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Presbytery of Bay of Plenty
Auckland Presbytery was established in 1856 with charges and responsibility for Presbyterian work throughout the entire province. Thirty years later Presbyterian settlers were numerous in the Bay to begin to meet as congregations. Rev. David Bruce of St Andrew's Auckland helped settle these early congregations with ministers.
Tauranga sent an open call to the Church of Scotland in 1867. When Rev. George Morriss arrived in 1868, half the congregation had joined the gold-rush to Thames. He resigned after ten months due to lack of adequate support. The induction of Rev. Peter Hay in 1877 marked Tauranga's growth and financial stability.
A licentiate, John Mark, lived among the settlers at Katikati. Auckland Presbytery ordained and inducted him to Katikati in 1876 and he ministered there until his death in 1887.
The appointed schoolmaster and Presbyterian minister, James Martin, conducted the first service at Opotiki in 1872. His successor was an Anglican priest. A decision to form a Presbyterian charge at Opotiki was made in 1877. They called Rev. John Gow, who was recuperating in the district and ministered from 1878 to 1892.
Many parishes are Union or Co-operating: Turangi (1971), Taupo (1972), Omokoroa (1972), St James Greerton (1973), Opotiki (1978), Reporoa (1993), and Welcome Bay (1994).
Henry Fletcher was appointed Maori Missioner in 1895 with Taupo as his home base. He devoted 30 years to this task, opening up work in the Urewera.
The first Home Missionary to Te Puke was Arnold Norrie in 1908, then an outstation of Tauranga. Rev. D R McDonald was inducted as the first ordained minister in 1920.
Rev. R Sommerville of St Peter's Auckland arranged supply to Rotorua from 1894 to 1908 when Rev. Thomas Scott was called as the first minister.
Newly opened road and railway made Hamilton more accessible than Auckland to the parishes of the Waikato by 1908. Tauranga and Rotorua formed Waikato Presbytery in December 1908, including the Home Mission Stations of Katikati and Te Puke. Opotiki and its outstations at Kutarere, Whakatane and Taneatua remained part of Auckland Presbytery as sea transport continued to be more convenient for the eastern Bay.
Whakatane was a Home Mission outfield of Opotiki. Rev. Adam Madill was inducted as first minister of Whakatane and its Outfields, including Taneatua in 1914. He enlisted in 1915, and was killed in action in 1917. The parishe called Rev. William McNeur and he served from 1917 to 1921.
The draining of the Rangitaiki swamps and extension of the railway to Taneatua increased settlement. Rev. W T Platt was appointed Home Mission Agent to Whakatane Outfields in 1916. Mr Nik Ravn was appointed in 1918 and they were renamed Rangitaiki Home Mission. Rangitaiki became a sanctioned charge in 1924 and called Rev. Arthur Sutherland.
The induction of Rev. Edward Bandy raised Taneatua to a full parish in 1922, previously a part of Whakatane Outfields, shortly before the formation of the Bay of Plenty Presbytery.
As transport and communication improved the parishes of the Bay questioned the wisdom of remaining parts of Auckland and Waikato Presbyteries. Tauranga, Te Puke, Opotiki, Taneatua, Whakatane and Rangitaiki Home Mission Station petitioned the 1922 Assembly to constitute a new Presbytery for the Bay of Plenty. The petition was granted and the first meeting was held at the Whakatane Church on 12 December 1922.
The pioneering work of Henry Fletcher led to stations being opened at Ruatahuna (Sister Annie Henry 1917), Maungapohatu (Rev. John Laughton 1918), Matahi (1922), Te Teko (1926), Opotiki (1929), Kawerau (1930), and Tokaanu (1935). Reporoa was designated both a Maori Mission and a Home Mission (1936). The Maori Synod was formed in 1956.
The New Life Movement formed new parishes: St Enoch's Tauranga (1953), Taupo Home Mission (1953), Mt Maunganui Home Mission (1953), Trinity Rotorua (1954), Murupara-Galatea Home Mission (1955), St Andrew's Greerton (1958), St Columba Tauranga (1960), Kawerau (1961), Ngakuru (1963), St Andrew's Rotorua (1965), St David's Rotorua (1976).
