The Oamaru Union Parish, formed in 1970, will have its last service in the historic 1875 Methodist Church building in Eden St on January 24.
Parish supervisor the Rev Colin Hay said the congregation, an amalgamation of the Wesley Methodist Church and the Associated Churches of Christ congregations, had "just had the stuffing knocked out of them'' since the Methodist Church's policy after the Christchurch earthquakes forced the congregation from the "so-called earthquake prone'' church into the adjacent Wesley Centennial Hall, and now Christian Churches New Zealand, formerly the Associated Churches of Christ, had made it clear it "wanted to dissolve the tie and to recoup its financial interests to support work elsewhere''.
"The last 12 months have not been easy,'' he said.
"It's been just a sad story.''
Despite feelings of "betrayal and loss'' among the congregation, there was a silver lining for the church, Mr Hay said in a statement.
The Tongan Methodist congregation, which would take over the premises, could undertake the strengthening work required and again hold services in the 140-year-old church.
"With Oamaru's Tongan population on the increase, the local Tongan Methodist congregation are looking forward to a long and happy future as they assume the care and guardianship of Oamaru's historic Methodist Church,'' he said.
The Oamaru Union Parish congregation, which had dwindled while the church faced uncertainty, would join the congregation at St Paul's Presbyterian Church in Oamaru, Mr Hay said.
