About us
About us
Since its origin in 1847, St Mark’s Church has offered Remuera & Newmarket a peaceful oasis to sit and reflect, as well as a vibrant parish life. Locals and others come to develop their relationship with God, to attend our Sunday and mid-week services, or to just absorb the contemplative atmosphere. St Mark’s matches a traditional style of worship with an approach to Christian living that is firmly based in the here and now.
We are an Anglican Church in the Diocese of Auckland.
Worship
Worship at St Mark’s is a reverent encounter with God, rooted in the Anglican tradition. Our services are marked by beautiful liturgy and the sacred music of our choir. The Eucharist lies at the heart of our worship, and it is celebrated with reverence and devotion.
Our people
Vicar – The Reverend Dr Tony Surman
The Vicar of St Mark’s Church is The Rev’d Dr Tony Surman. Tony began his ministry here in February 2018. He was ordained priest in 2009 and has served as priest assistant in St Luke’s Church, Mt Albert and then Holy Trinity Cathedral, where he became Precentor in 2013. In 2014 he completed a PhD in Christian thought and history, which is available here. Before his appointment to St Mark’s Church, he was Vicar of St Martin’s @ St Chads in Sandringham.
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Tony’s background is eclectic. He worked in the building trade before completing a science degree and entering the field of industrial chemistry. In his early thirties he became increasingly drawn to theology and took extramural classes in that area of inquiry. After a few years of discernment, he ‘took the plunge,’ left his day job and commenced full-time formation for Anglican priesthood at St John’s Theological College in Meadowbank, New Zealand.
Many of Tony’s views on theology are quite traditional. He believes, for instance, that God both transcends and fills every part of the universe, is mind-like, personal and loving, and the most real thing there is. So far, so conventional. When it comes to scripture, Tony is more radical. He views the various books of the Bible as the response of people and communities to the action of God in their life and lives – reflection that was deemed significant enough by their contemporaries to preserve for future generations. He describes the scriptures as ‘treasures which sustain us on our journey of faith, but we can’t expect them to be inerrant. To do so would be to make a created thing God – and that would be asking for trouble.’ A better course, Tony suggests, is to pore over what previous generations of believers have said about life, its value and its purpose and bring these insights into dialogue with current thought on the same topics.
If you come to church on a Sunday morning, and Tony is preaching, you should see this process in action. Don’t expect radical conclusions every Sunday though. Most of the time, the insights of biblical writers trump any alternative insights Tony is able to discern from the world today. Occasionally, however, when the scriptures, for instance, are advocating racial purity (Ezra 10:10-11), gender inequality (1 Timothy 2:12) or genocide (Numbers 21:2-3; Deuteronomy 20:17; Joshua 6:17,21, 1 Samuel 15), Tony gets on his high horse.
When he is not prognosticating on matters beyond his reach, Tony reverts to building and repairing things, and has occasionally been seen with his loving wife and children.
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Tony’s background is eclectic. He worked in the building trade before completing a science degree and entering the field of industrial chemistry. In his early thirties he became increasingly drawn to theology and took extramural classes in that area of inquiry. After a few years of discernment, he ‘took the plunge,’ left his day job and commenced full-time formation for Anglican priesthood at St John’s Theological College in Meadowbank, New Zealand.
Many of Tony’s views on theology are quite traditional. He believes, for instance, that God both transcends and fills every part of the universe, is mind-like, personal and loving, and the most real thing there is. So far, so conventional. When it comes to scripture, Tony is more radical. He views the various books of the Bible as the response of people and communities to the action of God in their life and lives – reflection that was deemed significant enough by their contemporaries to preserve for future generations. He describes the scriptures as ‘treasures which sustain us on our journey of faith, but we can’t expect them to be inerrant. To do so would be to make a created thing God – and that would be asking for trouble.’ A better course, Tony suggests, is to pore over what previous generations of believers have said about life, its value and its purpose and bring these insights into dialogue with current thought on the same topics.
If you come to church on a Sunday morning, and Tony is preaching, you should see this process in action. Don’t expect radical conclusions every Sunday though. Most of the time, the insights of biblical writers trump any alternative insights Tony is able to discern from the world today. Occasionally, however, when the scriptures, for instance, are advocating racial purity (Ezra 10:10-11), gender inequality (1 Timothy 2:12) or genocide (Numbers 21:2-3; Deuteronomy 20:17; Joshua 6:17,21, 1 Samuel 15), Tony gets on his high horse.
