About Us

From semi-rural district to city suburb

Early Years

Services in the area began in 1914 in what had once been the stables of the Wapiti Estate, formerly owned by Major and Mrs Nelson George. At that stage, the land around Mt St John was included in St Mark’s (Remuera Rd) parish so their assistant priest took charge of the new group. The whole district was still semi-rural - apparently, farmyard animals often wandered into the services. There were other difficulties as the building was also used for Saturday night dances, and it was hard work getting it ready in time for Sunday morning worship.

When Mrs George returned to New Zealand she found parishioners gathering in her former stables and felt compelled to provide a more suitable place of worship. In November 1915 she bought the Ranfurly Rd property and arranged for the church to be built, at full cost to herself. The foundation stone was laid in December, and less than two months later, the Bishop of Auckland dedicated the completed nave.

Mrs George continued her generosity by paying for the church hall to be built in 1917 and donating funds for the purchase of a vicarage site on the corner of Wapiti and Market Rds. The Ladies Guild raised funds for various furnishings and accessories.

Throughout the 1920s, the church continued to grow, but it was not until 1926 that St George’s was established as a separate parish with an English clergyman as its first vicar. More than 150 attended the Sunday School and about 50 girls from St Cuthbert’s school around the corner came regularly to services. In 1926 the church was enlarged with the addition of transepts, the sanctuary and an addition to the vestry; extensions to the hall followed the next year, then changes to the porch, with the old one converted to a baptistry.

In 1930 the pipe organ was installed, free of debt and when Mrs George died in 1931 the wooden carved altar still in use today was commissioned as her memorial, along with a brass plaque.

Becoming Established

Through the next decades, the various ministries of the parish became established: the Ladies Guild, Mother’s Union, Young Wives Group (later affiliated to the Association of Anglican Women), Sunday School, Youth Work, lay readers and Choir. Confirmation classes were held each year, as were fundraising fairs. Several religious plays were presented in church during the mid-1940s. In 1952 the property next door became available and was renovated as the vicarage.

The Sunday School and Youth Work tended to wax and wane over the years but the youth group received a significant boost in the early 60s under the leadership of Bruce and Marie Kerkham. Attendance went from 12 to 72 out of a total roll of 156, including Maori young people from the Labour Department Youth Hostel and United Maori Mission nearby.

Inter-church connections in Epsom, and services in the Knox rest home also began about this time.

Music was always a strong feature of St George’s liturgical life. The first official (paid) organist and choirmaster served for ten years from 1922. Later on, more ambitious choir work was attempted and there was an extra girls’ choir, which also sang ‘on the air’ in the 1940s. It was generally felt that St George’s maintained a high standard of church music, beyond that usually enjoyed in smaller parishes.

A New Era

The appointment of Rev Brian Jenkins as vicar in 1990 began a new period of growth for St George’s. Brian was also the national director of the Church Army Society of Lay Evangelists and brought several of his team with him – including Barbara Murdoch and Peter Allfrey. Brian’s whole family was involved in the parish as well, with his wife Trisha as the organist and their four children helping with music or youth work.

Time was spent reaching out to the young people of the parish, with the result that the youth group and Sunday School grew steadily again, bringing more families into the church.

The style of worship became more flexible and informal, reflecting changes happening in the wider church. (The NZ Prayer Book was finalised in the late 1980s, updating the previous 1928 version). At St George’s, these changes became apparent in a simpler arrangement of the sanctuary and a more modern music style.

Homegroups also received a boost and a monthly ‘Prayer and Praise’ evening service released many people into new ministries within the church and beyond.

By the time Brian retired in 2001 St George’s had become a large church, with the 9.30 am Sunday service bursting at the seams, an established Alpha programme, strong KidsChurch and Youth Group and a number of active homegroups.

For the 75th Jubilee booklet in 1990 Brian Jenkins wrote: "There has been an increased recognition that the ministry of the church is that of all the baptised. Perhaps the biggest changes are yet to come as the Church turns from a pastoral model to a mission model, for New Zealand is now very much a mission field."

Up to the Present

In 2002, Bob and Margaret Barrett came to a church that was in good heart, but capable of much more. The biggest challenges were how to deal with a full church, continue growing, and develop a staff team.

After much consultation, a new congregation was established at 10.45 am and the 9.30 moved back to 9.00 am. The idea was to create not just a new service time but a distinct community of worshippers with their own style and expression. As St George’s attracts more people, exploration continues into creating further new congregations, each with their own unique flavour.

There is also increased emphasis on fully incorporating newcomers into the life of the church, with the understanding that developing Christian maturity is as important as numerical growth.

In 2003 the church appointed its first fulltime Youth Pastor. Others have been added to the staff team to support areas like children’s work, evangelism, discipleship, or creative arts.

Bob Barrett: "Many of those who worship at St George’s are very busy professionals who may be involved in other ministries and supporting people in the community. So there is actually a very small pool of people who are able to take responsibility for roles within the life of the church itself. St George’s recognises that everyone has a ministry and for many that is in the workplace or in the community. How best to support and equip that diversity of service is a continuing challenge."

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