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St Paul's Ngakuru Rotorua
Presbyterian Ministers serving the Ngakuru District since the first settlers arrived:
AC Randerson 1920-1932
J Young 1932-1937
Ernie Walsh, Home Missionary
Alex Scarrow, Home Missionary 1938-1944
Sandy Marshall, 1938-1944
Frank Green 1944-1951
Alec Salmon, 1952-1969
Students for ministry visited Ngakuru and conducted services in homes during their summer vacation in 1927.
The Presbyterian Church in Ngakuru began as part of Rotorua Outstations, an extension of St Johns Church, including Ngongotaha, Mamaku and Kaharoa. Don Nicholson represented Ngakuru on the Mamaku Management Committee. Ernie Walsh, a Home Missionary, was the earliest known regular Presbyterian minister who served the Ngakuru district.
Regular services began when the school was moved from Guthrie to Ngakuru in 1933. Alex Scarrow, a Home Missionary based at Ngongotaha, conducted services and visited homes.
The Sunday School at Ngakuru has been constant part of the parish since the Nicholsons arrived in the 1930s. Known as the "Presbyterian Sunday School" many children from all religious backgrounds attended the Sunday School held in the Nicholsons' home for many years. Mrs Gill led a Bible Class with "a large membership" of keen workers" in 1936. It appears to have disbanded during the war years.
Transport was a problem for the early Home Missionaries. In September 1939 a car was purchased for £100. After 1944 ministers and home missionaries used their own cars.
The Rev. Frank Green became minister at St John's Rotorua in December 1944 and took monthly services at Ngakuru. By 1949 there were often 20 adults and 20 children at services.
After the Hall was built the Sunday School moved from the Nicholsons' home. Mrs Nicholson and Mr Ken Lyons-Montgomery had a Sunday School of about 25 children in 1949-1950.
In December 1951 the parish of Rotorua Outfields, which included Ngakuru, was officially constituted a separate full parish. Two of the original elders were Messrs Brooke and Arthur Murray of Ngakuru. Mr Ken Lyons-Montgomery started a Bible Class again about 1951, with about 16 teenagers.
When Ngakuru became part of the Ngongotaha Parish as a separate entity, the Rev. Lester Reid served the district from the beginning of 1954 to 1960. He led a Bible Class that met on Tuesday evenings in homes. The meetings faded away after he left.
The Sunday School was held during services. The children stayed for half the service and went to Sunday School held in the cloak rooms. Mrs Dorothy Crosbie took the small children and Mr Lyons-Montgomery the older group. Mrs Hazel Hutchings, Mr N. Jennings and Mrs Carrie Murrie assisted during the 1950s. Mrs Rosalind Pembroke and Mrs Shirley Gateby took up the Sunday School when Mr Lyons-Montgomery and Mrs Crosbie retired.
In July 1957 the Board of Managers received word that half an acre of land for a church could be purchased from Mr Jim McLean in Ngakuru. The purchase was transacted at the end of 1958 for £150 after the death of Mr McLean.
Mr and Mrs Nicholson, who had made a great contribution to the district, died in 1959. A memorial minute for Mrs Nicholson says, "Her life of quiet conviction, her sincere friendliness, and her willingness to help people were appreciated by all who knew her".
The possibility of establishing Ngakuru as a separate parish was raised. It was a firm proposal by the end of 1958.
The session of Trinity Parish decided to divide the Parish in 1960. St Paul's Ngakuru Rotorua separated from Trinity Ngongotaha to form a parish on 1 August 1961, consisting of Ngakuru, Waikite and Upper Atiamuri. Rev. G. Murray was appointed the interim moderator. Each district had its own primary school, and community, cultural and sporting activities.
Mr Walter Oberer suggested the name "St Paul's" for the parish after his son Paul, who had died of leukemia in 1942 aged 8, and this suggestion was adopted unanimously. Walter Oberer was ordained an elder on 23 August 1970.
A section for manse was purchased from Mr Giff Hutchings in late 1959 for £100 and a building fund established in 1961. The manse was first occupied by Brian Wetherell, a student minister, in October 1962. It was built by M.I.K. Hunt and dedicated on May 27 1964. The Board of Managers met at the Montgomery home for most meetings until the manse was completed.
