The Rev Jenni Carter outside the St Johns Church at Hororata. Photo / Mark Mitchell
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Dibley has the redoubtable vicar Geraldine, and Hororata has the Rev Jenni Carter.
The vicar of St John's says she is lucky to have a "spare church" across the road.
And when she first saw the damage the earthquake had done to the newer church, she thought "sh*t!".
The bell
tower masonry had fallen through the roof and shattered the church organ, from the old Canterbury Cathedral, into a million pieces.
The shake was so violent she could not get out of bed to seek shelter.
"It literally felt like we were lifted up and then dropped and then thrown sideways and then screwed around."
After half an hour she went over to the church but it was not until the sun rose that she realised the roof had collapsed. The bell remains intact but Ms Carter wasn't game to pull the cord.
It was 101 years ago that the first wooden St John's church was rolled across the road so a new stone church could be built.
It has now become the spare church where parishioners gathered yesterday at 9.30am to worship before forming a working bee to collect what they could out of the damaged building before more of it comes down. Kauri pews are among the collectables.
The church and congregation were preparing centennial celebrations for next February, which are now on hold.
Ms Carter is sure of one thing. "We will rebuild," she says.
The church is insured.
One of the most sentimental victims of the earthquake was the historic Deans family homestead in Homebush.
The Deans are among the earliest Pakeha settlers in Canterbury and the large brick homestead was built 154 years ago and has a category two rating with the Historic Places Trust.
The equally famous historic brick woolshed just a paddock away was virtually unscathed.
More recently it has been home to Jim and Louise Deans and their grown family. Jim is a second cousin of Australian rugby coach Robbie Deans. Parts of the 2005 film The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were filmed at the sprawling property.
The main staircase collapsed and the couple escaped to another household on the property. A stream of well-wishers arrived yesterday. Mrs Deans said people had been wonderful. "We are struggling to get by but we will."
