly Meetings were for the whole circuit, but there were never very many representatives from the other areas — it was mainly Northcote and Birkenhead, and there used to be battles between them. I joined the choir about this time too. Mrs Peoples was the choirmistress and Lyn Stewart the organist, with Edith Castleton, Annie Wilson, Phyl Stewart, Win Hall, Millie Ireland, Vivienne Souster and Reg Woodhams in the choir. I was one of the two tenors, singing alongside Tony Benfell. He was only a young bloke at the time, but he decided he liked singing, so had some lessons and developed a career out of it. Sometimes the choir would sing back up behind Tom Ellison, who was a soloist at the Pitt St. I was also in a little choral group, with Athol Robertson, Eric Luker and Joe Mount. We used to do a few things unaccompanied. The Methodist district had three camps at that time — Camp Wesley, Camp Omana at Maraetai and Camp Morley at Clark’s Beach. Len Hayman was one of the leading lights when it came to the camps and I remember going out to Omana with him to build the toilet blocks. We would go out on the weekends — have an early start and a late finish. We were laying blocks and plastering them — my hands were sore! When I was Sunday School superintendent, in the 1960s, I was on the Sunday School Union at the time that they built Peter Snell Youth Village. They moved in some of the old barracks from Cornwall Hospital and did them up, and got permission from Peter Snell to name it after him. -Keith Mason

Page 82 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom CHILDHOODAT ZION HILL: CORAL MALCOLM My special memories of my early life at Zion Hill are probably the stand out memories of most who grew up in the church at the time: • Sunday School Anniversaries, when a huge tiered platform was erected over the hall stage and filled with children. The events were spread over two Sunday mornings and one night, with the Primary department in the afternoon, to accommodate everyone. The singing, the new dresses, the practices with the demands put on us to speak out, and Joe Wright, Stan Luker and Reg Woodhams bringing us up to standard. • White sand, so fine and cold, that was magically revealed when the lid was lifted off the table in the primary room and, with the use of pipecleaners and cardboard figures, made Bible stories come alive. • The little arm chairs you got to sit on while everyone sang Happy Birthday and blew out the candles. • The little Black boy that swallowed your penny from his hand when you pushed the lever. • Dashing madly, in the pouring rain and wind, between hall and church to line up for our Young Worshippers League stickers. • Sunday School picnics — huge events, mostly held at someone’s large property adjacent to Takapuna Beach. • Scripture Exams and having to learn all those memory verses! (They have proved very useful to me on many occasions though.) • Carrying the GL.B. flag at church parades and always hitting the light which hung right where you turned to go along the front. • Harvest Festivals when the church was overflowing with produce from everyone’s gardens. • Spring Flower Service when there were so many flowers, again from the large gardens everyone had in those days. They were taken to sick people and to hospitals afterwards. • Sunday night services — how much better it was to worship in the dim lighting, and going to and fro in the dark. • Church heaters — heating pipes under the pews, so we all had burn marks on the soles of our shoes. No such luxury in the hall though, but we didn’t seem to feel the cold because we dressed warmly in woolen coats and socks. • Transporting ministers, with my father, to way out places like Greenhithe, which was a big adventure into the country, along metal roads. Once we had to reverse up Page 83 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom the hills to eke out the tiny bit of petrol in the car so we could make the main road! Years previously my grandfather had put the church horse and cart over the bank at Cuthill, by the Greenhithe turnoff, when on his way to a service. • The tennis courts, where my love for the game began, and my skills were developed. This has remained a part of my life, and the skills I learnt on those courts are still put to good use. For me, the area was much more useful as tennis courts than as carparks! To all my teachers, GLB leaders and others who put up with me as one of the less angelic children of the church, I owe a huge debt of gratitude because they never gave up on me. Through their love and devotion they brought me to an understanding of the wonderful love of God and my commitment, at the time of my confirmation, to follow Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Special thanks must go to Helen Haines, who coped with a group of horrid teenage girls and led us safely through those important years. The one thing I learnt when I was attending leadership training as a Girls’ Brigade leader years later was never to give up on anyone, no matter how trying they may be, because — as my own life has reflected — these are among our future leaders, and God loves them as much as the ‘angels’ in a class. -Coral Malcolm [née Utting] DO YOU REMEMBER... … Shrove Tuesday pancake parties? BYO toppings and teams on the fry pans, while Janet Wright shared some of the quirkier Easter and Lenten observances from British tradition. One year we even had a pancake race, once she had instructed us in the finer points of pancake tossing. … Zion Hill Methodist Cookbook? It was a fundraiser in the early 90s containing such delights as Win Hall’s Impossible Quiche, Eva Meki’s Coconut Buns, Janet Gillies’ Black Forest Cheesecake and marriage celebrant Les Pooch’s recipe for the perfect wedding cake. … Kerry Priestley [Carol’s son]’s steam train? Kerry is a gifted musician—in the 70s and 80s he often led church music, and the centennial celebrations in 1980 included productions of a musical he had written, Upon this Rock, based on the life of St Peter. He had an electronic keyboard in the days when such things were relatively unknown, and enjoyed exploring its possibilities. He wowed the congregation with ‘trumpet’ solos and bursts of ‘violin’ music, but the hot favourite was his amazingly realistic rendition of a steam train! By popular request, Kerry’s train came huffing through many a Sunday service. … the amazing Christmas productions when John Duthie was leading Junior Church? John wrote all the plays himself, and didn’t let technical difficulties limit his imagination. One memorable year he had ropes strung up from the rafters so angels could “fly” on and off the little structure over the entrance to the basement stairs. Page 84 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom … Christmas craft fairs? They were a big deal in the 80s and early 90s, with craftsmen and women from all over Auckland taking stalls. They were held in the first week of December, just in time for Christmas, and drew good crowds. Women’s Fellowship, Blue Bears, Girls’ Brigade and other parish groups had stalls to sell their handiwork, and the Samoan men usually manned the barbecue. … The productions? There were lots of them in the 70s and SOs — Cool in the Furnace, 100% Chance of Rain, Jacob, The Victor and Fiddler on the Roof [in which, musical director Dorothy Scott remembers, the backstage crew keeping brush and shovel the ready, in case the bottles fell off the hats]. The shows played to full halls over several nights. John Osborne’s death bed scene as Isaac, in Jacob, was show stopper! … Beach Haven thrift shop? It operated from the room at the front of the hall, and was a useful boost for parish funds until staff shortages forced it to close in 1993. … Zion’s Pantry? The 1990s were a time of high unemployment. Zion Hill set up its own food bank, inviting parishioners to donate non-perishable food and collecting left over bread from a local bakery. Malcolm McLeod coordinated the project, providing hundreds of emergency food parcels over several years. He also looked after a furniture bank, established around the same time. In later years the logistical problems of storing dozens of boxes of Weetbix and tins of baked beans, plus a gradual easing of the economic problems, saw it merge with otherfood banks. … the Woodhams’ stalls for Save the Children Fund sponsorships? Mrs Woodhams would spend all year knitting, crocheting and sewing. Her specialty was toddler-sized slippers with a suede sole, sheepskin lining and a crocheted bootie top. The proceeds from the stall were topped up by donations to meet the full cost of sponsorship. … Conversation Club? Sandy Forsyth started this in 1988, inviting older people from the area — or anyone looking for a bit of company — to come to an informal Thursday morning gathering in the lounge. When Sandy left the area, Joyce Souster stepped in as leader. … when anybody could hold office in the church, provided their name was Graham!Graeme or John? When Graham Whaley was presbyter, the parish stewards were Graham Keightley and Graeme Gillies. They were ably assisted by parish councillors John Duthie, John Goodall, John Malcolm, John Inskeep and John Osborne. … the ‘flames of fire’ that danced above the heads of the congregation one Pentecost? Jenni Inskeep crafted them from nylon and wire, and they were strung up from the rafters with fishing line. They were such a hit that they remained in place long after Pentecost, and were missed by many when they were finally removed. Jenni also embroidered the praying hands on the cover of the prayer book.

