Reformed Churches of New Zealand is a Calvinist denomination in New Zealand. The denomination is constituted of 23 member churches, the first seven of which were formed in 1953. Total membership as of 2026 stands at 3,663.Yearbook 2026 of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand, January 2026, ISSN 1173-0617
Form of doctrine The doctrine of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand is expressed in the four confessions of faith to which it subscribes. These are the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), Belgic Confession (1566), Canons of Dort (1619) (known collectively as the Three Forms of Unity), and the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646). Also recognised are the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed and Athanasian Creed, all of which summarise the churches' doctrines.
The Reformed Churches of New Zealand is one of the few Calvinist churches internationally to subscribe to both the Three Forms of Unity (common among Reformed churches with origins in the European continent, especially the Netherlands) and the Westminster Confession of Faith (common among Reformed or Presbyterian churches with origins in the British Isles).
Form of governance The Reformed Churches of New Zealand hold to a federational system of presbyterian church governance. Each church has a ruling Session composed of (ruling) elders and one or more ministers (also known as teaching elders). Churches which have no minister are said to be vacant. Each church also has deacons who are charged with maintaining the temporal wellbeing of church members and with alleviating social distress. In larger churches deacons meet in their own deacons’ courts, while in smaller churches they meet together with the rest of the session. Only men are eligible to serve in the offices of minister, elder and deacon.
These churches belong to one of three regional presbyteries which meet three times per year to discuss matters of common interest and to provide mutual oversight. They also meet in synod once every three years to discuss matters of joint interest and to manage activities pertaining to the denomination. Rights of appeal to presbytery and synod are available.
Constituent churches ChurchYearFormedCurrent MinisterAuckland PresbyteryReformed Church of AvondaleReformed Church of Avondale website1964Andre HoltslagReformed Presbyterian Church of Bucklands BeachReformed Presbyterian Church of Bucklands Beach website1953James HyslopReformed Church of HamiltonReformed Church of Hamilton website1953Graeme ZuidemaReformed Church of the Hibiscus CoastReformed Church of the Hibiscus Coast website2026Freddy MinneeReformed Church of HukanuiReformed Church of Hukanui website2002Leo de VosReformed Church of the North ShoreReformed Church of the North Shore website(including a congregation in MaungakarameaMaungakaramea Reformed Church website)1980Daniel WilsonKevin StarAaron WarnerReformed Church of PukekoheReformed Church of Pukekohe website1989Erik StolteJae KimWellington PresbyteryReformed Church of FoxtonReformed Church of Foxton website1984Andrew MillerReformed Church of HastingsReformed Church of Hastings website1960Peter Kloosterman Reformed Church of MastertonReformed Church of Masterton website (including a congregation in Greytown)1987David StaresReformed Church of New PlymouthNew Plymouth Reformed Church website2023Joshua FlinnReformed Church of Palmerston NorthReformed Church of Palmerston north website1953Peter HaverlandReformed Church of SilverstreamReformed Church of Silverstream website1967vacantReformed Church of WainuiomataReformed Church of Wainuiomata website1975vacantReformed Church of WellingtonReformed Church of Wellington website1953vacantReformed Church of WhanganuiReformed Church of Whanganui website2016Nathaniel RademakerSouth Island PresbyteryReformed Church of BishopdaleReformed Church of Bishopdale website1982Matthias SchatReformed Church of ChristchurchReformed Church of Christchurch website1953Damon BosveldReformed Church of DovedaleReformed Church of Dovedale website2001Joshua MeinsmaReformed Church of DunedinReformed Church of Dunedin website1955Peter YooReformed Church of NelsonReformed Church of Nelson website1953Braam Jansen van RensburgReformed Church of OamaruReformed Church of Oamaru website2013vacantReformed Church of RangioraReformed Church of Rangiora website2018Ben McDonald
Ecumenical contacts The Reformed Churches of New Zealand is a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches. Sister-church relationships are held with churches abroad which hold to similar doctrine and practice. Sister churches: Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia Free Reformed Churches of Australia Presbyterian Reformed Church (Australia) Orthodox Presbyterian Church (USA) Canadian and American Reformed Churches United Reformed Churches in North America Churches in ecumenical fellowship: Christian Reformed Churches of Australia Reformed Churches in South Africa (Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Africa) Other churches with which contact is had: Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand The Korean Presbyterian Church in Oceania (New Zealand Synod)
History Calvinist churches have their origins in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the late 1940s a wave of migrants from the Netherlands settling in New Zealand expected to find their spiritual homes in existing churches of Calvinist persuasion. Instead, they found departures from Calvinist doctrine and practice that they could not overlook. Discussions began in Auckland in 1951 with a view to establishing an indigenous Calvinist denominations. A minister from the Netherlands, Rev J W Deenick, arrived in 1952 to support the fledgling group. The official establishment of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand took place in 1953 at a synod in Wellington, with churches from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch represented. By the end of that year, further churches began meeting in Hamilton, Nelson and Palmerston North, and a former Presbyterian congregation from Howick (now Bucklands Beach) joined. A further 16 member-churches have since been formed.
