St. Alban's Anglican Church
Balmoral Auckland

A Distinct Identity

Here at Church of Saint Alban the Martyr, we seek to provide a style of worship in the High Church Tradition. We celebrate a Solemn High Mass each Sunday morning, with sung responses enriched by full vestments, incense, and a strong focus on the sacrament. We strive to build productive relationships and everyone is without exception welcome to join with us at any and all of our services.

At the geographical heart of Auckland City, tucked up against Dominion Road, we find a quiet area of grass with large old trees surrounding the beautiful church dedicated to Saint Alban the Martyr, which along with some of the trees is a listed and historic place. Road works carried out when the tramline first went in along Dominion Road has left the church building lower than street-level, yet the impressive brick and wood building in Romanesque style stands out as a solid witness to the Glory of God in this place.

Inside, our church is a good place to spend time, praying, reading, growing closer to God. As countless others have attested, simply sitting in the presence of God in our church brings calm and perspective to the issues of daily life. It is also worthwhile browsing through pictures of our forebears who wielded pick and shovel to build the foundations of the church building, learning our Parish history, or exploring our roots...and then going for a wander outside beneath the gracious oak trees, or under the homely shade of the pohutukawa.

Best of all is to share the worship with the hospitable people of this Parish who love God and seek to know him and each other more deeply. This is an Anglican church built by Pakeha. However, we extend open arms to warmly welcome congregations of emigrant families who have established themselves and their families in Auckland.

These other congregations share our beautiful church for Worship in their faith tradition and cultural style. They include congregations from Hindi speaking Anglicans in Tikanga Pasifika whose Parish is called Anugrah (Grace), also the Eritrean Orthodox originating from North Africa and Indian Orthodox (Saint Dionysius) go to help make up the twelve acts of public worship that occur throughout every week.

This is a place which lives in a timeless tradition of hospitality and outreach in the world wide Christian communion of faith and hope. All are welcome to visit, worship and fully participate in the central act of Christian Worship, The Eucharist. We are a Parish community worshipping in the Anglican expression of the Catholic Faith as it is gifted to us through the Creeds and Canons of the Church. We are noted for the richness of our liturgy and music and above all for our sincerity of warmth when welcoming others in to experience God in this place.

 

https://aucklandanglican.org.nz/find-a-church/auckland-central/balmoral/st-alban-the-martyr-balmoral/  

 

In October 1884 the vestry of the Holy Sepulchre parish was notified that there was an allotment available on Mt Roskill Rd (now Dominion Rd).

In 1885 James Paice donated the land where the original wooden part of the church was built in two months at a cost of five hundred pounds.

In 1886 the timber nave was built in time for the opening of the General Synod on February 13, 1886, at which Bishop Harper officiated. Arthur Wilson, the architect, designed it in the Gothic revival style then current. Only the nave of his proposed design was built, the transepts and chancel were to be added later.

In 1886 The Rev'd E J Philips became the first appointed in a clergy that had belonged to the Holy Sepulchre for many years. He established a night school for which he built a small building (now the hall) at his own cost.

In 1887 the New Zealand economy experienced a downturn and the parish could no longer pay Fr Philips a stipend. After him there was no resident clergyman, adding little stability to the church. In 1890 St Alban's became part of the United Parishes of St Barnabas and St Alban's but was still not autonomous.

In 1895 the Ladies Guild, through innovative fundraising efforts, acquired a new carpet, altar rails, chairs and other church furniture. Specific projects like the "harmonium fund" and a "building fund" were also established.

In 1904 December The Rev'd Henry Barnard Wingfield was appointed priest. An architect in private life, he designed a Maori church at Te Kapa, St Peter's Te Kopuru, St Bede's Otorahanga and St Alban's Waingaro. He had other plans than following Wilson's concept of a gothic revival church built of wood: he embarked on a design for a Romanesque church in brick. Hence the peculiar fusion you see in Alban's Church today. Unfortunately, all this was a costly undertaking. The wonderful furniture was contributed by people in the parish. The windows, 14 coloured lead lights, an altar rail of polished kauri supported by heavy brass standards, the brass cross on the Altar, the prayer desk and the carpet and tiles for the chancel all were donated by people in the parish.

In Sept 1907, when New Zealand was granted Dominion status, Mt Roskill Rd became Dominion Rd, changing St Alban's address too.

In 1909, with Fr Wingfield as Vicar, St Alban's became a separate parish.

In 1912, 28th May a new brick portion of the church was dedicated.

In 1915, March a mission chapel named after St Chad was opened in Sandringham, a mission district of St Alban's. An organ was purchased and they had communion once a month.

In 1918, the horrific effects of the war hit the church and the church organist and some choir members enlisted. In 1918 three men of the St Albans' scouts were killed in action, and the scout leader, Mr L Reid, returned wounded.

In 1922 the memorial tower was finally built, the delay being caused by the financial problems that continued to plague the church in the post-war years. It was intended as a "Monument of Thanksgiving for Victory and Peace." It couldn't be built in 1919 for lack of finance. The 4000 pound amount required was clearly impossible, so it wasn't started until March 1922.

In 1922 Miss Jackson was the first woman elected to the St Alban's vestry.

On April 24 1924 the tower was completed and the bishop dedicated it on October 14.