Worship Centres

Aotea Chapel: The Methodist Church on Queen Street

We are a community of faith, seeking to be a living expression of the Christian Gospel in word and deed. The Aotea Chapel and Chapel Community is the "spiritual heart" of LIFEWISE.  It is the source from which the organisation draws and develops its Christian life of service to greater Auckland and beyond.

We especially welcome visitors and tourists, and provide hospitality for those wanting a place in which to worship.

The Chapel, foyer and lounge are available for the use of community groups and special events (such as concerts, seminars, meetings, ceremonies and exhibitions). We also perform weddings, funerals, child-namings and baptisms.

A brief history:

A church was first opened on this site on 16 March 1851. It was at that time part of the Primitive Methodist Church; which became part of the Methodist Church of New Zealand – Te Haahi Weteriana O Aotearoa through union of the various strands of New Zealand Methodism in 1913. The original church building was located around the corner in what is now Airedale Street (formerly called Edwardes Street, and later Alexandria Street). The original kauri church was just 35x25-foot, but was extended in the 1860’s. Later a church hall was also built next door.

As part of the Methodist Mission’s redevelopment of the site, a new Chapel was proposed alongside new office buildings. In 1951 the foundation stone was laid; with the new Chapel opened on 15 November 1964. In 1970 the stained glass window was unveiled. The theme is “Come Unto Me” and was donated by a number of people who desired that it should proclaim this message to the passer-by.

The Chapel continues to serve as a witness for the Methodist Church on the main street of the Auckland city centre.

Location

370 Queen Street, Auckland city, opposite the Town Hall and Aotea Square.

Times of Worship

Sunday Services (Weekly)

Chapel Worship Service: 9.30am (morning tea follows)

Holy Communion is held on the 1st Sunday of each month.

There are also additional services on occasion, in particular for Christmas and Easter.

Contacts 

Office information phone – for service times and notices of events:

(09) 912 9670

Presbyter – Rev. Tony Franklin, direct dial (09) 302 8167

Main office of LIFEWISE: (09) 302 5390

Other church groups 

The Aotea Chapel is also home to the Auckland Deaf Christian Fellowship.This is an independent ecumenical group of and for deaf/hearing impaired people. Contact: Rev. Sandra Gibbons (09) 814 9623

Services are held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each Month at 2.15pm. (Holy Communion is held on the 1st Sunday).

Wesley and Bond Chapels

Located at the heart of Wesley Village (Mt Eden) and Everil Orr Village (Mt Albert) these Chapels are an integral part of life within these caring communities for older people.

The Wesley Chapel is now located within Gordon House, a fine brick house which was the original Wesley Hospital when the facility was first opened in 1950. Services are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, at 1:30pm (Holy Communion is held on the 4th Tuesday).

The Bond Memorial Chapel is a modern sanctuary, centrally placed within the Everil Orr Village. Its walls of glass reveal views of the surrounding gardens. Opened in 1966, by Mrs Edith Bond, it won design awards from the New Zealand Institute of Architects. Services are held on Sundays at 10:00am (Holy Communion on the 1st Sunday of each month).

Sheila Thorne, Chaplain at Everil Orr Village and Wesley Village, can be contacted on (09) 815 2740.