St Mark's set to join All Saints

After almost 125 years, the doors of St Mark's Church in Eltham are closing for good - but it's only the building that is closing, not the church.

St Mark's Presbyterian-Methodist church will officially merge with the All Saints Anglican church on Sunday (November 23).

Reverend Peter Barleyman of All Saints says there is a long history of the two churches working together, "we have been hosting joint serves at All Saints for a year and it has been a wonderful journey".

Session clerk of St Mark's, Leo Danz, says the merge "isn't the end of our church we are simply moving". St Mark's celebrated 100 years in 1990. "It isn't easy to let go of the building but with the help of the right people it has been an easy transition."

Peter adds "it has been a lovely integration for both churches, we have learned a lot from each other".

As a way to farewell the building there will be a Service of Closure at St Mark's on Sunday at 1pm. This will be followed by a walk to the All Saints Church and a welcoming.

Peter says both services are open to the public and everyone is welcome "no matter what church you come from". In attendance will be Anglican Bishop of Taranaki Philip Richardson (also Archbishop of the New Zealand Dioceses), Reverend Robert Anderson, representing the Presbyterian Church, and superintendent of the Taranaki-Wanganui synod of the Methodist Church, Tony Bell.

Peter says All Saints will hold regular joint services "to honour each other's traditions".

For more information on the Service of Closure phone Doreen Zehnder, 06 764 8117