Brian Wetherell led the first Combined Carol Service just before Christmas 1962. It was judged a success and became established as an annual event.
Tom Pembroke revived the Bible Class at the beginning of 1963. The group met at Waikite and Mr Pembroke picked up a carload of young people from Ngakuru.
St Paul's Parish was a small parish and at various times proposals were made to link it with Ngongotaha, St John's or St Andrew's in Rotorua, or a cooperating parish with the Anglicans. A link was established with St Stephens Parish Reporoa for a shared ministry when the Rev. Graeme Holdaway became available as a minister, beginning ministry on November 27 1963.
Mr Tom Pembroke was ordained an elder on December 18, 1966, with the Pembrokes making a contribution to the whole Church similar to the Nicholsons.
The Sunday School roll was over 50 children for several years in the 1960s. Attendance was erratic. Separate Sunday Schools alternated at Ngakuru and Waikite Valley on Sundays at the same time as their church services.
The Rev John Allen became minister in 1969. His mother, Mrs Mary Allen, lived with him, remembered for her hospitality, gardening and musical gifts.
Discussions were held between the Presbyterians and Anglicans in the Ngakuru and Waikite Valley districts to consider increasing the number of combined services and making the Sunday School into a joint venture in 1970. The Joint Worship Committee was formed at the end of 1971, and the Combined Churches Christian Education Committee in February 1972.
The Combined Churches Christian Education Committee was formed with people from all three parishes in February 1972. The Sunday School moved to the school and met every Sunday. Tom Pembroke was Christian Education Committee Chairman for several years.
The Session heard of an old church at Bucklands Beach available for removal in 1974. The district worked together to bring the old and historic St Brides Anglican Church to Ngakuru, all three denominations, Anglican, Catholic and Presbyterian, worked together. The kauri building arrived in two sections and was erected in Ngakuru Village on 12 December 1975. The church was renamed 'Christ's Church' and rededicated on Sunday 11 April 1976 in a service led by Father McKenna of St Mary's Catholic Parish, the Rt Rev Paul Reeves, Bishop of Waiapu, and the Very Rev Dr Ian Breward, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. In conjunction with the opening 140 people sat down to a celebration dinner in the Ngakuru Hall. The Church was shared with St. Luke's Anglican Church, Rotorua, and St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, a landmark in the Ngakuru village, used in conjunction with the hall. Chairs rather than pews meant a flexibility of usefulness.
The Anglicans and Presbyterians reviewed their life ministry in March 1975 and the Joint Worship Committee was responsible for the organisation of all services, Christmas service, and adult study groups in Ngakuru and Waikite Valley, apart from Catholic Mass. The committee was the mainstay of Christ's Church being one congregation.
Mr Allen went overseas for a year in 1975. The Rev David Tritenbach and his family came from the USA for the first six months, and a retired minister, the Rev Ernie Walsh, ministered to the area from July to December 1975.
St Mary's Catholic Parish, St Paul's Presbyterian Parish and St Lukes Anglican Parish signed a Joint Use Agreement covering maintenance and use of the Church building, an historical first in New Zealand where the three denominations jointly share in the Church, maintained by the Committee. The agreement was singed between TBP Coles and AP Wallis for St Luke's Anglican Church, Father McKenna, J Edwards and CA Spiers for St Mary's Catholic Parish, and Rev J Allen and J Leckey for St Paul's Presbyterian Parish.
At the end of 1977 the Rev John Allen left to take up a parish in South Canterbury. The Rev Chris Bedford was inducted on 29 March 1978.
Christmas Eve 1978 saw the first Combined Christmas Eve Communion service.
Mr Ken Lyons-Montgomery, the long-time Sunday School and youth leader moved to Opotiki in April 1979. The parish ordained Mrs Maureen Foote as an elder, the first woman elder in the parish. Anglicans and Presbyterians joined with their Catholic friends for a service to mark the 50th anniversary of Father McKenna's ordination. In December 1979 Father McKenna and Canon Jim Greenaway baptised the Rev Chris and Sue Bedford's infant daughter in a joint baptismal service.
