| How parishioners brightened
up their church
(Continued from page 9) Doubtful Sound is spectacular with the mountains rising almost vertically from the sea. A good two days in Te Anau would never be regretted. It is every bit as beautiful as Queenstown, (or more so in my opinion) and unspoiled, as yet, by the influx of tourism. Mossburn’s church, ‘The Good Shepherd’, is new but somehow its design lacks character. Recently three older Parishioners put a new stain glass window into the front of the Church. It is six feet high by four wide and was just what the building needed. The window depicts the name of the church. The dominating cross has the shepherd’s crook as part of its formation. From the crook shape, glass reflecting the colours of the evening sky emanate from its center. One of the women loved
the hymn ‘All things bright and beautiful’ and especially the line
|
 At
‘the purple headed mountain’. The local hill, ‘The Dome’, divides the skyline from the colours that depict the variation of crops of the area. the base of the cross stands a lamb. The lamb represents Christ and also the original farm animal that brought fame to the area. From the center of the cross the five rivers of the area - the rivers of life - flow. In the river is a trout that marks the sport of the area while reminding us of the secret sign of the early church ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour’. Lately much of the high country wrestled from the bush has been sold to private companies for forestry. Unfortunately, as this area was owned by Anglican families, it has reduced the numbers who support the Church and now the congregation here is small -- but certainly large in dedication. |