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A church group in Christchurch New Zealand plans to build a multi-sport and recreation hub on quake-damaged Porritt Park – a project that could cost up to $8 million.
The Celebration Church Lions Sports Trust, an off-shoot of the Wainoni-based Celebration Church, says it is willing to bankroll the project if the Christchurch City Council will lease it the land.
The hub would have an athletics track, grandstand, sports fields, gymnasium and community centre. Picnic areas and a playground would also be provided.
Celebration Church was founded by Murray and Nancy Watkinson.
In 1976 Murray enrolled in the Nazarene Bible College in Brisbane, Australia.
He served as a senior associate pastor in Melbourne, Pasadena upon graduating in 1980, and later became the senior pastor of a small church in MacKay, North Queensland, Australia.
The Watkinsons returned to New Zealand in 1984 and became the pastors at the Church of the Nazarene in Christchurch.
In 1988 they left the Nazarene movement and set up the Celebration Centre.
In 1996, Celebration Centre changed from being a programme-based church into one based on small groups that met weekly in homes.
Celebration Centre is now home to more than 150 cell groups.
Large congregation meetings are still held weekly on a Sunday.
Celebration Churches have been established in Kaikohe, Warkworth, Nelson and Invercargill as well as in Cook Islands, USA and Uganda.
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