Ashburton’s Alyth Melrose has been attending church for as many years as her life on this earth – 100.
The centenarian is St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church’s longest serving parishioner, and among members who will this weekend celebrate the parish’s 150th anniversary.
St Andrew’s was established in 1874. Fifty years later, Alyth was born, on August 3, 1924.
The reason Alyth has never waivered from attending church on Sundays is simple. It’s the inspiration and peace she feels each time she worships within the walls of God’s ethereal house.
‘‘I have got a great faith, and it’s boosted by others. It’s a fellowship.’’
She also enjoyed giving to the church and the causes it supported. These included Meals on Wheels, Presbyterian Support, and overseas causes such as Operation cover Up which involved knitting blankets for the needy in Eastern Europe.
First taken to St Andrew’s by her mum Nance Buchanan at the age of six weeks, Alyth has been attending in the same grand brick building on Havelock St ever since.
‘‘When I was a child, the church was absolutely full every Sunday. Then the town sort of grew Hampstead way and Allenton way. New churches, new branches started up.’’
She has happy memories of being in the church, surrounded by a congregation of about 200, singing hymns to music from the piped organ. She attended with her parents, siblings, and grandparents, all wearing their Sunday best.
‘‘People in those days had one nice outfit for Sunday.
‘‘As a little girl I used to look over the rail and watch the organist play.’’
Today she owns an original copy of the church’s 50th jubilee book. The same age as Alyth, the book has embossed in gold print on its cover – St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Ashburton, 1874-1924 – with a bible quote beneath.
Alyth was away from Ashburton for 12 years, as she went to boarding school in Timaru, did teacher training in Christchurch, and worked as a primary school teacher around the South Island.
She came back after marrying as she and her late husband George settled here and had four children.
Today the congregation each Sunday numbers about 45. The number of worshippers in Mid Canterbury has dropped away, in line with a national trend.
‘‘I think it’s a great pity,’’ Alyth said.‘‘It’s a real privilege to have a faith,’’ she said.
She was confident for the future of churches in Mid Canterbury and around New Zealand.
‘‘I think attendance might come back. If there’s a calamity or something, you find people come back.’’
The minister of the parish today is Reverend Eric Mattock.
He echoed Alyth’s concern about declining congregations.
The majority of New Zealanders in the last census had declared themselves to have no religion (51.6 per cent compared to 48.2 per cent in 2018).
Eric believed societal problems were increasing in relation to a declining influence of the church.
‘‘I think Christianity, it has a lot to say – its ethic of unconditional love, its emphasis on the practice of forgiveness, and its ability to encompass diversity,’’ he said.
