Our Beginnings
What is now Gracecity Church began in 1981 when founding pastors Terry and Jayne Calkin gathered with a small group of ten people in a home on Ladies Mile, Ellerslie. From the beginning, the church was marked by simple faith, a love for Jesus, and a desire to welcome others in.
As the community grew, services were held in homes, Alexandra Park, and the Town Hall until God provided a permanent home on Marewa Road, Greenlane, in 1988.
Over the years, the church carried different names — Greenlane Christian Fellowship and Greenlane Christian Centre — but the heart remained the same: a people gathered around Jesus, committed to worship, discipleship, and sharing the good news.
Becoming Gracecity
In October 2014, the baton of leadership passed to Jonathan and Robyn Dove, who continue to lead with vision and faith. Under their leadership, the church entered a new season of clarity and renewal, eventually becoming Gracecity — a name reflecting God’s limitless love and His heart for our city.
In 2022, Gracecity became a multisite church through the adoption of Summit Church in East Auckland. Summit, planted in 2004 as BotanyLife Community Church by Brad and Rochelle Carr, joined the Gracecity family as our first additional location.
Today, Gracecity is one church across multiple locations, each locally empowered and centrally supported — living out our mission, vision, and values in their own neighbourhoods.
Through every season, the message has remained the same: the gospel of Jesus.
We believe God works through ordinary people to bring hope, renewal, and transformation — in our homes, workplaces, neighbourhoods, and across our city. That has been true since 1981, and it’s still true today.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re new to Gracecity or exploring our story, you might still have a few questions. Here are the ones we’re asked most often.
Where do you meet now?
Gracecity gathers across multiple locations each Sunday. We currently meet in five locations across Auckland and beyond: Greenlane, Howick, Flat Bush, Uni, and Online (Live and On Demand).
What denomination do you belong to?
Gracecity is a non-denominational church. We are part of the Irresistible Church Network, a global network of churches.
How did you chose the name “Gracecity”?
Our name reflects our belief that God’s grace is for everyone and that His love has the power to renew whole communities. It captures both our identity and our heart for Auckland.
Why did you become a multisite church?
We became a multisite church because we believe the church is strongest when it is both deeply local and richly supported.
Our location teams are best placed to cultivate the closeness of a family — loving, serving, and connecting with their church whānau and local community. At the same time, our central team provides the wider support, resources, and structure that help each location thrive.
Being multisite allows us to live out the best of both:
locally empowered, centrally resourced — the closeness of a family with the support of a village.
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