Historic church on move

A church that has played an important part in the early history of Okaihau will soon find a new home at the Pioneer Village in Kaikohe.
The Okaihau Church, originally built in 1885, has been donated to the Kaikohe and District Historical and Mechanical Society.
A group of supporters plans to restore it to its original condition but need to raise an estimated $17,000 to move the building.
Heather Ayrton, of Kaikohe, says the Pioneer Village has applied to the Logan Campbell Trust for funds and expects to have a response in December.
Ms Ayrton, whose family were early Okaihau pioneers, said she was thrilled that a beautiful stained glass window that was originally part of the church was already in place at the Pioneer Village where it was attracting interest.
The Okaihau Church was built for 250 in 1885 by Mr S, Dixon, an early Canadian settler in the area.
Mr Dixon donated an acre of land for the site and announced he would put up 100 toward building a church if someone else made a similar contribution.
Money was forthcoming and the church was built and opened, free of debt.
In March, 1939, the church was moved to Kaikohe to be fully used as a Methodist church.
Pioneer Village supporter Ngaire Powdrill says Reverend A.R. Witheford was the driving force behind moving the church to Kaikohe and the first service was held in the new location on April 2, 1939.
In November that year, a stained leadlight window was installed, dedicated to those who first erected the church building in Okaihau.
The Pioneer Village would like to hear from anyone who has any information relating to those windows, which are missing from the present building.
Since the move, the church has been used periodically as a church, but has also housed a kindergarten, girls brigade and other groups.
The church is still in sound condition and has been gifted to the society by Kay Dawson, of the Kaikohe Early Childhood Education Centre, which plans to use the site for a new daycare centre.
Ms Ayrton has photographs of bridal couples in front of the old stained glass window in the church and is keen to procure more from people who were married in the old church as well as any photographs of any of the subsequent activities held in the building.
Photographs will be displayed in the church when it is resited at the Pioneer Village.
Ms Ayrton says the internal refurbishment will require stripping back painted walls to expose the original kauri boards and she would welcome any volunteers who would like to be involved in the project to restore the old church to its former glory as well as any donations toward the work.
"It's my dream to get that paint off and get it back to original condition," Ms Ayrton said.