Year: 2023

110th Anniversary Thanksgiving

Sunday 15 January

110th Anniversary Service

Rev Rodney Duncan

 

Ephesians 1:15-23

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Opening Prayer and call to Worship (Psalm 100)

Listen to the Reading  – Ephesians 1:15-23

Outline History – Listen

Outline History – Read

Prayer of thanksgiving for the past & present

Sermon – 110 Years

Prayer for the future

MBC – Outline History

In October 1912 the foundation stone was laid of what was then called the Takapuna Baptist Church on a section of land donated by Mr Rushbrook, a benefactor of a number of non-conformist charities in Auckland. In just a few short months the church, built by Mr John Ashby who had arrived into Milford from England in 1908, was opened on January 4th 1913.  You will notice that it is an isolated open area with minimal vegetation.

Both events were covered by local and national newspapers as was a ‘social gathering with upwards of 100 people’ to welcome a new minister a year or so later.

The church was initially under the auspices of the Auckland Baptist Auxilliary, but in July 1921 joined the Baptist Union, having, as these advertisements from the Auckland Star Newspaper show,  changed the name of the church to Milford Baptist Church probably around 1 May 1921.

Here we see the church around 1921 with the new name on the sign, and developing vegetation, and in the lower picture from 1920 with buildings starting to develop around it. (MBC is shown towards the top tight corner, just below the skylinre)

In the 1930s a hall was added at the rear of the church, and in the late 1950’s the church was extended.

You can see the extension forward of the belfry towards Dodson Avenue. The porchway was added a few years later.

The Centenary book edited by David Speary covers the history of the construction of the present building very well.

In the 1990’s under the leadership of Rev Tom Cadman the church was turned round through 90 degrees and the foyer and offices constructed along with a new hall to replace the borer-ridden edifice that it had become.

In the book, there is a comment: “Throughout all the alterations over the past 100 years the preaching of God’s word and reaching out into the community was always foremost in our minds and efforts . Buildings and facilities were only a means to assist in this endeavour.”

And of course, a church is not simply a building.

As the maori say ‘he tangata, he tangata, he tangata “it is people people people.” The church has been blessed with a number of very faithful servants over the 110 year history.

The present membership book dates from 1940. It records the foundation members (1921) and the names and dates upon which people subsequently entered into membership. It does not, of course, record the dates when people started attending the church. The earliest current member is entry number 218 Raymond Brown August 1945. Lynne Brown (nee Cryer) entered into membership in 1950 though I understand that she attended the church with her parents from a very early age.

Other current members who qualify for their over 60 year long-service badges are Beryl Thompson 1956, Phyl Briscoe 1959, Greta Alcorn 1962 and Phyl Harvey 1963.

A number of others, like the Corins were involved with the youth groups in and around the 1960s but moved away or served overseas and are not recorded as entering membership until later.

Many of the current stalwarts have only served for a mere 40 or 50 years!

 

Larry Robbins Jan 2023
Historic Photographs Alexander Turnbull Library and Auckland Library. Paper clippings from Paperspast (National Library)

Remember, Hope, Live

1 January 2023

Aidan Wivell

Series in 1 Peter, #1

Listen to the service (incl sermon, readings and communion – no music)

1 Peter 1:1-12

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Praise to God for a Living Hope

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

 

1 Peter 1:13 – 2:3

Be Holy

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,  now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Listen to the service (incl sermon, readings and communion – no music)