The foundation stone for St Stephen's Methodist Church on the corner of Regan and Orlando Streets in Stratford was laid on 15 July 1961 by the Revd. B.M. Chrystal, President of the Conference. The church was dedicated by the Rev. E.W. Hames, Principal of Trinity Theological College, on 20 October 1962.
The architect was Dave Robinson and the builder Don Black with Ian Sorenson as charge-hand. The estimated cost was £16,000.
The first Methodist (Primitive) church in Stratford opened on Sunday 4 January 1891 on Broadway. This small church was replaced by a larger one in 1899. The foundation stone for this second church was laid by the Premier Richard Seddon, on 24 May 1899. It opened on 10 September 1899.
In 1913 the unification of the Primitive Methodists and Wesleyans resulted in changes for Stratford. Two years later the church on Broadway was moved to Regan Street. On the site already was a Wesleyan Church - this was then used as a Sunday School and the Methodist one as the church.
The decision to build St Stephen's required a rearrangement of the church buildings on the Regan Street site. This was done in 1958 in preparation for the building of the new church.
In 2015 the church property was bought by the Stratford firm, Brian Darth Funeral Services. The building in the photo above has been renamed the Mary Alice Chapel and now hosts funeral services. The more obvious Christian symbols were removed in order to conduct services for people of any belief.
Further reading: Central Taranaki Methodists, Alison Robinson (TRCT287 ROB).
Related documents:
New Primitive Methodist Church (Taranaki Herald 9 January 1891)
New Primitive Methodist Church (Taranaki Herald 14 September 1899)
Methodist Church Jubilee Next Month (Taranaki Herald 18 August 1939)
75th Jubilee of Methodism at Stratford (New Plymouth Photo News 8 August 1964)
75th Jubilee of Methodism at Stratford (New Plymouth Photo News 8 August 1964 Page 2)
Church centennial (Daily News 28 February 1991)
Methodists celebrate 100 years (Stratford Press 6 March 1991)
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