Welcome to Te Aroha

Co-operating Parish

To view an "At Home" Service  prepared by our Minister: click  below:                         

      10 January 2021

             

St David's

Waitoa

Springs Community Trust         

 

For family occasions, help and support 
Telephone - 884 8673

For Notices and Bulletins click below:   
                                                    20 December

 
                                                                      

St David's is at 32 Church Street, Te Aroha.

Rev Dr. Susan Thompson conducted the commissioning of Rev. Mary Petersen at St. Davids' on 22 March 2020

at a Special Meeting of the Parish Council given the suspension of services at present due to the COViD-19 crisis.

Rev. Mary is now ministering to our congregation and community in Te Aroha.

 


We are conveniently located near the centre of town.

Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Simmins being presented with a framed picture of Te Aroha and the Kaimai ranges on the occasion of his final service with us.  Rev. Dr. Simmins came to us in July 2019 from the United Church of Canada  and returned to Canada in January 2020.  He endeared himself to our congregation and was farewelled with our very best wishes for the future. 
Our Parish combines the traditions of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches. We welcome everyone and invite all to experience Christ's transforming love. Please join us at 10am on any Sunday

Our parish mission statement is: "To be a welcoming, worshipping all age church family, proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed and God helping us, reaching out in loving service to meet the spiritual, mental and physical needs in the community."
 
Our History
Although our parish was born in 1978 when the Methodist and Presbyterian parishes in the town came together to worship as a single congregation, the two churches had a long and important role to play in the town going back more than 100 years earlier. This website can not pretend to contain even a mustard seed of information that does adequate justice to the faith of our forebears.
In 1956 the Methodist Church celebrated 75 years as a Methodist church in the district. (Yes, that means a celebration of the years starting in 1881.) At the time a history of the church was published. Those who wrote and published the history would have no understanding of today's technology that allows you to read this important history at the click of a mouse!
In more recent times:
On Saturday 9 June and Sunday 10 June 2018, we celebrated 40 years as a  Co-operating Parish. Guests from far and wide joined with the local congregation in a celebration dinner on the Saturday evening, and a service of worship on Sunday morning. Lunch followed the service.
On the right, a photo of the congregation on Sunday morning was taken by Peter Kampenhout. He has also kindly provided photos from throughout the weekend which can be viewed here.