Page 85 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom … Tartan nights? Doug Scott hosted these, back in the late 1970s, teaching the Sassenachs of the congregation the finer points of Scottish country dancing. Kilts weren’t compulsory, -although Doug and Dorothy usually managed to look the part — but after a few turns of the Dashing White Sergeant most of us had new respect for the stamina of the Highlanders. … Blue Bears craft group? It met at the Scotts’ place every week for a number of years, producing a variety of soft toys — not all of them either bears or blue — as well as the famous Zion Hill wheat bags. How many families still have a wheatie or two in the cupboard? …the poor lighting afforded by the large pendant lights in the church, and how the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade colour parties had to learn to lower their flags when parading up the aisle to avoid them?

MEMORIES One of my earliest memories is a Cradle Roll party in the old Sunday School room, when I was about three. There was a fancy hat competition, so my mother cut the heart out of a large cabbage and put the outer leaves on my head. I wasn’t fond of cabbage so wasn’t at all impressed — especially when some of the other children had pretty hats — but I won the competition and was given a book. -Jackie Brown-Haysom [née Mason] I came to the Beach Haven church in 1941, when we moved to the area. Since then all my children have been baptized at the church, three of them married there and my husband’s funeral held there, so it’s part of my life. When I first arrived the previous Sunday School superintendent, Reg Sapsworth, had just been sent to war, so, having been a school teacher, they asked if I would do it. At that time the little church was just getting going, and! remember that one of the old men, Mr Rowlands, was very worried that there was still £5 still owning on the building. We put on a concert to raise money to clear the debt and collected £10. When I took it up to him, he threw his hands in the air and said: “Praise the Lord, we’re debt free.” Andrew Johnston was at Zion Hill at the time and his brother, Malcolm, [later minister at St Andrew’s Presbyterian] who was boarding with him was often sent to help out at Beach Haven. -Ruth Smith One of my most vivid memories goes back to the late 1960s when, as a young mum, I joined with other similar young mums for a weekly study group under the guidance of the Rev Don Sherson. We met in the old Bible Class room at the back of the hall [the clubhouse]. This was an old army-type shed, furnished with ancient sofas and easy chairs — long discarded from the homes of the parishioners as they upgraded their lounge rooms. We covered many and varied subjects as our children played with toys

Page 86 Being the People of God in this Place by J. Brown-Haysom on the old carpet. We were able to brew a cuppa and enjoyed being able to exchange ideas and swap experiences, all with the oversight of our wonderfully knowledgeable minister. I feel I learned a great deal from this group, and frequently find memories of these days returning to my mind. -Valerie Aitken-Smith I was one of many who met my future husband at It, the interchurch youth group that operated out of All Saints’ hall in the 1970s. One hot summer’s evening, I was sitting with a couple of guys I didn’t know particularly well. There were candles on the tables (it was the 1970s, after all), and as a result the local insects seemed to have decided it was the place to be. When a green shield bug crawled across the table in front of one of the guys, he flicked it away — and watched in horror as it disappeared down the front of my dress! As introductions go, it was novel, but really, after that sort of start, the least he could do was marry me. - Jackie Brown-Haysom [née Mason] Dad had one of the first cars in the area, a model T Ford. There was a lady who lived down Balmain Rd who came to church, so Dad offered to pick her up. Her response was firm: “I would not set a foot in that infernal machine!” So she carried on going to church on foot. -Millie Ireland [née Hadfield]

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