By the 1870s Archdeacon Alfred Brown, of the Elms, had his hands full. Aiming to bring Christianity to Maori, the elderly man couldn't also meet the needs of Tauranga's settlers.

'Archdeacon Brown said he couldn't cope with all the settlers who were starting to demand his pastoral care and the city had to have a Parish church,” says Holy Trinity's Reverend Dr Dale Williamson. 'So he asked for a Vicar to be sent.”

Jocelyn Mankelow with her great great grandfather Canon Charles Jordan's prayer book, given to him in 1900, and Rev Paul Williamson and Rev Dr Dale Williamson.

And so Tauranga's Holy Trinity church was born. This weekend the church is celebrating 140 years since its first place of worship was built at 215 Devonport Rd.

Holy Trinity's first vicar – a fiery Irishman called Canon Charles Jordan – arrived in 1873.

Canon Jordan also became the Mayor of Tauranga and was 'very involved in the community”.

'He reached the whole of the Mount, right up to Te Puna, all of Gate Pa and the country districts, like Bethlehem and Ohauiti, as well,” says Dale.

The first Holy Trinity church was built and consecrated– or blessed – in 1875. 'This is the 140-year milestone we're celebrating,” says Dale.

'We're also celebrating this Sunday because it's Trinity Sunday – and we're Holy Trinity Church.”

Since opening the church has been used for a number of historical events, including by the Red Cross for their work during World War II.

'We've also got memorial plaques here for servicemen who served and died in WWI and WWII.”

But unfortunately the original church was burnt down in an arson attack in 1999.

'There was great grief when the old building burnt down,” says Dale.

'But now we have a 900-seater church – and it's used equally by the community and the church.”

Dale says looking at the church's 140 years of history, there's been times of strong growth – especially in the 1960s and 1990s.

'And very much, the history of Holy Trinity has been intertwined with the history of the city,” says Dale.

Holy Trinity's first Vicar Canon Charles Jordan was also Tauranga's Mayor.

The church has had 14 vicars – today Dale and husband Paul Williamson share the 14th appointment.

In the beginning, there weren't many churches so the Anglican church was the community church. And not much has changed – apart from a shift away from hosting most of the town's funerals and weddings 'regardless of whether the people involved went to church or not”.

Today Holy Trinity boasts a large social services work, an early childhood centre, runs Christians Against Poverty courses, helps with divorce care, runs the Space programme and offers a number of community facing ministries and pastoral care for elderly, as well as being a lively church.

'It's a pretty busy place,” says Dale.

This Sunday a special service at 10am will see people dress up to mark the 14 different decades the church has enjoyed.

There will be readings about the church's work each decade – and Canon Jordan's great great granddaughter Jocelyn Mankelow will cut the cake, with a party to follow.