A Time of Change

The Southland Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand was formed in 1860. It merged with four other presbyteries in the south of the South Island to form the Southern Presbytery in 2010. This book records the key people and events that took place during these 150 years. 34 parishes were established from Te Anau in the north to Oban on Stewart Island in the south. Churches arose to meet the needs of local communities. Lay people offered faithful service, supporting ordained ministers, who were appointed as the churches flourished and finances allowed. While membership of some churches grew, over time, many churches and parishes dwindled to the point they were no longer able to support paid clergy. Local churches, in both city and rural settings, often found it hard to amalgamate with neighbouring churches as they perceived they had little in common. The book records the many ways the leadership of Presbytery supported parishes to restructure and remain viable. The final 20 years of the life of Southland Presbytery has been researched and collated in this publication, recording the many challenges and changes that took place over that time.