About 100 people were led in yesterday's service by Graham Langley, vicar of St Mark's parish since 1989.
While the parish had been around for about 150 years, the building was in its 50th year, and received an upgrade to mark the occasion, Rose Langley said.
Some of the furniture for the upgrade arrived from China the week of the Canterbury earthquake and was being stored in a Christchurch warehouse when the earthquake struck.
The new chairs survived and were in place for yesterday's celebration service, but some book shelves were crushed, Mrs Langley said.
The building was also fitted with new carpet and light fixtures, and the ceiling was cleaned, something which probably had not been done for the past 50 years, Mrs Langley said.
Elwyn Bates, who joined the parish in 1964, spoke near the end of the service.
The congregation was invited to have morning tea after the service.
