Our Mission:
To make Jesus Christ known by what we say and do.
Our church is made up of the people who find life and hope in Jesus Christ.
Our leadership team
Church Council
Alysson Harris, Don Marshall, Margaret Gibson, Mia Tere, Vaevae Tuahine, Ruth Harrison. Our interim moderator is Simon McLeay.
The Council’s meet monthly for the normal Business Meeting.
PCANZ
St John’s is a part of the wider Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. Find out more about PCANZ here.
Presbytery Central
St John’s is part of Presbytery Central, the regional body for the Presbyterian Church of Aoteoroa New Zealand in the lower North Island. Find out more about Presbytery Central here.
History of St John’s Church, Mahora, Hastings
Our seasons (significant periods in St John’s history)
Churches have seasons just as can be seen in nature and in human life. There is birth, learning to crawl and walk, starting school, finding a first job, and the step of independence. Nature has just four official seasons, being summer and winter, springtime, and harvest (Autumn). Church life knows these in other ways.
The birth of St John’s in Mahora was a long process. In 1904, St Andrew’s Church started running a Sunday School in Mahora and in 1932 (with delays because of the earthquake in 1931) the St John’s Hall in Mahora was opened. It was not until 1938 that the first minister was appointed. The parish finally entered its independence from St Andrew’s in 1951.
In the mid-1950’s the old church building was moved from the Mahora site near the corner of Frederick Street and Tomoana Street to 608 Frederick Street. The property was added
to in 1963 and a new church building erected. This was part a significant season under the leadership of the Rev. Bill Lindsay. The new church was opened on 20th June 1964. The construction of the church can be seen on this YouTube link. The new church was a favourite for weddings during the next decade.
However, a new season emerged in the 1970’s and has remained a significant part of St John’s since then. A move of the Holy Spirit across New Zealand, often referred to as then Charismatic Renewal, touched St John’s Church in Mahora. Tuesday night Prayer and Praise meetings were
held and immersion baptism began at St John’s. This was also a time of healing services and Life in the Spirit Seminars.
This season had its own natural developments, as spiritual gifts given and activated by the Holy Spirit became more and more a part of ministry life in the parish. Some of the developments between 2005 and 2010 included Frimley Church closing and becoming a full part of St John’s in Mahora. A music and movement group for preschool children, known as mainly music, began in 2008. The kitchen in the Church Hall, which had been the original church building until 1964, was refurbished in 2008. The hall was intended to be used as a base for helping the congregation to reach out to the wider community.
In 2010 a new season emerged. The current minister, Rev. Paul Loveday, was appointed in 2010 and from July - September St John’s went into a time of prayer: looking to the future and seeking God’s guidance. On 1st August a fire resulting from an arson attack destroyed the rear buildings including the church hall. The fire brought hope rather than despair, and within a year of the fire the foundations of a new building had been laid where the old hall had once stood. The hall is named Jireh Hall, indicating that the hall is God’s provision. This whole experience was the start of a new thrust by the congregation to reach out to and serve the wider community.
The ComCare Ministry was birthed in 2011 and Connect in 2012. February 2012 saw the opening of the new Jireh Hall. Within nine months of being officially opened Jireh Hall was needed for church services while the church auditorium underwent earthquake strengthening in line with the stronger regulations following the Christchurch earthquake. The inaugural Alleluia Party on 31 October 2012 went on to become the annual Angels and Heroes Party.
April 2014 saw the 50th Celebration of St John’s Church being built and the 75th Celebration of St John’s as a Parish.
At the end of 2022 we farewelled Paul and Michelle Loveday, our Senior Minister and Community Minister. We wish them all the best in their retirement!
A more detailed history, including leader roles, can be found on the timeline.
Sunday morning service
80th anniversary of St John’s