My late husband and I got married in the Grey Lynn Baptist Church in March 1975. It was an unbelievably hot day, I had three bridesmaids and the Rev Taylor presided.
The church had a tidy coat of paint, and in those days and there was a tennis court on the property, though actual tennis players were a rarity.
My brother and I attended the Sunday school as children. My parents attended when one of my younger siblings was christened, but my grandmother, Kitty Hahn and her friends were regular attenders. They enjoyed their ‘Woman’s Institute’ meetings there, often dressing up for events. Grandma’s fairy outfit was a winner, as was her Christmas donkey. It had a big papier mache head and brown sacking body, complete with back-end space for another person. Her cow outfit had a very realistic udder made out of an inflated pink rubber glove. It was all washed down with plenty of hot tea and homemade cake.
An occasional craft market was held in the attached hall behind the main church. Grandma made knitted slippers with fabric soles. The money raised went to ‘The Lepers’ (wherever they lived?).
I was too shy to join in, but the girls at the time could go to Girl Guides club and Brownies. The boys could go to Boys' Brigade. They did life skills activities like knitting and knot tying. Obviously too terrifying for me!
When I was thirteen, I was in the church choir. We sang to the congregation from our perch behind the pulpit at the front. From there we had a great view of the occasional very solemn baptism. A special pool had been built in front of the lectern, so we had a great view of the minister’s chest-high rubber waders through the back of his robe. Ha,
I was distracted from church in my teenage years but the memory of that sacred space and my desire to marry before God was enough to send me back for the occasion when I was 19. I enjoy the memory of us all standing in front of the church.
My grandmother Kitty is in the photo in the long brown dress. “All paths lead to God” had been a mantra of hers. In my case, it was a zig zagging line over the years, but Grey Lynn Baptist Church was the perfect start. So grateful.
Kathryn Avenell (nee Hahn, Hudson)
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