New roof calls for party in church hall

DEREK FLYNN/Marlborough Express

NEW LOOK: Builder Hamish Harper and his crew are revamping the Anglican church hall at Renwick to look more church-like.

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Christmas punch, cake and hot barbecued sausages will be served at the Wairau Valley Anglican Church hall in Renwick tomorrow – and everyone is invited.

The afternoon party is to celebrate the new roof on the hall, which has been used as the parish chapel since the former Church of Annunciation was damaged in an arson attack seven years ago.

Large family services were already being held in the hall before the fire because the 100-year-old church was getting too small for the congregation, parishioner Nicki Stace said.

More than 100 people can be comfortably seated in the hall and pews from the original church that survived the fire have been restored and installed. The old church's wooden altar, bishop's chair and wooden lectern are among other features.

Structural alterations are being made to make the hall look more church-like, too, Mrs Stace said. The main entranceway has been shifted to the front of the building and a foyer area created. People seeing the hall from the outside will soon see the old church cross mounted on the roof.

To meet contemporary expectations of public meeting places, the hall's toilet blocks must also be upgraded and the kitchen revamped.

"It's still a hall, but we're making it more church-like and hopefully people will feel comfortable coming into it for special occasions. We haven't had weddings in the hall yet, but hopefully we will do now. It looks much more welcoming now."

All good works cost money, however, and Mrs Stace said the parish seeks support for its fundraising programme.

"We're asking people to purchase a sheet of iron, or a concrete block – or a complete toilet block."

A small donation from people attending tomorrow's party, to be held from 4.30pm to 6pm, would help pay for the sausages.

- The Marlborough Express