was the last to edit Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Parawai Road, Thames
on Aug 1st, 2011 at 4:53 PM
created Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Parawai Road, Thames
on Aug 1st, 2011 at 3:13 PM
Topic: Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Parawai Road, Thames
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This church, designed and built entirely by Maori in 1886, replaced the 1837 Mission Station on the hill above. The Mission Station was built on 300 acres gifted by local Maori to the C.M.S. at Herewaka ('a safe mooring place for canoes'). Today the church is of course tapu.
The church grounds are an urupa and the whole complex is located on a waahi tapu site. Notable goldming era Maori, Wiremu Turipona, the church's first Maori minister, his wife Rebecca and Parata Te Mapu, another Maori minister, are buried beside the church. In 1964 Jack and Taka (Tuck) Robson of Ngati Maru, carried out extensive restoration work on the then derelict building.
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I would also like to acknowledge the timely restoration work undertaken by Leo and Don Shaw and others who provided support. Special thanks should go to the Lottery Grants Board who provided funding of $140,000 and the descendants of the original church/Maori landowners by way of the Parawai Play Centre who contributed $27,000.
The one acre of land containing the church and playcentre is the last remaing remnant of the 350 acres of land originally gifted to the Church Mission Society. The stream next to the church iand general area is named Herewaka and was the place where waka were tied up when visiting the original papakainga (and church). The land was originally xonsidered tapu by Ngati Maru before the church was constructed. It should be noted that Ngati Maru supplied the timber for the church and helped to construct it.
The Toko Toru Tapu (Holy Trinity) church and the associated lands containg two known graves and a number of unknown burials have been listed by Heritage NZ as a wahi tapu. The church itself is also listed as a Hisroric Place (Category II) and included in the TCDC Historic Heritage Items schedule. Archaeological sites have been recorded on the site.
Posted on April 2nd, 2021 at 2:21 PM
macky
said Holy Trinity Church Parawai
It should also be added to the history of the church, the work in 2008-9 in a fresh restoration by the Shaws. Leo the master builder, Don the financer, Eric, the bellrope rigger and additions, and Joe the electrician, responsible for the magnificent lighting of the church.
The church had taken on a dangerous lean after a storm and the council was going to condemn the building. Leo and Don stepped in and with generous support from the local power board sinking earth screw anchors into the ground were able to winch the building back upright.
With assorted ring-ins such as myself, and volunteer charity groups lending their hands, and other extensive work such as a new fence and pews refurbished off-site (including the graffiti on their backs) the work was completed, and on Thursday 18th June at 1030, there will be a service for Leo who passed away on June 14th after a heroic battle against cancer.
A fitting venue for Leo who put so much time and effort into the church's restoration.