The Bannockburn Community Church, now owned by the community, was opened as a Presbyterian Church in February 1909.
About 140 people, including district residents, holiday home owners, former parishioners and clergy attended a service in the church yesterday to mark the occasion, which was followed by lunch in the grounds.
Bannockburn residents banded together to buy the stone building in 2004, organising a host of fund-raising ventures to finance the $300,000 purchase.
The centennial service was conducted by Rev Catherine Little, of Wanaka, and two people with long links to the district - Mary Valk, of Cromwell, and Richard Anderson, of Bannockburn, cut the cake.
"This building has seen many joys and many sorrows and much faithful worship over the years," Rev Little said during the service.
It was important to "hold on" to history, and that was one of the reasons the community became custodians of the building, she said.
Rev David Caldwell, now living on the Sunshine Coast in Australia, was minister at Bannockburn for 11 years from 1994.
He said it was wonderful the community had bought the building and "kept it alive."
These days, the church building is used for weddings, funerals and carol services, Mrs Dicey said.
The hall next to the church would celebrate its centenary in 2011.
The community was working towards upgrading the hall's kitchen and bathroom facilities.
The hall is owned by the Central Otago District Council.
