St Mary's Riverton is a district within the parish of Western Southland and Riverton, a seaside town with fishing and farming as its main industries, is the largest town in the parish. It is also the oldest town in the South Island.
In 1848 Bishop Selwyn paid his first visit to Riverton. He had walked from Waikouaiti, a whaling settlement about 60 km by road north of Dunedin, at a time when there were no roads to speak of nor bridges over the fast-flowing rivers. He was first seen walking on the beach towards Riverton with his boots tied round his neck, and his feet were greatly swollen as the result of his long journey. Prior to Bishop Selwyn's visit, all marriages had to take place at Ruapuke Island where Rev Johannes Wohlers was stationed. He was a missionary from the North German Mission Society who was stationed on the tiny island in the centre of the treacherous stretch of water known as Foveaux Strait.
In Riverton services were conducted in Paulin's Hotel at various periods by the Rev Mr Tanner, who came from Invercargill for this purpose. On 1 May 1860 a meeting was held with the object of erecting a church. However, it was 1862 (two years after the appointment of the first vicar, Rev W F Oldham) that the church was open.
By 1878 Bishop S T Nevill visited the town and, although the building was only 16 years old, it was in a bad state of repair and was also too small. The last service in the old church was held on Sunday, 5 January 1902 and a week later on 12 January the new church was dedicated by Bishop Nevill. This new building has served the town well since then with only routine repairs being needed. The church spire was covered with copper sheating in 1966 and in 1967 a new vestry was added on the north-east side. On 16 March 1997 the church received a plaque (No 2541 which recognises its status as an Historic Place of interest.
St Mary's operates under Mutual Ministry ie the congregation has taken on the traditional tasks a vicar would cover. In the past two years we have had three people ordained: Revs Wayne and Jean Soper were first ordained as Local Deacons on 10 May 1997 and then ordained Local Priests on 10 October that same year. Rev Leah Boniface was ordained as Local Deacon on 18 April this year (1999). These three take turns in leading worship and giving sermons at St Mary's (along with Lay Minister Steven Pratt) and also St Leonard's, Thornbury. Mrs Joyce Carmichael also leads the service on occasion.
The church operates under a roster system with each person taking part knowing at a glance their particular responsibility for any given Sunday - welcomer, reader, intercessor, leader, sermon. In total 15 of the congregation are listed on the roster. Each of the four leaders has one Sunday a month "off" (Wayne and Jean's is the same day).
Having four people giving sermons means there is a lot of variety in the style and we like to feel our church is a welcoming place for everyone.
There is a good support team (covenant group) known as the South Coasters. They normally meet monthly for study (or work on this web site) etc and we have a Ministry Enabler (Gilbert McMillan) who visits us from Dunedin two to three times a year. Gilbert keeps us on-task and on-track and is at the end of a phone for anything else that arises in between visits. His help is of immense value to us.
We use "The Whole People of God" as one of our sermon resources and our music is taken from "Hymns for Today's Church". We are really lucky to have two (and a third if needed) great musicians - Glenis Machen and Gail White who are left in control of the music side of the worship. Lately we have put together a folder which includes some of the songs from "New Harvest" and "Scripture in Song" - the ones we like that aren't in the hymn book (we have enough copies but too many books to handle are a "pain"). This resource is also used at St Leonard's where the singing is done unaccompanied - we make a "joyful noise unto the Lord" - even if it may not be particularly tuneful.
St Mary's is a very picturesque church in a picturesque town and during the year we have visitors calling in to catch a service. Unfortunately, because of past vandalism, we have to lock the church outside of service times, but if you would like to see inside when you pass through Riverton please feel free to contact either Wayne Soper (03 2348 875 or 03 2349 043) or Bob Boniface (03 2348 415).
The Central Vestry (representatives of the five churches of the parish) meets on the first Thursday of the month, rotating each area. Each church sends along its clergy, voting delegates and wardens.
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