About the
Community of St Luke
A brief history of St Luke's
We aim to be a community where all who come are accepted and respected. A community ready to use the skills and experience of all its people. A community which values everyone’s freedom to search for God, or a meaningful spirituality, to make their own response, and to find a fulfilling life.
St Luke’s Presbyterian parish was formed in 1875 to serve Remuera, Epsom, and Newmarket. A wooden church which had originally been a Congregational church on the corner of Remuera and Orakei Roads was purchased and moved to the current site in the same year. The present church was built in 1931-32 using the plans of a church built in 1904 in the Scottish village of Twechar, near Glasgow.
The parish currently has around 180 members, with some coming from Remuera, Epsom, and Newmarket while others come from as far as Warkworth and Takanini, Henderson and Howick, to share in the particular style of worship and progressive theological emphasis that characterises St Luke’s.
Progressive Christianity
The Community of St Luke has long been recognized as a liberal church, but recently the term "progressive Christianity" has gained popularity. This new term encompasses the older term "liberal" and aligns with the evolving understanding of Christian faith. In 2005, St Luke's Parish Council decided to join the Centre for Progressive Christianity and adopt its eight points to represent our stance. Our minister, Glynn, describes progressive theology as stepping outside our familiar theological beliefs, exploring the vastness of the spiritual world, and forming new connections.
Progressive Christianity's mission is to promote a more inclusive and compassionate expression of the Christian faith. It means that we believe following the teachings of Jesus can lead to a deeper understanding of the sacred and the unity of all life. We embrace diverse sources of wisdom and welcome people from all walks of life, including skeptics, marginalized individuals, and those of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Our focus is on how we treat one another and the pursuit of peace, justice, and environmental stewardship. We value questioning, lifelong learning, and strive to create a community that embodies love, understanding, and positive change.
Our values and commitments
Our commitments and values are supported by robust governance structures, policies, and financial systems that are essential in providing a well-run and well-maintained church and community centre organisation and complex.
Sprituality
Spiritual well-being and contemplation.
Respect
Respect for others, hospitality, and communal care.
Inclusivity
Inclusion of ethnic/cultural, economic, and gender diversity.
Community
Integration of the church with the wider community, in Remuera and regionally.
Equity
Resistance to the ideologies that support poverty, inequality, militarism, and the unsustainable use of the earth’s resources.
Creativity
Recognition of the importance of beauty, creativity, visual arts, and music.
Pursuit of truth
Inquiry, pursuit of truth[s], and theological scholarship.
Our people
glynn@stlukes.org.nz
+64 9 520 0678
colin@stlukes.org.nz
+6495200199
+6421987220
pamela@stlukes.org.nz
+6495200740