Worship The churches hold worship services twice each Sunday and generally on Christmas Day, Good Friday, Ascension Day and New Year's Eve. Preaching from the Bible is the central element of worship. Preaching is by ordained ministers, or alternatively sermons written by an ordained minister may be read by a lay male session appointee when a minister is not available. Sung praise and corporate prayer are the next most significant elements of worship. The denominational psalter/hymnal, Sing to the Lord, is the main source of hymnody, in which the singing of the Psalms features strongly. Corporate confession of sin and the assurance of God's pardon are an integral part of Sunday morning worship, while in the second service one of the creeds is usually recited in unison.
The sacrament of the Lord's Supper (or Holy Communion) is celebrated at least three-monthly. The sacrament of baptism is administered to new converts and to the infant children of confessing church members.
List of synods No.YearVenueModerator andVice ModeratorFirst andSecond ClerksStated Clerk11953WellingtonE Dijkstra, WellingtonJ W Deenick, AucklandA van Gelder21953AucklandJ W Deenick, AucklandE Dijkstra, WellingtonT Althuis31954WellingtonE Dijkstra, WellingtonJ A Scarrow, Bucklands BeachA van GelderF C Channing41955AucklandB Boelens, ChristchurchJ W Deenick, AucklandF C ChanningP G van Dam51957HamiltonJ W Deenick, AucklandE Dijkstra, WellingtonW In’t VeldJ KleinjanF C Channing61959DunedinJ A Scarrow, Bucklands BeachR J Venema, DunedinH van der PolsP G van DamF C Channing71961WellingtonR J Venema, Bucklands BeachJ W Deenick, AucklandP G van DamW van RijR J Venema81962WellingtonS Cooper, ChristchurchP H Pellicaan, DunedinD G VanderpylR O Zorn, HamiltonR O Zorn, Hamilton91964WellingtonR O Zorn, HamiltonP van der Schaaf, ChristchurchA I de Graaf, WellingtonF C Channing, NelsonR O Zorn, Hamilton101965ChristchurchG I Williamson, MangereP H Pellicaan, DunedinA I de Graaf, WellingtonF C Channing, NelsonR O Zorn, Hamilton111967AvondaleH L Hoving, SilverstreamR O Zorn, HamiltonA I de Graaf, WellingtonT E Tyson, Bucklands BeachC J Reitsma, Wellington121969NelsonC J Reitsma, WellingtonT E Tyson, Bucklands BeachD G VanderpylF C Channing, NelsonD G Vanderpyl131971WellingtonH L Hoving, Silverstream/ WainuiomataA W Palmer, MangereW Wiersma, ChristchurchF W Kroon, Bucklands BeachD G Vanderpyl141974SilverstreamW Wiersma, ChristchurchW A Davies, Bucklands BeachD G VanderpylH L Hoving, InvercargillD G Vanderpyl151977HamiltonG I Williamson, SilverstreamA W Palmer, MangereM Schwarz, HamiltonL Reurich, HastingsD G Vanderpyl161980Palmerston NorthM Schwarz, HamiltonJ Goris, AvondaleJ C Williams, NelsonL Reurich, Kerepehi/TokoroaD G Vanderpyl171983ChristchurchP D Stadt, ChristchurchJ E de Graaf, BishopdaleB U Kuipers, Palmerston NorthC A R Larsen, DunedinD G Vanderpyl181986MangereD J van Garderen, BishopdaleP R Flinn, North ShoreB E Hoyt, SilverstreamL Draijer, NelsonD G