From the Archives of Selwyn Church, Mangere East

Selwyn Church began life as the second Holy Trinity Church in Victoria Avenue (now Mason Avenue) Otahuhu. The church was dedicated by Bishop Selwyn and Bishop Patteson on St John the Evangelist’s Day, 27 December 1863.

Ref: 4-8789, Old Holy Trinity Church, Otahuhu, c. 1900-1919, Sir George Grey Special Collections

The following poem was recently discovered among Selwyn Church’s archives. It was written by an anonymous, bored synodsman (a church member ) at the Christchurch synod in 1969, probably during a lengthy and tedious debate on the ordination of women.  Enjoy!

The issue was of some vexation

And shook the Synod’s proud foundation

‘She’-ordination had been mooted

A thing against tradition rooted

The question raised a great debate

Should a woman celebrate

A lady priest in Church no less

Would she wear surplice or mini-dress?

She’d certainly have a busy life

Priest, confessor, mother, wife

With marriages, baptisms, pots and lids

Meetings of vestry and bathing the kids

You must stay away you heartless sinner

From 3 to 6 she’s cooking dinner

No meetings on Tuesday

That’s quite firm

For that’s her day for set and perm.

An Anglo-Catholic would strike some bother

Calling her Father – or is it Mother?

I’d be in doubt, I do confess

Should she be priest or maybe priestess?

I really wonder if fashion decrees

Cassock to ankles or up past knees

And think of the grief when the sermon’s begun

The Vicar finds that a nylon has started to run.

The thought of that Vicar fair gets me down

‘Twould cause a plaster saint to frown

On top of these things that all need fixin’

Would she be Vicar, Vicaress or Vixen?

I’m so confused my head’s awhirl

Should my Vicar be a girl

While some object on grounds of theology

To me it’s a case of simple biology.

Ref: 4-8793,Old Holy Trinitiy Church, Otahuhu, c. 1900-1919, Sir George Grey Special Collections

About 21 November 1927 Holy Trinity was dismantled and loaded onto two trailers, and a traction engine towed each trailer to the corner of First Avenue (now Hain Avenue) Mangere East. It took two days to complete the move, and Mr Rhodes, the removal contractor, had some trouble getting the old church safely across the railway line at Mangere Crossing. The timbers of the old steeple were not strong enough to survive the ordeal. Therefore when the church was re-erected in Mangere East the steeple had to be altered and shortened. The church was re-dedicated as Selwyn Church by Archbishop Averill on Palm Sunday, 1 April 1928.

Ref: 4-3746, Selwyn Church, Mangere East, 1928, Sir George Grey Special Collections

In Otahuhu, the wooden church was replaced by a bigger brick building, which was dedicated by that busy man Archbishop Averill on 14 October 1928.

Ref: 4-8791, Showing Holy Trinity Church, Otahuhu, 1928, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Author: Chris Paxton, South Auckland Research Centre