Melville Methodist Church Hall

The Hamilton Methodist Parish began its life as two separate churches. The Wesleyan Methodist Church commenced work in the military settlement at Kirikiriroa with the appointment in 1864 of the Rev, John Rishworth as its chaplain. Within four years the first church was opened in Collingwood Street near Victoria Street on the 1st November 1868, and was known as Trinity Methodist Church. The Primitive Methodist Church was erected in 1906 in London Street, just two years after its first Primitive Methodist Minister was appointed.

When these two streams of Methodism in New Zealand were united in 1913, the two churches in Hamilton were amalgamated and became the base for the Hamilton Circuit, centred on the London Street site. A number of outlying suburban churches and preaching places became established over the years, one of these being at Melville.

The church on the Collingwood street site was moved to London Street at the time of the Union, and set up as the Sunday School, to the rear of the church. Hamilton City has seen a huge amount of growth and change since then, and what was once a largely residential area has now become the commercial heart of the city, and residential areas are much more widely spaced round its perimeter. This has had a big influence on the congregation.

Whereas in the 1920's to 1940's many people lived within walking distance of St Paul's, that is no longer the case. So the congregation has dwindled reflecting this change, and this has brought about the amalgamation of the St Paul's and Melville congregations in December 2013.