THE SUNDIAL

“Mach es wie die Sonnenuhr,

zaehle die heiteren Stunden nur,”

SUNDIAL

SUNDIAL

is a saying I remember from Germany. The saying even rhymes and means, “Do what the sundial does, count only the cheerful and happy hours.”

I certainly don’t follow that advice!

As a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ I believe what I heard years ago in a sermon and what I have never forgotten:

“The God of eternity is the God of every hour and minute for a believer in Jesus Christ.”

I actually believe that the times without ‘sunshine’ in my life are of greater value for my spiritual life than the times with ‘sunshine’.

The Christ Church in Russell

"CHRIST CHURCH" in Russell

“CHRIST CHURCH” in Russell

When I took a picture of the Christ Church in RUSSELL not long go, I did not know that I would stumble upon more information on the Church soon. Here it is:

The Church was built in 1835.

Bullet holes

Bullet hole

It is the oldest surviving church in New Zealand.

The church was built by Gilbert Mair. He was a former ship’s carpenter.

During the battle in 1845 between British forces and Rawiti and Hone Heke, the church became the centre of fighting and received a number of bullet holes.

The church was named ‘Christ church’ by Bishop Cowie in 1873 in recognition that it was the oldest surviving church.

I stumbled upon the above information in the magazine of the Baptist Churches in NZ (December, page three).