All Saints' Memorial Church (Uruti)

This church is described in a history of Uruti as, "an unpretentious little solid concrete building, no glorious stained glass windows, no priceless church brass or plate. Nevertheless it has an honest country church charm....."

A meeting was held on 22 June 1923 to discuss the building of a church and following this fundraising efforts (bazaars and concerts) raised enough money for building to begin. Work began in November 1924 and the foundation stone was laid by Bishop Averill on 19 November 1924. The church was completed in January 1925 for the contract price of £580. It was dedicated on 4 March 1925 in a service led by Archdeacon Evans. 

The church was designed by the prominent New Plymouth firm Messenger, Griffiths & Taylor and the contractor was Mr. F. Grayling. When the foundation stone was laid it was announced that £350 had already been raised and that it was hoped to have the church free of debt by the end of the following year. Bishop Averill also expressed his pleasure that the church was to be a memorial for those soldiers who lost their lives in WWI.  

On 22 June 1925 the Taranaki Daily News reported on the church's annual bazaar, postponed from February due to the "epidemic". It was reported that the debt remaining stood at £175.  

Given the interdenominational efforts in the construction and the intended use, All Saints' was the name chosen.

Related document:

All Saints' Memorial Church History, How Green Was Our Valley: Collected Memories of Uruti, Glenwyss Brooks (1994).