OUR METHODIST CHURCH
A meeting took place on April 17th, 1903, where members agreed to stand loyal to the project of building a church. A following meeting at Annandale formed a committee under the chairmanship of Rev. C. Abernethy.
A site at the corner of Thames and Canada Streets was secured as a gift from Mrs W.S. Allen and the church was built.
It was opened by Rev. C. Abernethy on Thursday the 15th of October 1903 and the first service conducted by the Rev. S. Griffith on Sunday 18th October 1903.
The first Methodist minister to reside in Morrinsville was Mr W.W. Dillicar in 1905, followed by Rev. James Richards in 1906. In 1907 Mr G.H. Bridgeman held the position and travelled as far as Mamaku near Rotorua to the south and north to Tahuna. His transport was by bicycle or horse, depending on the weather.
In 1909 – 1910 the church was enlarged by an addition of 10 feet and in 1928 an extension to the front porch was completed for the Bible Class. Land was purchased in 1938 around the church which made alterations possible. They moved the church north on the section to be used for a Sunday School Hall but the building of a new church was postponed due to rising-costs and building restrictions.
In March 1950 the trustees approached an architect to create plans for a new church to seat 150 people. Messrs F. T. Hawkins Ltd with local voluntary labour was contracted to do the work at a cost of 12,500 pound.
March 23rd, 1953, Mr J Palmer who had been secretary for 39 years turned the first sod on the site. This Memorial Church will be a worthy memorial to those who served in our World Wars and to Methodism.
Final additions to build the New Church Centre began in January 1982, John Houlton was employed on a labour only basis with a large number of volunteers, John Walsh being the overseer. This included the foyer, lounge, kitchen, hall, classrooms and toilets.
The opening of the New Church Centre was on the 5th of September 1982 and since then the interior has been refurbished in 2002, exterior repainted in 2003 and September 2003 the kitchen was upgraded.
