Who we are
All Saints Anglican Church is well-used for worship, for times of quietness, prayer and reflection, and for admiring the beautiful stained glass windows that are a feature of the church.
The History
The first worship service was held in All Saints on Sunday January 20, 1878, the foundation stone having been laid on May 24, 1877. The portion of the church built at that time was the Nave and the Porch. The original brick walling has subsequently been plastered. Extensions to the church, consisting of the tower, enlarged sanctuary and vestry, were completed in 1954. All Saints is listed with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Pouhere Taonga, a place that is a treasure for all.
The Faith
Along with Christians from every denomination and church, we believe that this beautiful and wonderful world, and indeed of all creation from atoms to galaxies, from tuataras to you, is the design and work of God.
As Christians, we believe that God is good, is loving, is just and created us not to be born, live and then die, but to grow to know the truth and to live in eternal fellowship with God and each other, here and after our bodies die.
We believe that God has spoken –and still speaks – through the Bible as well as through the created world, but has supremely manifested himself in the person of Jesus Christ. The teaching, life, death and resurrection of Jesus are life-changing and hold the key to knowing and to loving God, and to making sense of life, before and after death. The encounter with God described in the Gospels through Jesus is still experienced today through the Holy Spirit’s living and active work and presence.
The Anglican Church is a worldwide family of churches which share a common heritage that is based on scripture, tradition and reason, founded on the Bible as a basis of our faith; the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, which are basic statements of Christian belief; recognition of the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, and the historic episcopate; that is, the continuity of the line of bishops since the time of Christ.
We seek to work with neighbouring churches in our combined mission to society.
The Diocese of Dunedin
The Anglican communion is divided into provinces, which are made of Dioceses. We are in the Province of New Zealand, Polynesia and Aotearoa, in the Diocese of Dunedin, which consists of Southland and Otago.
Caring for others
The Anglican Church has a long history of working to transform society. In Invercargill our main work is through Anglican Care’s South Centre family support centre in Jenkin Street.
Worship
We all know the pleasure and delight we experience in happy family gatherings! Worship is a bit like that – some time spent looking back, some time spent in enjoyment and being thankful for the present moment, some time spent looking forward to what is still to come, but also being personally enriched by the experience as well as being able to ’minister’ to others, to love and care for those around us.
Our worship services enable us to take time out of our busy lives to reconnect with God, the Beloved, who embraces us with love and life, and builds us into a family made for eternity.
Worship at All Saints is varied, ranging from the formal to the relaxed. There’s something for everyone, be it the stately language of a traditional language service, the English of today in the New Zealand Prayer Book, the cheerful hum of a family service, the free prayer at a praise and worship evening, or the candlelight and music of Taize worship.
The Open Door
Our life together at All Saints is rich and varied. We have programmes for children, for teenagers, for men, for women, for all of us together, for those who want to explore faith, those who want to discuss and deepen faith.
Many know All Saints as ‘the church with the open door ‘. And indeed, we welcome all who enter these doors to explore faith, to celebrate faith, to seek God. There’s a very good hymn, ‘Just as I am… I come’. And that’s the way of the open door – God invites us into his presence just as we are, with doubts and certainties, joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, faith and disbelief. We value informed discussion, careful thought, time and space to consider the Gospel message of Christ, room for spiritual growth at your own pace. A chance to listen to the ‘still, small voice’ of God.