Parishioners fighting closure of 126-year-old church

Renovating St Michael and All Angels would cost at least $220,000. Photo/ Steven McNicholl

Worshippers at a historic North Shore church are taking on parish leaders and the Auckland Anglican Diocese to stop the sale of its land and buildings.

A curate's house that served the church in better days has already been sold and the $580,000 proceeds banked with the diocese investment funds on behalf of the Takapuna parish.

The rebels are among 20 to 25 people who attend the weekly service at St Michael and All Angels Church in Bayswater.

They will appeal to next week's Takapuna parish meeting called to approve the "disposal".

They are getting support from a Facebook page and Devonport Heritage, which says the building is about 126 years old and has the strongest heritage protection.

In March, the parish voted to close the Bayswater "daughter" to its main centre of worship, St Peter's at Takapuna, after hearing a minimum of $220,000 was needed for renovations.

Now, a proposal from the vestry, warden and vicar seeks to gain approval from the diocese for disposal of land and buildings "which are no longer required".

Joan Gillon, who has attended services since 1958, is shocked by the move to sell.

"We feel neglected, because we have heard proposals for over 10 years to do the work and were told there was plenty of money and told different dates when work would start."

"It's a David and Goliath battle," said Eve Bruton.

"We are distressed because we have not had a chance to prove our case to keep this little church where people go to simply worship the Lord.

The land was gifted for religious, charitable and educational purposes by MP James O'Neill in 1864.

The church was a Devonport Sunday school before it was moved to the site by bullock teams 100 years ago to replace a building that burned down.

Diocesan secretary Geoff Clark said the proceeds from selling the Bayswater clergy house were invested and tagged for the use of the parish.

"The money is there but on the whole the diocese does not feel that is a good use of the money and so does the parish," he said. "You would be spending $200,000 so that 20 parishioners could attend church on a Sunday."

Mr Clark said that a "daughter church" had been closed in the diocese once a year for the past 30 years as parishes struggled with falling church attendances and the cost of building upkeep, stipends for the clergy and outreach work.

The Takapuna vestry said all parishioners had been advised of all the information regarding finance since last August.

"The best decision has been made for careful use of resources and there was little choice in practice."

Bayswater worshippers suggest they could keep services in their church by forming a mission district, with some financial support from the diocese.

Congregation member Margaret Kantor said: "We are conservative people and have never been involved in anything like this motion to rescind closure. But at least we can try."

As for the proposed "thanksgiving service" to close the church on October 1, Mrs Kantor said: "We won't be going there to say thank you for closing our church."