Easter

As we approach the season of Easter, I thought, what would we discover looking back at old papers of how Easter was celebrated here in Rotorua over the years?

17 April 1895 from the Hot Lakes Chronicle describes a Sunday School picnic held on Easter Monday by the Presbyterian church. The article talks of "an abundance of good things provided" but there's no specific mention of Easter Eggs, chocolate or the Easter Bunny.

Hot Lakes Chronicle 17 April 1895, p 2

As well as information about different services that would be held on the Good Friday and Easter Sunday, sporting events (such as the Yachting regatta) were announced, and notice of shop services alterations for the four days were advised in 1956. Mention is made of the availability in the shops of "Novelties...Easter eggs, bunnies and chickens for the children". More weight is given to the church services that will be held.

Daily Post 28 March 1956

Daily Post 28 March 1956

Following the Easter weekend of 1956, there was a description in the paper of packed churches and accounts of the different services held by the Presbyterian, Anglican and Catholic churches.

Daily Post 2 April 1956, p 1

In the Photo News of May 1965, there are photos of churches in a Procession of witness leading to a combined service. Was this part of the Easter or pre-Easter celebrations? If anyone should know, the library staff would love to hear from you.

Photo News 8 May 1965, p 7

The Easter Yachting Regatta is still going strong in 1965...

Photo News 8 May 1965

and there's now Powerboat Racing as well.

Photo News 8 May 1965

Easter treats in the form of Easter Eggs were delivered to children in the cerebral palsy unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital hospital by the Easter bunny, courtesy of Jaycees.

Photo News  7 April 1967, p 19

An Easter tomb with the stone rolled away was constructed at the entrance to the Rotorua City Christian Fellowship, to remind people that "Easter is about the death and resurrection of Jesus"

Daily Post 2 April 1994, p 2

In 1995 children were read to by the Easter Bunny during a Library holiday programme.

Daily Post 12 April 1995, p 1

At Cantabria, residents got into the fun of making and decorating hats for the annual Easter bonnet parade.

Daily Post 13 April 1995, p 1

"Passion in the Park", a multi-denominational passion play was presented at the Lakefront in 1997. The previous year, the production was in the FRI grounds.

Daily Post 27 March 1997, p 2

By 1998, the Antiques fair was held  in Rotorua over Easter weekend, with lots of folks in attendance at the Rotorua Convention Centre.

Daily Post 14 April 1998, p 1

Not just the young received Easter goodies. The Rotorua Host Lions Club delivered Easter gifts of hot cross buns, sweets and fruit to residents of pensioner flats.

Daily Post 22 April 1998, p 9

At St Lukes Anglican church, Music for Passiontide was performed on Good Friday, while Destiny church also had an Easter production, Rezurrection Road on Easter Sunday.

Daily Post 11 April 2001, p 12

The Daily Post, on 24 April 2001, had a special lift-out, Te Arawa Day: a celebration of the tribe's blessing. The Easter Monday had been a special celebration day for iwi

Daily Post 24 April 2001

The Don Stafford Rooms holds the Photo News which can be freely viewed. Microfiche of old Daily Post newspapers may be also viewed on the 2nd floor. Library staff are happy to assist.
With thanks to the Daily Post and Photo News. This blog written by Trish.

St John's Presbyterian Church, Rotorua.

Rotorua's 1st Presbyterian Church

From c.1892 Presbyterian services were held at the hall (Pukeroa) and various hotels and the school with visiting clergy until St John’s Church was built in 1896 on Pukuatua Street. 

Mrs Anne Robertson was a stalwart support for the faith in Rotorua from the time of her arrival along with Mrs Hall, Mrs Purcell, Mr F. Scott, Mr G. Thompson, H. McFadyen, H. Ross, Duncan Steele and J. Dalbeth.  

Ann Robertson laid the foundation stone on 31^st October 1896, and the official opening took place on 7 February 1897 the Rev. R. Sommerville taking the morning service and Rev. D Ross the second service at 3pm followed by Rev. R. Sim in the evening at 7pm.

Published in New Zealand Herald 9th February 1923
With thanks to Papers Past

Rev. Donald Ross was the appointed minister for the first year but after that St John’s had no permanent minister for some time so the church was supplied with visiting ministers from the Auckland Presbytery. By 1901 the congregation and committee voted to offer a resident minister a stipend of £150 per annum and a manse.

However the first Manse was not built until 1904 and Rev. F. Stubbs and family arrived in October of that year. Sadly in March 1905 Mrs Stubbs died and the Rev. was left to carry on with his daughter as church organist. Finally in June 1906 Rev. Stubbs tendered his resignation and left Rotorua in March 1907.

After Rev. Stubbs left the Manse was rented out on a temporary basis, in April 1907. Unfortunately the Manse was burnt down in a suspicious fire on 13 July 1907, this did not deter the Committee and a new Manse was built by March 1908.

Published in Nelson Evening Mail 13th July 1907
With thanks to Papers Past.

Rev. Thomas Scott arrived to take up the ministry in early 1908. A tennis court was built behind the church in 1910 after a number of ladies had petitioned the committee to “combine the social with the spiritual, and to help keep our young people together”.

New responsibilities came when the Waikato Presbytery constituted the new “home mission district of Rotorua Outfields” with Mamaku as its centre. Mr Ernest Kedgley was appointed Home Mission Agent and he conducted services at Mamaku, Putaruru, Lichfield, Selwyn’s Mill, Te Pu, and Kaharoa.

St John’s Presbyterian Church continued in the same Pukuatua Street location with a number of different ministers.

Proud to be the church of choice for the reigning Monarch Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh along with members of the staff on 3 January 1954, the Rev. Mr A. Salmond presiding and HRH Prince Phillip participated in the service by reading from the Bible, from the book of Isaiah and from the book of Luke.  

All of the above information and much more can be read in the book “Step out in faith : a centennial history of St John’s Presbyterian Church, Rotorua 1896-1996/ by Phyllis Potter.