It survived the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake and has served generations as the cultural, spiritual and civic centre for many people in Hastings.
But now much-needed work is planned for the St Matthew's Anglican Church as those in charge look to raise $600,000 to keep it in good shape.
St Matthew's vicar,
the Rev Graeme Pilgrim, said he had been impressed by the church's architecture and history when he began work there about 12 years ago.
"I recognised it was a building with significant architecture and historically it is a wonderful building," Mr Pilgrim said.
"It's well used by the parish for services and rituals, as well as by the schools, and in particular enormous use by the community for concerts, recitals and other productions.
"It really is a landmark building, a public building for the city," he said.
The last work on the church was done about 15 years ago, on its interior to make more room for a concert area.
"Now it is looking a bit shabby. We want to do some painting work and we actually need to do some roofing work as well," Mr Pilgrim said.
Other work includes repairs to concrete, windows and interior plaster work.
The church was built in 1886 and extended in 1915. Repairs were made to its tower after the earthquake in 1931 that shook Hawke's Bay.
Before the earthquake the central tower was about 6m higher than now.
St Matthew's School is part of the parish, as well as the parish hall, which together with the church building dominate the King St South and Lyndon Rd West block.
Mr Pilgrim said the church was a Historic Place Trust category 1 building, which now needed restoration.
He and Bill Dent, who is the chairman of the church's conservation fundraising committee, have written to charitable trusts, businesses and families asking for help to complete the restoration.
The committee had asked conservation architect Chris Cochran from Wellington to identify the work needed to be done on the church.
