HISTORY - a thumbnail sketch
We began as a branch Sunday school of the
Oxford Tce Baptist church. As a result of this outreach, by
1880 there were 17 adult members meeting in a hall in Montreal
Street South. The Sydenham Baptist church was constituted
in that year and the first Minister was appointed.
The new church faced difficult times, experiencing slow growth
and financial struggles, for the next few years. For example,
the first minister was “hired out” to another
church one Sunday a month, to help with the funds. During
those early years plans had been prepared for a new building
in Elgin Street and a Sunday school was started at Opawa.
The first church building still stands on the north-west corner
of the Spotlight Plaza car park.
In 1919 the church had a membership of 128
and called the Rev. J K Archer, originally from England. The
church roll included the new work at Opawa. Mr Archer had
been the minister at the Napier and the Invercargill Baptist
churches as well as, for a short time, minister at Wellington
Central and the Chaplain at the Tauherenikau Military Camp.
He accepted the call to Sydenham on the understanding he would
be able to participate in politics. “Archer had strong
socialistic views” and would become a Labour politician
– although he never was elected to Parliament. By 1925
the Rev J K Archer was elected the first Labour Mayor of Christchurch.
(He was re-elected in 1927 with a record majority of 10,000).
Under J.K. Archer’s drive the church
proceeded with a 15 year plan to re-locate to the land where
the complex is today. He personally provided the money to
buy the section for the church on Colombo Street. 4 suburbs
converge here – Somerfield, Lower Cashmere, Sydenham
and Beckenham.
In 1921 a hall was built for the Sunday school, the Elgin
street property was sold and the congregation began worshipping
in the new hall. The church’s unused land, between the
hall and the houses on Percival Street, was turned into tennis
courts.
Nine years later the new church building,
in front of the Sunday school hall and facing Colombo Street,
was officially opened by the new Governor General, Lord Bledisloe.
It is designed to seat 210 people and cost a total of 3,600
Pounds “with furnishings”.
1929. The 1st Christchurch Boys’ Brigade
Company was formed under the oversight of the church.
J K Archer retired in 1932. His widow had some older lady
friends stay with her in the Archer family home, adjacent
to the church. The Minister and Elders decided some assistance
be given to Mrs Archer and altered the house to provide good
accommodation for 5 ladies. The Archer Memorial Home is a
lasting reminder of the vision and commitment of that generation.
Due to the tragic death of their Captain,
in November 1947, “our” Beckenham Girl Guides
company was faltering for lack of a leader. In 1950 a Girls’
Brigade officer joined the church, which led to the formation
of the 29th Christchurch Girls’ Brigade Company. A group
of 7 girls became the core of this new Company.
By 1955, three new classrooms had been added to the hall,
and Percival Street houses, backing on to the tennis courts,
were purchased.
The Brigade Companies were attracting large
numbers of young people so, in 1960, with some financial help
from an anonymous donor and a 10 year mortgage, the Youth
Hall – the size of a basketball court was built.
Emphasis upon Youth and on Mission prompted
support of a new Sunday school outreach at Halswell. In 1975,
after 10 years sharing in that Ministry, the Sunday school
was passed back to the Spreydon church.
In the early 1980’s, growing out of
the church’s interest and investment in overseas Mission,
a team of 8 men and 4 women was sent to Papua New Guinea.
They assisted with short-term, practical building projects
– for Missionary Roy Wood. Such was the impact that
one couple returned a couple of times to continue this type
of work and, later, to undertake more extended service with
the Christian Leaders’ Training Centre. 4 married couples
began formal training for ministry – 2 here and 2 in
Australia.
In the cycle of life, which every living
thing experiences, including churches, there are times of
growth and of decline. In 1981, in order to better seat the
people, (with a membership of 134); a mezzanine floor was
built, at the Colombo Street end of the main building, beneath
which the foyer area was created. The foyer also doubled as
a “drop-in centre”. The rimu, tiered choir stalls,
at the opposite end of the church, were removed and replaced
by a carpeted platform. The organ console was removed and
the pipe organ sold.
In 1986 a newly married couple, inspired
by the above example of overseas Mission, was also sent to
Papua New Guinea.
From time to time since, in either a formal
or informal way, other people have travelled out from here
to be involved in Mission – with some assistance from
this church.
A shift of focus, from overseas Mission
and Youth to local people struggling with social and health
difficulties, led to the formation of the Beckenham Community
Trust. In 1999 the church members agreed to modify and lease
the Manse (which was not now required by the church minister).
6 bedrooms, new toilets, showers and a communal lounge were
provided. A local Christian organization leases it as a home
in which to care for people with special needs.
In the same year the church donated land
it owned on Percival Street to the Trust and entered into
a partnership with the Christchurch City Council. Together
the church and the City Council have built an architecturally
designed, 11 unit complex for single people with physical,
emotional or social needs.
The name, Beckenham Baptist Church, was
chosen in 2001. It was agreed the new name linked the church
with the local community and would also help strangers identify
where in the city it is located.
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