A little chapel sitting on a small grass area between the road and large kumara fields catches the eye as you drive along the Aratapu straights just before Te Kopuru.
The chapel is owned by the Suckling family and was built last year on farmland on the corner of Pouto and
Maxwell roads.
"I was inspired by a historic Avoca chapel which is now in private ownership not far from its original site," said Warren Suckling.
He said that when he was 12 he used to attend a little church with his parents. When he saw the Avoca chapel it gave him the inspiration to build something similar.
"A little place for our family to go and seek peace and to have our own special prayers heard," he said.
Possibly New Zealand's smallest church at 2.2sq m this quaint nine-seat chapel opened to resounding praise and worship thanks to the Botany Downs Christian Centre choir from Manukau last October. Blessings were given by most of the churches in the district.
Supporters of the concept had come on board and helped the family with the chapel's creation.
Two kauri crosses which sit next to each other at the top of the church come from an old gumdiggers store which once operated in town.
Stained-glass windows were put in by artist Mandy Wood.
Gordon Morfett helped to build the crosses and the bell tower, which was made from a kauri log carbon dated to 38,000 years old. The pews were gifted from the old Aratapu church hall.
Barry and Robin Searle gifted an old red glass set and the Dargaville gardening club created the surrounding garden.
Painted in heritage colours, the result is delightful and pleasingly open to the public for small events by arrangement.
Mr Suckling says the chapel operates as an interdenominational church and has been used almost every week by "all sorts of people".
'We have had two christenings to date," he smiles.
"Maybe we might get a wedding soon."
