St Paul's, Seddon St., Timaru

St Paul, Presbyterian Church, 28 Seddon Street, Timaru, and a bell tower was built in 1926. It is a striking red brick church with three stained glass windows designed and executed by Mr John W. Brock, an Englishmen, who trained with the London based James Powell and Sons and emigrated to settle in Dunedin in 1914. He designed at least thirty-two stained glass windows for many denominations for Canterbury churches at his studio in Dunedin for over fifty years. He designed windows for the Woodlands Road Methodist Church and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Timaru and another at the Chalmers Presbyterian Church. website

Rev. Adam C. BEGG, M.A. was born 4 March 1868 and ordained at Tapanui in 1894 and came to Highfield, (now St Paul's) Timaru 21 February 1918 and retired from their 30 June 1932. He died 17 January 1947. He was the minister when the foundation stone was laid. His wife was Margaret.

March 2009 four Presbyterian churches at a summit committed to becoming a single parish with four congregations - Trinity, St Stephen’s, Chalmers and St Paul’s churches ninety years after it was first purposed it.

Nov. 2011: St Paul's Presbyterian Church in Timaru was closed after damage to a wall due to the earthquake.

Papers Past
Grey River Argus 8 August 1919, Page 3 CHURCH UNION.
AN ADVERSE VOTE TIMARU, August 7. The Timaru Presbytery considered the question of the Union of Churches. Revs. Toker (Geraldine) in the absence of Rev. Stanson - (Trinity) moved and Rev. Ussher (St Andrews) seconded a motion in favour of union, provided that a satisfactory basis of union is agreed to. Revs Harries (Chalmers) and Begg (Highfield), moved an amendment that while the union would be scriptural and desirable, on practical grounds, the denominational system, which has not been without its uses, could not be suddenly brought to an __d without grave risk of increasing the evils of dissent and division whose removal was chiefly aimed at, and that the Presbytery would favour a federation of the Churches, but the mind of the Church was too divided, and the Presbytery felt that there was at present not behind the movement the spiritual impulse which could warrant a change so great and irrevocable. After discussion the amendment was carried by seven to four, the voting being : — For: three-Ministers and two elders; against: four Ministers and three elders.

1908: Mr Edgar Randal (late organist of St. Paul's, Wanganui, and now organist at St. Paul's, Timaru), is a young and talented organist, having gained honors in the senior examinations conducted by Trinity College, London. Pedalling is a feature of his playing, and in this department he was specially complimented when undergoing his examination.

 1967: A Positive Organ Co.,  pie organ ?rem. from Dunedin 1925-26 Dunedin Exhibition, was removed from St. Paul's to a Levin residence.

"Jesus said 'let the children come to me." Designed and executed by John Brock, Dunedin, c. 1954


Faith and Fortitude. Designed and executed by John W. Brock, Dunedin c. 1950.
To the memory of those who gave their lives in the Wars 1914- 1918 and 1939 - 1945

In memory of the Very Rev. Adam Begg, M.A. First minister 1918 -1933 & Mrs Begg.
Christ and the Women of Samaria at the wall / The Good Shepherd.
This beautiful 1954 John Brock window, the Good Shepherd, similar to a 1952 window at St. Andrew's in Geraldine. (opens in a new window)  Designed and executed by John W. Brock, Dunedin c. 1954.  John Brock (1889-1973) was b. in Surrey, ENG. he took an apprentice at James Powell at age 15 and worked there until 1912 then went to Melbourne. By 1913 he was in Dunedin.


This stone was laid to the glory of God by
G.T. Dawson, Esq.
Dec. 11, 1926.
Rev. A. Begg, M.A.
Minister

The Presbyterian Archive's Photographic Collection
Knox College, Arden Street, Dunedin

1917

St.Pauls Church, Timaru First Girls Bible Class. Studio Portrait Of The First (Girl's) Bible Class at St. Pauls, Highfield, Timaru; Incl (Left To Right):
-Back Row: _ ; Beckett; Sutherland; Waddell; Flanagan.
-2nd Row : Hume; Scott; Dawson; O'Conner; Knowles; Youdale.
-Front Row : Sutherland; Donnelly.
Photo: 'Havelock/Williams', Timaru 

1928

Studio Portrait Of The St. Paul's, Highfield (Timaru), Ministers & Office-Bearers ;
- Including (Left To Right) :
-Back Row: T.E. Chapman; E.A. Maxwell; C. Nixon; R. Hart; R. Cunningham; GE Paterson.
-3rd Row: CS Gordon; B. Arras; J. Freeman; E. Winnington; RS Nicol; WS Curr; A. Heron; A. McKirdy.
-2nd Row: S. Browne; D. McIlroy; J. Robertson; W. Davie; GL Murray; W. Honeywell; P. Nicol.
-Front Row: W. Renton; J. Smith; G.T. Dawson; Rev. Adam C. Begg; J. McLeod; S. Cunningham; J. Dunn.

May 1928 Studio Portrait Of Members Of Timaru Presbytery ; Including (Left To Right) :
-Back Row: Arthur Ward; R. Taylor; Rev. FR Charman; Mr JC Hay; Mr S. Browne; ER Kingsbury.
-2nd Row: Rev. Alexander McNeur; W. Brown; Rev. A. Alexander; AG Crossman; W. Reid; T. Archibald; AR Botting; WH Walton.
-Front Row: J. Henderson; Rev. William McNeur; Rev. T. Stinson; Rev. CG Wilcox (Moderator); Rev. AC Begg (Clerk); Rev. WF Nichol; Rev. HR Fell.

Cruickshank, May (ed) The Story of St. Paul's Highfield, Timaru (1967)

South Canterbury NZGenWeb Project

People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross