About Us
St Matthew's encompasses a wide range of Services from a 1662 Sung Evensong to a post ALPHA Celebration Service.
Sunday Worship is Traditional Hymn and Prayer Book Liturgy with organ or piano at the 8am Service in the Chapel.
The 10am Service in the nave is Contemporary with modern songs (Parachute, Hillsong, Vineyard etc) featuring singers, guitar and the Rodgers Digital Organ with its vast range of instrumental sounds and voices but is traditional at Eucharist. Words and pictures are presented via a Data Projector.
Services at the three country churches are traditional
Midweek Service has many long-standing parishioners in attendance and leads on to St Matthew's Seniors' Lunch on the 2nd Thursday of the month.
Children's Church is in the 'Ark'; Youth Church (SideDoor) has their service Friday evening and Discipling groups during the week.
A variety of programmes are available during the year: ALPHA, Living Faith, Journeys, EFM and Lenten Studies etc.
St Matthews History
The original church stood at Bain’s Corner at the start of Church Street. The parishioners decided it was too small and in 1912 the brick church was built on the present site. The old Parish Hall was shifted across and is now the CaF, the youth hall. The new church suffered damage in the 1942 earthquake and may well have been repairable. However, it was demolished by the army using black powder. It took more than one attempt at demolition! The ruins remained and Worship took place in the Parish Hall.
The present building dates back to 1956 and is similar in design and construction to Napier Cathedral and St James’ Lower Hutt. In the mid nineties a modern sound system was installed and the layout changed; the organ was replaced in 2004. In recent times the lighting has been improved, a rear projection data system installed, and heat pumps and pew covers in the main body of the church have greatly improved the comfort.
Leadership Team
Vicar: Rev'd Stephen Kimberley
Priest Assistant: Rev'd Merv Jones
Deacon Assistant: Rev'd Christine Ellis
Priest Assistant: Rev’d Liz Greville
Parish Administrator: Mrs Patti Robertson
Bishop’s Warden: Mr Edwin O’Hara
People’s Warden: Mr John Whitehead
Youth Leader: Fern Hamilton
Childen’s Leader (“The Ark”):Mrs Lesley Martell
Priest Associate: Rev’d Ted Dashfield
Priest Associate: Rev’d Pam Mildenhall
Priest Associate: Rev’d Michael Burt