Methodist Church

The first Papatoetoe Methodist Church was erected by the congregation in 1912 in a single day. A comprehensive photographic record of its construction by many tradesmen and helpers remains. Three weeks prior to the build, Saturday afternoons and other spare time was used to prepare plans and the foundations. On 14 December 1912 the volunteer labour force, arriving on bicycles and horses, began to assemble just before 4am at the Kolmar Road site. Completion was recorded at 11pm with interior work being finished by acetelene lighting. A new Wesley Church, the architect of which was Brad Shaw, was built on the same site and was dedicated on 12 May 1962. The floor of the first church is retained in the Worship Centre. To mark the 50th anniversary of the church a Jubilee Souvenir booklet was published in 1962, telling the story "in photographs of a Methodist congregation over a period of half a century". In 2012 Wesley Methodist Church celebrated its 100 years.