When he is not prognosticating on matters beyond his reach, Tony reverts to building and repairing things, and has occasionally been seen with his loving wife and children.
The Reverend Sarah Murphy
Sarah Murphy is the Deacon Associate at St Mark’s. She was ordained the Deaconate in November 2024 and started her curacy at St Mark’s in December. She recently completed her Bachelor of Theology and three years of formation at St John’s Theological College.
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As an Aucklander who grew up on the North Shore, in her early twenties she joined the congregation of St John’s Anglican Church in Campbell’s Bay. She left New Zealand for her OE in her mid-twenties enjoying a season in London. In 2004 she went to South Africa for a Discipleship Training School with Youth With A Mission and six months turned into 16 years in full-time missions. Her time in South Africa deeply shaped her perspective and grew her love of the beauty of God expressed in the diversity of cultures.
In 2019 she began to sense a call to return to New Zealand to be closer to family and consider ordination. She returned to New Zealand in early 2020, just in time for Covid lockdowns and began the discernment process. Prior to joining St Mark’s as Deacon Associate she was a student on placement at All Saints Howick.
Outside of church life, Sarah can be found enjoying a coffee with friends, catching up with family or attempting to play mahjong.
Lay Minister – Trevor Brooker
Trevor Brooker was licensed as a Lay Minister of the Parish of St Mark, Remuera, in January 2012. Trevor has had a long association with the Anglican Church in New Zealand, beginning with his role as a choir boy in the Parish of Karori, Wellington Diocese at the age of 10, later becoming a Sunday School teacher and youth leader. He joined St Mark’s in 1984 as a chorister at the suggestion of a soprano he met while in Auckland Choral Society, and later married her (at St Mark’s). Both are still singing in the choir.
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Trevor is licensed as a Lay Minister, Liturgist, and Pastor with permission to anoint. He is able to visit and share communion with parishioners who are ill, housebound or unable to come to church. He sometimes takes or participates in funeral services and assists with Wednesday morning Communion Services from time to time.
Trevor started his working life as a sewing machine technician, and soon specialised in automation in the clothing industry. When the New Zealand clothing industry declined, he specialised in industrial embroidery machines, starting his own company in 1995. He taught many people how to design and sew out machine embroidery and became the New Zealand agent for commercial embroidery machines. When he retired, he started embroidering church ecclesiastical garments. He has embroidered most of the stoles and chasubles for St Marks, the Auckland Anglican Cathedral, and many other churches, including churches in Australia, the United States and England. For some examples of Trevor’s work visit his Facebook page.
He has applied his technical skills to working with the St Mark’s organ over many years, supervising its restoration and most recently the building and installation of the new console, where he has made use of its many mechanical, pneumatic and electronic attributes, including acting as “ghost organist” when an organist is not available.
Trevor is not allowed to cut his beard after 1 August each year, so that he will be ready as Father Christmas at the Carols on the Lawn function and for the children at Mainly Music.
Director of Music and Organist – Matthew Howes
Matthew is a conductor, countertenor, and occasional pianist and organist. He completed his BA(Hons) in Music at Durham University, where he studied conducting with James Lancelot (organist of Durham Cathedral) and with Mark Heron at the Royal Northern College of Music. While at university, Matthew directed St Cuthbert’s Society Chapel Choir, sang in numerous chapel and concert choirs, and was fortunate to conduct a range of orchestras, operas and musicals.
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Since moving to New Zealand in 2013, Matthew has had the privilege of singing with a number of Auckland’s finest church and concert choirs. He spent four years singing with the choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral and has conducted Camerata Chamber Choir since 2020. Most recently, Matthew was Leader of the Voices at St Matthew-in-the-City, where he was jointly responsible for organising music for the weekly service schedule and leading the professional quartet.
Outside of music, Matthew works in the storm-water industry and enjoys a good bike ride or bottle of wine. He is delighted to be the next Director of Music at St Mark’s, and is looking forward to continuing the long tradition of music at this wonderful place of worship.
Vanessa Chevallier
Parish Administrator
09 520 2258
office@stmarks.org.nz
Anne Driver
Children & Families Minister
Please contact the Church Office
Juli Meiklejohn
Lay Minister & Assistant Administrator
021 217 4501
juli@stmarks.org.nz
Groups
Sunday School — Every Sunday at 9:30am during the school term
Saint Mark’s has an active Sunday School.
Fun activities and lessons are held in the Parish Centre while the main morning service is conducted in the church. Teachers bring children over to church towards the end of the service so that they can join their family for communion. The Sunday School caters for children of primary school age.
