The owners, who wished not to be named, bought the church for $439,000 this month, but will not be turning the property into residential land.
Instead, they plan to keep the church available for community events.
Members of the community will continue using the church, while the congregation looks forward to building a new church in the Lake Hāwea township.
Century 21 real estate agent Anna Findlay said the sale was listed at the end of last year as the congregation outgrew the site.
"It attracted a lot of interest from all over."
The listing received 11,000 views, 300 inquiries and multiple viewings.
Inquiries had come from all over New Zealand and even Australia.
Among the interested parties were those who loved churches and heritage buildings and those looking to convert it into an affordable residence or even a community space.
Since then some locals had set up a "save St Ninian’s community group" to raise money to buy the church and keep it open for local events, weddings and workshops.
"The final settlement will be later in 2025. Until then the Hāwea church and its community users will continue to use it," the church said.
Ms Findlay said the result was a win for the rural community of Hāwea Flat.
"It’s a building that has been in that area for a long time and I think for the space to still be available for people to use is quite important."
The new owner planned to carry out extensive planting on the 1012sq m corner site and do some structural work on the building before hiring it out as a venue.
"I believe their intention will be to look for groups or people over here that will potentially lease it, or rent it or use it as it is.’’
In December last year, the church leaders said the decision to sell the parish’s home of 90 years was made with a "mixture of sadness and excitement".
St Ninian’s has a strong history in the community and played an important role supporting the workers who built the Haast Pass-Makarora Rd during the 1930s and those involved in the construction of the Hāwea Control Dam in the 1950s.
The building has been lovingly maintained and was extended several times to house its growing congregation.
A vestry was added in 1956 and a small kitchen and washroom built in 1959 using the neighbouring school’s water supply.