Tauranga sent an open call to the Church of Scotland in 1867. When Rev. George Morriss arrived in 1868, half the congregation had joined the gold-rush to Thames. He resigned after ten months due to lack of adequate support. The induction of Rev. Peter Hay in 1877 marked Tauranga's growth and financial stability.
A licentiate, John Mark, lived among the settlers at Katikati. Auckland Presbytery ordained and inducted him to Katikati in 1876 and he ministered there until his death in 1887.
The appointed schoolmaster and Presbyterian minister, James Martin, conducted the first service at Opotiki in 1872. His successor was an Anglican priest. A decision to form a Presbyterian charge at Opotiki was made in 1877. They called Rev. John Gow, who was recuperating in the district and ministered from 1878 to 1892.
Many parishes are Union or Co-operating: Turangi (1971), Taupo (1972), Omokoroa (1972), St James Greerton (1973), Opotiki (1978), Reporoa (1993), and Welcome Bay (1994).
Henry Fletcher was appointed Maori Missioner in 1895 with Taupo as his home base. He devoted 30 years to this task, opening up work in the Urewera.
The first Home Missionary to Te Puke was Arnold Norrie in 1908, then an outstation of Tauranga. Rev. D R McDonald was inducted as the first ordained minister in 1920.
Rev. R Sommerville of St Peter's Auckland arranged supply to Rotorua from 1894 to 1908 when Rev. Thomas Scott was called as the first minister.
Newly opened road and railway made Hamilton more accessible than Auckland to the parishes of the Waikato by 1908. Tauranga and Rotorua formed Waikato Presbytery in December 1908, including the Home Mission Stations of Katikati and Te Puke. Opotiki and its outstations at Kutarere, Whakatane and Taneatua remained part of Auckland Presbytery as sea transport continued to be more convenient for the eastern Bay.
Whakatane was a Home Mission outfield of Opotiki. Rev. Adam Madill was inducted as first minister of Whakatane and its Outfields, including Taneatua in 1914. He enlisted in 1915, and was killed in action in 1917. The parishe called Rev. William McNeur and he served from 1917 to 1921.
The draining of the Rangitaiki swamps and extension of the railway to Taneatua increased settlement. Rev. W T Platt was appointed Home Mission Agent to Whakatane Outfields in 1916. Mr Nik Ravn was appointed in 1918 and they were renamed Rangitaiki Home Mission. Rangitaiki became a sanctioned charge in 1924 and called Rev. Arthur Sutherland.
The induction of Rev. Edward Bandy raised Taneatua to a full parish in 1922, previously a part of Whakatane Outfields, shortly before the formation of the Bay of Plenty Presbytery.
As transport and communication improved the parishes of the Bay questioned the wisdom of remaining parts of Auckland and Waikato Presbyteries. Tauranga, Te Puke, Opotiki, Taneatua, Whakatane and Rangitaiki Home Mission Station petitioned the 1922 Assembly to constitute a new Presbytery for the Bay of Plenty. The petition was granted and the first meeting was held at the Whakatane Church on 12 December 1922.
The pioneering work of Henry Fletcher led to stations being opened at Ruatahuna (Sister Annie Henry 1917), Maungapohatu (Rev. John Laughton 1918), Matahi (1922), Te Teko (1926), Opotiki (1929), Kawerau (1930), and Tokaanu (1935). Reporoa was designated both a Maori Mission and a Home Mission (1936). The Maori Synod was formed in 1956.
The New Life Movement formed new parishes: St Enoch's Tauranga (1953), Taupo Home Mission (1953), Mt Maunganui Home Mission (1953), Trinity Rotorua (1954), Murupara-Galatea Home Mission (1955), St Andrew's Greerton (1958), St Columba Tauranga (1960), Kawerau (1961), Ngakuru (1963), St Andrew's Rotorua (1965), St David's Rotorua (1976).
[PA42010/71]
Presbytery of Bay of Plenty. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 05/04/2026, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/121516
