Members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Auckland recently gathered to celebrate the completion of a new church building.
The Tamaki Stake Centre, located at 378-390 East Tamaki Road, will be the weekly gathering place for three congregations, as well as the venue for occasional larger conferences and activities.
The Auckland New Zealand Tamaki Stake is composed of eight congregations—three Samoan language, two Tongan language, and three English language.
It was founded 13 December 1987.
The weekend's events included a handover ceremony, tours of the building on Friday and Saturday, and a devotional and formal dedication on Sunday. The Relief Society (women's organisation) kept everyone well fed during the activities of the weekend.
A post on the Tamaki Stake Facebook page sums up the dedicatory service: "This evening, Elder Glenn Burgess, Area Seventy, delivered a beautiful dedicatory prayer, while talks by President Lavea, Sister Kaiawhi Kitohi Wharemate, and Sister Potofou Kennach reflected on those who pioneered the way before us in the Otara area. Thanks be to God for such a beautiful edifice to worship our God."
In his address, Stake President Faaeteete Lavea, shared, "This chapel will bless our lives. It is not only for us, but we welcome those who are not members of our faith."
He noted that prior to the handover ceremony, everything was checked to see if any repairs were needed. He related that to one's mortal journey and said that someday, "there will be an end to our lives...and there will be a handover time. Before the handover, we need to make sure we carefully examine our lives spiritually to see if there is anything we need to fix, repair or renew, before we stand in front of our Maker, our God, and hear Him say, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant; ...enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.'" (Matthew 25:21)
- Tamaki Stake Presidency with Elder Glenn Burgess, at dedication of Tamaki Stake Centre Dedication, July 2020.
- Tamaki-handing-over-ceremony,-July-2020.jpg
- Interior of chapel of new Tamaki Stake Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, July 2020.
- Tamaki-courtyard.jpg
- Some of the Tongan choir members dressed in their traditional clothing for the dedication of the Tamaki Stake Centre, July 2020.
- Some of the members of the Tongan choir in their traditional clothing, July 2020.
- A sample of the music used by the Tongan choir at the Tamaki Stake Centre dedication, July 2020.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Prior to offering a dedicatory prayer, Elder Glenn Burgess shared that the building is debt free, meaning no money is owed on it. "However, unlike this building, we ourselves are indebted, and that is to our Saviour, Jesus Christ."
He added, "Tonight we are dedicating this building to worship Him."
The dedicatory prayer said in part: "We dedicate and consecrate this Auckland New Zealand Tamaki Stake Centre unto Thee. We dedicate this chapel as a place of worship, where we can meet together often and renew our covenants through the ordinance of the sacrament. We dedicate this building as a gathering place for the saints of Tamaki Stake and to all those who will enter herein; that the services, meetings, classes and activities may be a defence and act as a refuge from the storms of the world and the adversary.
We dedicate the foundation and the structure of this Stake Centre, that it will weather and stand firm against the natural elements that may prevail against it. We pray, O Father in Heaven, that as we look to its design, that as the steeple reaches heavenward, that we too may look upward to Thee in all that we do. We dedicate the classrooms as places of spiritual learning and as facilities supplementary to our homes as centres of gospel learning.
We now pray, Father, that Thou might bless us, and all those in the future, who will enter this church edifice, that Thy Spirit may be felt, strengthening us in the cause to gather Israel and to prepare for Thy Son's return. We are grateful for His life, His sacrifice and infinite atonement, and we dedicate this building unto Thee. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
In addition to the speakers, a 60+ voice choir from the two Tongan congregations, dressed in white, added to the evening. Their director, Bishop Tautalanoa Pome'e, led the choir with enthusiasm. Although he is currently serving as bishop of a Tongan ward, he makes time for twice weekly choir rehearsals "because,” he says, “I love music."
Sister Olive, who has lived in the area since 1973 and whose husband serves as bishop of the Johnstone Ward, shared, "This was an evening of reflection and appreciation."
Sam Ahsam, who has lived in New Zealand for 55 years, noted that an evening such as this "comes from faith, belief, and love of Jesus Christ."