Who we are

Our churches are places to learn, be challenged, and discover. They are places where community is important, where everyone has a place to belong. Our churches are places to celebrate good times and successes and find support when things are tough. Our churches are places where human and divine are able to meet and we seek deeper meaning for our lives.

For centuries churches have been places where people and communities can learn, celebrate, and find support and guidance without judgment. We know this hasn’t always been the case, but we aim to continue this tradition and ensure our church communities provide a welcoming home for everyone.

We are people from all sorts of backgrounds: farmers, teachers, scientists, business owners, office workers, students, parents, single, married, younger, older, people who have been here for generations and people who have arrived more recently. We all understand that there is more to the universe, there is meaning and purpose in the world and our lives, we find that most fully and richly in Jesus Christ.

We can see that the world is often not the way it should be, our societies are often showing a need for love, healing, and a different way in order for all people to flourish. We find this love and healing in the God who is revealed in Jesus Christ. God provides purpose and meaning behind the universe and shows the value of each human being in the teaching of Jesus.

We are the joint parishes of Methven, Mayfield-Mt. Somers, and Rakaia. We have churches in Methven, Mt. Somers, Rakaia, Barrhill, Chertsey, and Dorie which have provided spiritual homes to these communities for generations. We are a part of the Diocese of Christchurch in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

As Christians we look to the Bible (a library of books historically divided into the Old Testament and New Testament) to inform our faith and understanding of God, the Church, and Christian life. As Anglicans our theology (our understanding and practical application of the teaching of God in the Bible) is expressed in the historic documents of the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, the Book of Common Prayer, and the 39 Articles. Multi-disciplinary scholarship (historical and modern) supports our understanding and application.