Singing the praises of church repairs
Nelson’s All Saints Anglican Church is celebrating the end result of months of seismic strengthening with a musical celebration.
The church spent three months making the building safer and the works finished late last year.
Nelson’s All Saints Anglican Church parish ministries assistant Gordon Taylor said he was very pleased with the finished result.
‘‘The heating is great too, it used to take 12 hours for the church to warm up and now it only takes a few hours.’’
Taylor said the church invited the Nelson community to come have a look at the new and improved building.
The church celebrated its 150th anniversary last year.
The earthquake strengthening included replacing the floor with a new concrete slab and underfloor heating and strengthening the church’s foundations.
Taylor said the project cost of about $350,000 fell on the parish’s shoulders and ‘‘generous’’ donations would be very welcome.
‘‘So we hope it lasts another 150 years.’’
Taylor said the celebration would be held on Friday March 10 at 7.30pm.
‘‘We have the Duo Jackson, The Nelson Guitar Orchestra and Avid Opera performing along with some special guest performers,’’ he said.
The church can now seat 250 people and Taylor said he hoped all seats would be full at Friday’s event.
Taylor said the acoustics in the church were fantastic and they were aiming to have more concerts in the building from now on.
He said the church’s unique water-powered organ, the only one in the southern hemisphere, would be another restoration project in the future.
People didn’t have to buy tickets to attend Friday’s cel- ebration, but Taylor said a donation at the end would be much appreciated.
The church also caters to the community through their weekly lunch programme Loaves and Fishes.
The programme includes full meals at 12 noon on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the church hall for those who find it too hard, too expensive or are too lonely to prepare good food and eat on their own.