Burnside celebrates

The Burnside Church community will mark 140 years this month bringing Pirinoa friends and family together on May 17 for a day of celebration.

The Burnside Church Committee have organised the birthday to celebrate decades of community spirit and togetherness within the small southern Wairarapa village.

The interdenominational church is used for services and special occasions such as christenings, naming and wedding ceremonies. It is one of the few churches that allow marriage celebrants. The picturesque red and cream building stands 22km South of Martinborough on Lake Ferry Road.

The committee – comprised of 12 locals – was created in 2010 after the Wellington-based Presbyterian Property Trustees threatened to sell or move the church with or without protocol. Since then, locals have continued to donate time and materials to ensure the history and values are preserved for years to come. A new picket fence and parking area have been created in the last five years. Locals have also planted new trees, replaced windows, repainted the exterior and built a new toilet facility. 

One acre of land was donated by the late Donald Sinclair for a Presbyterian Church in the 1800s. The community donated the money needed to build and the church was dedicated on May 15, 1875. There is a large gap in the records between 1878 and 1957. The Anglican and Catholic congregations started holding services there from 1967 making the church truly community-based and available for everyone to use.

Repairs and maintenance were needed by the 1970s. The late Alex Weatherstone rallied the community to fundraise as he believed the church was starting to look tired. It was later repiled, reroofed and repainted.
Former committee chairman and Pirinoa local Alastair Sutherland said he has memories of painting the walls later in the 90s. He said there was money left over from the stock drive and donations were deposited in a dedicated ‘Burnside repairs’ account – administered by First Church Martinborough – which paid for the repainting in 1994, 2003 and new carpet in 2004.

“There are a number of locals that have contributed to the Burnside Church over the years. Many that have received little to no recognition for their hard work and financial assistance,” Sutherland said.  Pirinoa stalwarts Susan Finlayson, the late Dugald Sutherland, Alex Weatherstone and Duncan and Helen Didsbury were just a few locals who provided years of services toward the church.

The First Church of Martinborough is considered the ‘Parent’s of Burnside’ and support, assist and praise the Burnside community for the years of commitment. There have been many weddings in recent years at the church. Many people – locals and friends of the South Wairarapa – choose to marry in the­ picturesque location.The church is at the heart of the Pirinoa community with events organised every year to ensure locals come together. 

The birthday celebration starts at 12.30pm on May 17 and everyone is welcome.