The Sunday School introduced a system of changing teachers every term in 1980.
Bible Class numbers dwindled towards the end of the 1970s. The leadership of Mr Chris Whyte and Mr John Murray of Waikite Valley revived youth work. The new group was called Many Activities Towards Christian Harmony (MATCH). About 30 young people from Ngakuru and Waikite Valley were meeting one Saturday night a month for a social programme by the end of 1982. Chris Bedford took the devotions. A weekly Sunday morning Bible Class attracted about 8-10 young people.
The Presbyterian minister was the only clergy person resident in any of the country districts between Rotorua and Taupo, a "Chaplain to Everyone" who assisted in any situtation regardless of church affilation.
Rev. Chris Bedford and his family left Ngakuru for Morrinsville in 1984. The parish welcomed Alex and Dana Chamberlain in the middle of 1985, from America. Alex divided his time between Waikite Valley-Ngakuru and Reporoa-Rerewhakaaitu, and industrial chaplaincy at the Reporoa Dairy factory.
The mid eighties saw substantial changes to rural society with farm wives working in town and many people looking at other options. The Helping Hand Fund was set up in 1986, initiated by an anonymous donation of more than $50 000. The fund provided interest-free loans to anyone in difficulty. It was later known that the money was donated by Geoffrey and Shirley Chevasse. Geoff Chevasse was a self-supporting Anglican priest who took services in Ngakuru twice a month. The money was later returned to the Chevasses and the fund remained backed by local people. Further rural support come from a donation from the St Luke's Centreshop.
The personnel on the Joint Worship Committee changed, and the committee came to an end in 1988. Its duties continued informally.
Subdivision into lifestyle blocks began increasing the population before 1990. Resident ministers served the parish until the late 1990s, and elders and members of the congregation carried out 'The Ministry' after that time. A mixed denominational congregation met weekly at Ngakuru with Anglicans and Presbyterians arranging services. Two Sundays a month are Anglican-led and two Presbyterian-led services. Outreach services were offered to the local rural community. A friendly cooperation existed between the denominational churches including sharing the ownership and use of the Christ Church building at Ngakuru. Christ's Church in Ngakuru and Waikite Valley was a one-congregation shared leadership church, a desire to be a Christian presence in the district, and not as Anglican, Presbyterian or Roman Catholic.
Alex and Dana moved into Rotorua in 1990 where Alex became Chaplain at Rotorua Hospital. The parish welcomed the summer help of theology student Kontiki Makani, a Niuean minister who boarded with Ruth and Ron Palmer in Waikite Valley. The Rev. Joan Wedding followed in 1992, and Jim and Katrina Mestyanek began a half-time ministry in Ngakuru and Waikite Valley, St Stephen's Parish at Reporoa were employing their own minister. Jim and Katrina left in May 1995, Presbyterian services continued twice a month.
Anglican-led service continued twice a month, first with Geoff Chevasse, also John Mayhew and Elaine Wood as lay preachers, and other priests. Ruth Palmer of Waikite Valley and Jo Trent from Ngakuru trained as lay leaders with the Anglican Church in 1995 and organised Anglican services and activities. Ruth worked with Maureen Foote on the music roster and the two women provided music for all services until Ruth retired to Rotorua in 2002. Patricia Shipp and Jenny Whiteman also took a turn as organist one Sunday a month during the 1990s. Jo Trent retired to Cambridge in 2007, and Barbara O'Reilly and Rae McIver of Waikite Valley took over as contact people for the Anglican Church.
The Christian Education Committee last met in 1994. Sunday School began again under the care of Sue and Willy Berryman and continued for a couple of years.
Roman Catholic services continued as an outreach from St Mary's in Rotorua until attendance declined and services ceased in 2006.
The congregation decided to sell the manse in September 2007.
Trinity Owhata, St David's, and St. John's, Rotorua, and St Paul's Ngakuru, dissolved their independent status and came together as Rotorua District Presbyterian Church 2 December 2012.
