Fire Safety New Zealand and the Police have investigations ongoing into the cause of the blaze at the Ponsonby Church yesterday.

The church Nave has been heavily impacted by recent fire, and the building needs extensive repair.

Church Minister Rev. Grant Ridout says “Our priority is the safety of the St Stephen’s community and the public. We are working tirelessly in conjunction with engineers and safety specialists to put in the necessary precautions, as well as removing residual debris to keep everyone safe.”

“We are overwhelmed by the support of the wider community. Messages and little acts of kindness have come thick and fast. Thank you so much.”

“Many people grieve the loss of the stunning heritage building we normally meet in. With the support of the wider community, we will restore it to something everyone can be proud of.

“We the church are more than our building, we continue to gather in community and to worship together on Sundays at 10am as we’ve always done. We’re also planning a gathering on Christmas Eve in our hall. The public are very welcome to all services, as always.”

“The closure will not change our commitment to the local area and in fact our Pātaka Kai (Community Pantry), hospitality space and Community garden will be back up and running before long. We will continue to serve our wider community and to be a place of refuge for people from all walks of life.”

© Scoop Media