Friendship Group — Second Friday each month at 10:30am
This group is all about friendship and holds monthly meetings which typically last for about one and a half hours with morning tea included. Our meetings are relatively informal, and we meet for friendship, fellowship and fun. We also have guest speakers from time to time.
You don’t need to be a parishioner at St Mark’s because everyone is welcome. Come along and chat with friends and meet new people in a caring and supportive environment.
Mainly Music — 9:30am Monday, during the school term
Mainly Music offers parents and caregivers and their pre-schoolers the opportunity to enjoy music together on a weekday morning.
Throughout the session, children develop their gross and fine motor skills, add to their language, mathematical and pre-reading skills, and can let their imaginations run wild!
It’s also a wonderful opportunity for them to socialise with other children and adults.
Please contact the office to register your interest. To find out more about Mainly Music, click here.
Affiliated groups
Lions Club of Remuera
The Lions Club of Remuera meets at St Mark’s on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of each month. We welcome everybody, especially new members, to a fun club that does a tremendous amount of good in our Auckland community.
Girl Guiding
At Girl Guiding New Zealand, girls are always counting down to their next adventure! Our girls make a bunch of new friends, while having new experiences and a whole lot of fun. There are three groups that meet at St Mark’s; Brownies (7-9 Years), Guides (9-12.5 years) and rangers (12.5 – 17 years) who meet on Thursday evenings.
Remuera Toastmasters
Remuera Toastmasters Club is part of Toastmasters International: a not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to help individuals become confident speakers and effective leaders.
We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month 6.15 – 8.30pm at St Mark’s Church Hall.
Music
Our choir is led by Matthew Howes. Please contact the church office if you are interested in joining our choir.
Our organ
Saint Mark’s is home to the largest and most comprehensive pipe organ in an Anglican parish church in the Greater Auckland region.
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The first instrument in the original church building was actually a harmonium, which was replaced by a pipe organ in 1865. This organ was found in Wellington and is believed to have originally come from Hobart in the early convict days.
A new two manual and pedal organ of 19 speaking stops was installed in 1882. In order to house it properly, the church tower was built, with a new organ chamber in its base.
In 1920, this organ was enlarged and modified to a specification drawn up by the organist of St Mark’s, J. Maughan Barnett, who was also the City Organist. The instrument was very comprehensive and included a new choir division.
Following a fire in the Tower in 1935, the organ was extensively reconstructed at a cost of 2000 pounds. The new instrument was a lavish example of Edwardian organ building, retaining several ranks from the previous organ and incorporating the latest technology in exhaust-pneumatic action and console design.
Another substantial rebuild took place in 1977 in the prevailing neo-classical style of the time, complete with new console, and in 1989 the organ was partially reconstructed to return the chancel casework and façade to its original position.
Since 2001, the Saint Mark’s organ has undergone considerable tonal and mechanical refurbishment in order to improve acoustics within the church and enhance the organ’s role in congregational and choral accompanying. A full restoration of its winding system took place in 2009, and it was returned and rededicated on Advent Sunday of that year.
From time to time, pipe organ recitals are held in the church. Please contact the church office for the date of the next recital.
History
Step inside St Mark’s Church, and you’ll find yourself connected to a story that began over 175 years ago. Founded in the mid-1800s to serve Auckland’s growing farming communities, St Mark’s grew from a humble rural chapelry into a cornerstone of worship and community life.
The first church, a prefabricated structure built at St John’s College, opened its doors in 1847. By 1860, the current church was constructed to accommodate the expanding congregation. Over the decades, the building evolved to include transepts, a bell tower, and a parish hall, reflecting the growth of the community it served.
St Mark’s has been shaped by many remarkable individuals, from early clergy trained at St John’s College to Reverend John Kinder. The church’s story is woven into the fabric of Auckland, with names like Dilworth and Buckland resting in its graveyard.
Graveyard
The Graveyard of St Mark’s Church, Remuera, saw its first interment in 1849. Throughout the nineteenth century, and well into the twentieth, the graveyard became the final resting place of some 950 local residents. Some of these people are well-known historical figures who contributed significantly to the shaping of Auckland, whilst others, no less important nor less loved, have become obscured by the passing of the years. The virtual graveyard you are entering is an ongoing project to which you are welcome and encouraged to contribute. If you know something about the individuals interred at St Mark’s, or have photos or other media related to them, please let us know. Such information will allow us to develop this site, making it a treasure for generations to come.