AC Randerson 1920-1932
J Young 1932-1937
Ernie Walsh, Home Missionary
Alex Scarrow, Home Missionary 1938-1944
Sandy Marshall, 1938-1944
Frank Green 1944-1951
Alec Salmon, 1952-1969
Students for ministry visited Ngakuru and conducted services in homes during their summer vacation in 1927.
The Presbyterian Church in Ngakuru began as part of Rotorua Outstations, an extension of St Johns Church, including Ngongotaha, Mamaku and Kaharoa. Don Nicholson represented Ngakuru on the Mamaku Management Committee. Ernie Walsh, a Home Missionary, was the earliest known regular Presbyterian minister who served the Ngakuru district.
Regular services began when the school was moved from Guthrie to Ngakuru in 1933. Alex Scarrow, a Home Missionary based at Ngongotaha, conducted services and visited homes.
The Sunday School at Ngakuru has been constant part of the parish since the Nicholsons arrived in the 1930s. Known as the "Presbyterian Sunday School" many children from all religious backgrounds attended the Sunday School held in the Nicholsons' home for many years. Mrs Gill led a Bible Class with "a large membership" of keen workers" in 1936. It appears to have disbanded during the war years.
Transport was a problem for the early Home Missionaries. In September 1939 a car was purchased for £100. After 1944 ministers and home missionaries used their own cars.
The Rev. Frank Green became minister at St John's Rotorua in December 1944 and took monthly services at Ngakuru. By 1949 there were often 20 adults and 20 children at services.
After the Hall was built the Sunday School moved from the Nicholsons' home. Mrs Nicholson and Mr Ken Lyons-Montgomery had a Sunday School of about 25 children in 1949-1950.
In December 1951 the parish of Rotorua Outfields, which included Ngakuru, was officially constituted a separate full parish. Two of the original elders were Messrs Brooke and Arthur Murray of Ngakuru. Mr Ken Lyons-Montgomery started a Bible Class again about 1951, with about 16 teenagers.
When Ngakuru became part of the Ngongotaha Parish as a separate entity, the Rev. Lester Reid served the district from the beginning of 1954 to 1960. He led a Bible Class that met on Tuesday evenings in homes. The meetings faded away after he left.
The Sunday School was held during services. The children stayed for half the service and went to Sunday School held in the cloak rooms. Mrs Dorothy Crosbie took the small children and Mr Lyons-Montgomery the older group. Mrs Hazel Hutchings, Mr N. Jennings and Mrs Carrie Murrie assisted during the 1950s. Mrs Rosalind Pembroke and Mrs Shirley Gateby took up the Sunday School when Mr Lyons-Montgomery and Mrs Crosbie retired.
In July 1957 the Board of Managers received word that half an acre of land for a church could be purchased from Mr Jim McLean in Ngakuru. The purchase was transacted at the end of 1958 for £150 after the death of Mr McLean.
Mr and Mrs Nicholson, who had made a great contribution to the district, died in 1959. A memorial minute for Mrs Nicholson says, "Her life of quiet conviction, her sincere friendliness, and her willingness to help people were appreciated by all who knew her".
The possibility of establishing Ngakuru as a separate parish was raised. It was a firm proposal by the end of 1958.
The session of Trinity Parish decided to divide the Parish in 1960. St Paul's Ngakuru Rotorua separated from Trinity Ngongotaha to form a parish on 1 August 1961, consisting of Ngakuru, Waikite and Upper Atiamuri. Rev. G. Murray was appointed the interim moderator. Each district had its own primary school, and community, cultural and sporting activities.
Mr Walter Oberer suggested the name "St Paul's" for the parish after his son Paul, who had died of leukemia in 1942 aged 8, and this suggestion was adopted unanimously. Walter Oberer was ordained an elder on 23 August 1970.
A section for manse was purchased from Mr Giff Hutchings in late 1959 for £100 and a building fund established in 1961. The manse was first occupied by Brian Wetherell, a student minister, in October 1962. It was built by M.I.K. Hunt and dedicated on May 27 1964. The Board of Managers met at the Montgomery home for most meetings until the manse was completed.