Vanderpyl191989SilverstreamW Wiersma, HamiltonB Kroon, ChristchurchJ A Haverland, Bucklands BeachD J van der Vecht, AvondaleD G Vanderpyl201992BishopdaleW Wiersma, HamiltonJ A Haverland, BishopdaleM A Flinn, PukekoheB E Hoyt, MastertonJ Ploeg211995AvondaleJ A Haverland, BishopdaleM A Flinn, PukekoheB E Hoyt, HastingsW L Walraven, SilverstreamJ Ploeg221998WainuiomataJ A Haverland, BishopdaleG H Milne, WainuiomataB E Hoyt, HastingsM A Flinn, PukekoheB E Hoyt, Hastings232001Palmerston NorthM A Flinn, DovedaleM A Capill, Bucklands BeachS Bajema, MangereJ van Rensburg, Bucklands BeachB E Hoyt, Hastings242002ChristchurchW Wiersma, HamiltonJ A Haverland, BishopdaleB E Hoyt, HastingsW L Walraven, SilverstreamB E Hoyt, Hastings252005HamiltonJ A Haverland, PukekoheM A Flinn, DovedaleB E Hoyt, HastingsR H de Vries, ChristchurchB E Hoyt, Hastings262008HastingsJ H Rogers, North ShoreD J van Garderen, Bucklands BeachP van der Wel, HamiltonA Nugteren, WellingtonB E Hoyt, Hastings272011Bucklands BeachB E Hoyt, Dunedin/OamaruP S Kloosterman, MastertonP van der Wel, HamiltonM R Willemse, HamiltonP van der Wel, Hamilton282014BishopdaleP S Kloosterman, MastertonR J van Wichen, BishopdaleJ D van Dyk, DunedinM R Willemse, HamiltonP van der Wel, Hamilton292016PukekoheP S Kloosterman, MastertonR J van Wichen, BishopdaleJ D van Dyk, DunedinM R Willemse, HamiltonP van der Wel, Hamilton302017Palmerston NorthD A Waldron, ChristchurchJ A Haverland, PukekoheP van der Wel, HamiltonJ D van Dyk, DunedinP van der Wel, Hamilton312021/22HukanuiThe synod was held by videoconference in two parts. Messrs Kloosterman and Noppers were moderator and vice moderator, respectively, for the first part and Messrs Noppers and van Ameyde were moderator and vice moderator, respectively, for the second part.P S Kloosterman, HastingsR Noppers, BishopdaleA van Ameyde, DovedaleJ D van Dyk, DunedinT A Couperus, RangioraJ D van Dyk, Dunedin322024ChristchurchR Noppers, BishopdaleB J McDonald, WellingtonJ D van Dyk, DunedinE E Havelaar, ChristchurchJ D van Dyk, Dunedin
Latest synodical appointments Standing committees Child Safety Committee Church Extension Committee Church Order Committee Financial Practice Advisory Committee Hymnal Committee Interchurch Relations Committee National Diaconate Committee National Publishing Committee Overseas Mission Board Remuneration Committee Synodical Interim Committee Study committees Church Visitation Committee Ministry Students and Vicars' Manual Committee National Diaconate Review Committee Overseas Mission Board Review Committee Other appointments Stated Clerk Deputies for Students to the Ministry Synodical Archivist Synodical Liaison to Calvinist Cadet Corps Synodical Treasurer Webmaster Yearbook Editor
References
Further reading Dirk Vanderpyl (ed) Trust and Obey: A History of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand: Hamilton: Calvinist Church Publishing Society: 1994.
External links Reformed Churches of New Zealand