The parish celebrated the 150th anniversary of the appointment of its first ordained minister, the Rev C.S. Ross, who arrived in 1868.
Present parish minister the Rev Andrew Howley, who arrived in 2015, explained the importance of celebrating the occasion.
"Often, when we celebrate churches, it’s usually celebrating buildings, where a church really says that people are most important.
"It’s always good to look back and remember those that have gone before us, to establish what is here today."
He told some of the stories from the Rev Ross’ diaries.
"They were incredibly pioneering days when the first minister came here ... stories of him walking from Alexandra to Balclutha for church meetings ... it would have been three of four nights ... life’s a lot easier to deal with today."
Mr Ross came to Alexandra as a Presbyterian minister.
It was not until the 1970s that the local Presbyterian and Methodist congregations combined to form the Union parish.
Historical records said Presbyterian services were first held in Alexandra in 1863.
The first service was held under a great rock across the road from St Enoch’s Church.
Services were held at a stone building in downtown Alexandra, also used for council meetings and school until St Enoch’s Church was built in 1877.
The parish has had 26 ministers since Mr Ross.
Parishioners celebrated with a ceilidh concert on Saturday, followed by a service at St Enoch’s and a lunch at the Alexandra District Club yesterday.