Brian Wetherell led the first Combined Carol Service just before Christmas 1962. It was judged a success and became established as an annual event.
Tom Pembroke revived the Bible Class at the beginning of 1963. The group met at Waikite and Mr Pembroke picked up a carload of young people from Ngakuru.
St Paul's Parish was a small parish and at various times proposals were made to link it with Ngongotaha, St John's or St Andrew's in Rotorua, or a cooperating parish with the Anglicans. A link was established with St Stephens Parish Reporoa for a shared ministry when the Rev. Graeme Holdaway became available as a minister, beginning ministry on November 27 1963.
Mr Tom Pembroke was ordained an elder on December 18, 1966, with the Pembrokes making a contribution to the whole Church similar to the Nicholsons.
The Sunday School roll was over 50 children for several years in the 1960s. Attendance was erratic. Separate Sunday Schools alternated at Ngakuru and Waikite Valley on Sundays at the same time as their church services.
The Rev John Allen became minister in 1969. His mother, Mrs Mary Allen, lived with him, remembered for her hospitality, gardening and musical gifts.
Discussions were held between the Presbyterians and Anglicans in the Ngakuru and Waikite Valley districts to consider increasing the number of combined services and making the Sunday School into a joint venture in 1970. The Joint Worship Committee was formed at the end of 1971, and the Combined Churches Christian Education Committee in February 1972.
The Combined Churches Christian Education Committee was formed with people from all three parishes in February 1972. The Sunday School moved to the school and met every Sunday. Tom Pembroke was Christian Education Committee Chairman for several years.
The Session heard of an old church at Bucklands Beach available for removal in 1974. The district worked together to bring the old and historic St Brides Anglican Church to Ngakuru, all three denominations, Anglican, Catholic and Presbyterian, worked together. The kauri building arrived in two sections and was erected in Ngakuru Village on 12 December 1975. The church was renamed 'Christ's Church' and rededicated on Sunday 11 April 1976 in a service led by Father McKenna of St Mary's Catholic Parish, the Rt Rev Paul Reeves, Bishop of Waiapu, and the Very Rev Dr Ian Breward, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. In conjunction with the opening 140 people sat down to a celebration dinner in the Ngakuru Hall. The Church was shared with St. Luke's Anglican Church, Rotorua, and St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, a landmark in the Ngakuru village, used in conjunction with the hall. Chairs rather than pews meant a flexibility of usefulness.
The Anglicans and Presbyterians reviewed their life ministry in March 1975 and the Joint Worship Committee was responsible for the organisation of all services, Christmas service, and adult study groups in Ngakuru and Waikite Valley, apart from Catholic Mass. The committee was the mainstay of Christ's Church being one congregation.
Mr Allen went overseas for a year in 1975. The Rev David Tritenbach and his family came from the USA for the first six months, and a retired minister, the Rev Ernie Walsh, ministered to the area from July to December 1975.
St Mary's Catholic Parish, St Paul's Presbyterian Parish and St Lukes Anglican Parish signed a Joint Use Agreement covering maintenance and use of the Church building, an historical first in New Zealand where the three denominations jointly share in the Church, maintained by the Committee. The agreement was singed between TBP Coles and AP Wallis for St Luke's Anglican Church, Father McKenna, J Edwards and CA Spiers for St Mary's Catholic Parish, and Rev J Allen and J Leckey for St Paul's Presbyterian Parish.
At the end of 1977 the Rev John Allen left to take up a parish in South Canterbury. The Rev Chris Bedford was inducted on 29 March 1978.
Christmas Eve 1978 saw the first Combined Christmas Eve Communion service.
Mr Ken Lyons-Montgomery, the long-time Sunday School and youth leader moved to Opotiki in April 1979. The parish ordained Mrs Maureen Foote as an elder, the first woman elder in the parish. Anglicans and Presbyterians joined with their Catholic friends for a service to mark the 50th anniversary of Father McKenna's ordination. In December 1979 Father McKenna and Canon Jim Greenaway baptised the Rev Chris and Sue Bedford's infant daughter in a joint baptismal service.
