Christ Church celebrates centennial

Christ Church of Hamilton and Wenham, which has a rich history of ministry and worship, celebrated its 100th anniversary this past weekend.

?The 100th anniversary is certainly a good marker to celebrate the past, as well as look toward the future,? said Rev. Patrick Gray of the landmark occasion.

Robin Davis, head of the Communications Committee for the church, said though the church started in 1912, the chapel wasn?t built until 1926.

?It?s a beautiful English-style chapel with stained-glass windows,? she said.

Following the baby boom, a more modern church was built, so there are currently two church buildings on the property.

The anniversary was commemorated with two days of festivities at the church.

On Saturday, tours of the property were given and a Once-in-a-Century Great iPhone scavenger hunt was held.

Davis said those participating in the hunt were asked to do a myriad of different things.

For instance, hunters were asked to find the picture of a generous female donor and answer the question of how many years she lived by taking a video of everyone in the group clapping the number of years.

Another quest asked scavenger hunters to take a photo of themselves posed around the well as the cherubs were posed.

Hunters were also tasked to go to the Memorial Garden where St. Francis? ashes are buried; the person in the group closest to St. Francis? height had to pose in the robe and recite St. Francis? prayer while being video-taped.

Following those two events, a reflective panel discussion was held in the big church.

?Three groups of people represented eras of the history of the church,? Davis said. ?Each group had 10-15 minutes to talk about their era.?

Members of those groups included Mary Crowell, Lea Parson, Dick Phippen, Bo Preston, David Bergquist, Nancy Mering, Bruce Ramsey, Jamie Breed, Bill Cross and Kerlin Eardley.

Gray said that, though the discussion was not necessarily a factual history of the church, people who were there at the time were able to reminisce and share their memories.

Bergquist said he and his family have had very fond memories of the church since his daughter was baptized there in 1975.

?One thing that?s unique about Christ Church is that it?s become much more evangelical ? and liturgically rich,? he said. ?And we?ve been beneficiaries of it for 37 years.?

Bergquist said Christ Church is also a very caring parish.

?My wife is in the hospital as we speak,? he said, adding that he has received calls and food from members of their prayer group while she undergoes knee replacement surgery. ?It?s a very supportive parish.?

Parishioners have also put together a pictorial video history of Christ Church, which will be put up on the church?s website.

Gray said the video will also serve as the basis for an image book, which should be completed within the next few months.

Saturday?s events were capped with a reception dinner.

Davis also said people who were married, baptized, attended Sunday School, taught Sunday School or served as members of the clergy at the church were recognized during the festivities.

Sunday included preaching by guest bishop Mark Dyer, who was the rector of Christ Church in the early 1980s.

?He was very much loved, as were many of the other rectors,? Davis said.

Dyer preached at all three services, as well as the special adult education program.

Gray said that he had never met Dyer, so that was something he had been looking forward to during the centennial festivities.

The weekend wrapped up with an organ recital at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/hamilton/x719493944/Christ-Church-celebrates-centennial

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