The Sunday School introduced a system of changing teachers every term in 1980.
Bible Class numbers dwindled towards the end of the 1970s. The leadership of Mr Chris Whyte and Mr John Murray of Waikite Valley revived youth work. The new group was called Many Activities Towards Christian Harmony (MATCH). About 30 young people from Ngakuru and Waikite Valley were meeting one Saturday night a month for a social programme by the end of 1982. Chris Bedford took the devotions. A weekly Sunday morning Bible Class attracted about 8-10 young people.
The Presbyterian minister was the only clergy person resident in any of the country districts between Rotorua and Taupo, a "Chaplain to Everyone" who assisted in any situtation regardless of church affilation.
Rev. Chris Bedford and his family left Ngakuru for Morrinsville in 1984. The parish welcomed Alex and Dana Chamberlain in the middle of 1985, from America. Alex divided his time between Waikite Valley-Ngakuru and Reporoa-Rerewhakaaitu, and industrial chaplaincy at the Reporoa Dairy factory.
The mid eighties saw substantial changes to rural society with farm wives working in town and many people looking at other options. The Helping Hand Fund was set up in 1986, initiated by an anonymous donation of more than $50 000. The fund provided interest-free loans to anyone in difficulty. It was later known that the money was donated by Geoffrey and Shirley Chevasse. Geoff Chevasse was a self-supporting Anglican priest who took services in Ngakuru twice a month. The money was later returned to the Chevasses and the fund remained backed by local people. Further rural support come from a donation from the St Luke's Centreshop.
The personnel on the Joint Worship Committee changed, and the committee came to an end in 1988. Its duties continued informally.
Subdivision into lifestyle blocks began increasing the population before 1990. Resident ministers served the parish until the late 1990s, and elders and members of the congregation carried out 'The Ministry' after that time. A mixed denominational congregation met weekly at Ngakuru with Anglicans and Presbyterians arranging services. Two Sundays a month are Anglican-led and two Presbyterian-led services. Outreach services were offered to the local rural community. A friendly cooperation existed between the denominational churches including sharing the ownership and use of the Christ Church building at Ngakuru. Christ's Church in Ngakuru and Waikite Valley was a one-congregation shared leadership church, a desire to be a Christian presence in the district, and not as Anglican, Presbyterian or Roman Catholic.
Alex and Dana moved into Rotorua in 1990 where Alex became Chaplain at Rotorua Hospital. The parish welcomed the summer help of theology student Kontiki Makani, a Niuean minister who boarded with Ruth and Ron Palmer in Waikite Valley. The Rev. Joan Wedding followed in 1992, and Jim and Katrina Mestyanek began a half-time ministry in Ngakuru and Waikite Valley, St Stephen's Parish at Reporoa were employing their own minister. Jim and Katrina left in May 1995, Presbyterian services continued twice a month.
Anglican-led service continued twice a month, first with Geoff Chevasse, also John Mayhew and Elaine Wood as lay preachers, and other priests. Ruth Palmer of Waikite Valley and Jo Trent from Ngakuru trained as lay leaders with the Anglican Church in 1995 and organised Anglican services and activities. Ruth worked with Maureen Foote on the music roster and the two women provided music for all services until Ruth retired to Rotorua in 2002. Patricia Shipp and Jenny Whiteman also took a turn as organist one Sunday a month during the 1990s. Jo Trent retired to Cambridge in 2007, and Barbara O'Reilly and Rae McIver of Waikite Valley took over as contact people for the Anglican Church.
The Christian Education Committee last met in 1994. Sunday School began again under the care of Sue and Willy Berryman and continued for a couple of years.
Roman Catholic services continued as an outreach from St Mary's in Rotorua until attendance declined and services ceased in 2006.
The congregation decided to sell the manse in September 2007.
Trinity Owhata, St David's, and St. John's, Rotorua, and St Paul's Ngakuru, dissolved their independent status and came together as Rotorua District Presbyterian Church 2 December 2012.
St Paul's Ngakuru Rotorua. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 25/04/2026, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/114655
