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Waitangi Day Commemorations

It was a privilege to be at Waitangi Commemorations this year. What stood out for me from the day is the way that people across our movement and the wider movement of Open Brethren heritage churches contribute to the commemorations by pointing people to Jesus.Andrew Coster (pictured above), Commissioner of the New Zealand Police, led the dawn service in a God-centred, heartfelt prayer. I am grateful for Andrew’s contribution to his local church in the wider movement....

The amazing race of faith

Today we received a letter from Werner Du Plessis, Ministry Development Team Leader at Tōtara Springs Christian Centre. Werner shared a beautiful testimony from The Amazing Race Family Camp. We would love to share a snippet of it:“Among the participants was a mum whose story captures the essence of these transformative experiences—her journey at the family camp not only led to personal growth but also to finding a spiritual home at The Orchard Church ...

Church-based internships at Redemption Church Christchurch

Redemption Church Christchurch elders and deacons, along with the church’s pastoral interns met yesterday in Bryndwr Chapel’s building. The four interns (pictured below) are shadowing the elders to learn more with the view to potentially serving as full-time elders/pastors in a church in the future.Pastor Jason Winslade says the overall purpose of the internship is to encourage development in different aspects of pastoral ministry, with a view of not only helping their ow...

Pathways Graduation

Last Friday church family, friends and family from Manawarū Bible Chapel attended the graduation ceremony of Duncan Parker at the Pathways Bible College Graduation.From left to right: Cam Pearson, Lynette Wood, Gordon Wood (back), Peg Fitzherbert, Stuart Bay (back), Beth Bay, Duncan Parker (back), Denis Wallace, Rosemary Parker (back), Justin Thompson.Pastor Justin Thompson commented that Du...

Christmas community lunch

On Tuesday, Mt Wellington Community Church had a community Christmas lunch, where 50 people from the community attended and enjoyed a free lunch. They have been doing these for seven years now. Senior Pastor Russell Grainger writes, “almost all of those who came also come to the free lunch every Tuesday. They get a good meal and the gospel message. It is a delight to see those on the margins of society and dealing with psychological, physical and intellectual dysfuncti...

Sharing the Bible in local schools

This year Colleen McNae (pictured above) and Alistair McNaughton, from Papatoetoe Bible Chapel, have been teaching the Bible as part of Launchpad (formerly called 'Bible in Schools') to around seven primary schools in South Auckland.Graeme McNae, Colleen's husband, let us know that at the close of one of these schools’ programs, a letter was presented as a vote of confidence and appreciation.The letter says,“Your teachings from the Bible have been invaluable, and I apprec...

Growing in community

Eden Community Church recently collaborated with Love Your Neighbour to look at what it means to be a redemptive family, in a place, on mission, together. Six weeks of coordinated individual daily readings, connect group discussions and Sunday messages, fostered church-wide conversation.  ...

Christmas outreach in Wellington

Last weekend, over 1400 people took part in an amazing event hosted by Heretaunga Christian Centre called 'The Christmas Story'. It's a walk-through event with stalls, costumes and characters that make the Christmas story come to life in a tangible way for their community....

There is hope

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorA e whanau ia he tama, me hua e koe tona ingoa ko IHU: no te mea mana e whakaora tona iwi i o ratou hara....and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.Matthew 1:21 Mary knows a horrible year. She wears the stigma and shame of her pregnancy. The sideways looks, the pity, the growing distance between friends, conversations cut short.  Joseph knows a horrible year. The disappointment, the shame and stigm...

Onslow Community Church Christmas Outreach

As part of its Christmas outreach, Onslow Community Church provides Christmas gifts to The House of Grace, a local ministry providing full wrap-around support for pregnant teens. Pictured above: Michelle Tietjens, Taylor and Pete Rhodes-Robinson, and Rahel Williams (House of Grace Area Supervisor).Pastor Pete Rhodes-Robinson writes:“Every year church and kindy families buy a gift(s) for current and past residents and their children. I...

Churches And Camps Working Together

Manawarū Bible Chapel recently had their Rally breakup at Tōtara Springs Christian Centre. Joy Wallace writes, “We had about 35 children, parents and leaders attending and enjoyed games, archery, shooting, water slides and then the pool and a BBQ (that we provided everything for). We were able to have our prize-giving and talk around the pool and it was a very relaxed and fun afternoon....

Kids For Christ At Tauwhare Gospel Chapel

Kids For Christ, the Tauwhare Gospel Chapel children’s programme, presented an overview of what they had learned of Creation, the Flood, Moses and the Birth of Christ. A large number from the community attended and commented on the quality of the production.Liz Silcock writes, “The kaiako and the tamariki put in a huge effort with the production and were rewarded by the enthusiastic response of the large crowd who attended”. ...

Thanking Kerry Rickard

On Friday 1 December, CCCNZ Staff, Board Members and friends thanked Kerry Rickard, the Rickard whānau and Kingston Community Church for Kerry’s six years of serving the churches through CCCNZ. Kerry we are so grateful to you, your family, and church family for your time with us. Thank you for constantly pointing us to Jesus, and encouraging us to serve like him, and to be like him. Kerry will conclude his part-time role with CCCNZ next week and return to hi...

Christ is our Peace

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorEphesians 2:14 Ko ia hoki to tatou maunga rongo, nana i mea nga mea e rua kia kotahi, whakahoroa iho e ia te patu e arai ana i waenga;Auā o Keriso lava ia na ‘aumaia le filemū ia i tatou, ‘ina ‘ua fa‘atasia e ia tagata Iutaia ma tagata o Nu‘u ‘ese e fai ma tagata e tasi. Na tu‘uina atu e ia lona lava tino e lepetia ai i lalo le pa o le feitaga‘i sa vaeluaina ai i latou.For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destr...

Welcome To New Zealand Outreach Programme

For many years the Welcome to New Zealand programme at Eden Community Church has provided an opportunity for migrants to come together and learn English.Eileen Taylor writes, “I have been helping with Welcome to New Zealand, our English classes, for over 20 years. Since I retired from work at 70 years I have been able to go each week, 13 years ago”.  Eileen continues, “Last week we were quite excited with at least 15 attending. Over the years some ha...

Knitting With A Mission

The Kelston Community Church knitting group had their end-of-year Christmas lunch recently at Ministry leader Beryl Turner's home.The knitting group meets monthly to knit for Mission Without Borders. Led by Beryl, the group has been meeting for around 10 years. Pastor Paul Long writes, “Many members are non-Christian so they are reminded often through prayer and short devotions and stories about the specific reason this knitting group exists and its Christian...

Northcross Church Celebration

What a profound joy to see God's work through his people over the decades. This past week marked 30 years of God's faithfulness to the church family we know as Northcross Church.But the story begins much further back with a woman named Polly Everett who had been running a Sunday School out of her home since the 1930s, which then led to a regular communion service for holiday makers... and this was part of the reason Browns Bay earned the nickname 'Brethren Bay'. You can watch the video here...

Canterbury Regional Prayer Gathering

Last Sunday, eight churches gathered in Canterbury at the Regional Prayer Gathering: Wairakei Road Bible Church, Bryndwr Chapel, Rutland Street Church, Redemption Church Christchurch, Durham Street Gospel Hall, Westchurch, Springs Community Church, and Rowley Bible Church.Geoff Stark from Westchurch writes:“I felt very blessed to have 32 fervent people of prayer join in our fourth annual prayer event at Bryndwr Chapel. People enthusia...

Church-based Internship

Lewis McCallum (pictured above right), from Onekawa Bible Church, was offered an internship at his church around a year and a half ago.Lewis writes, “Until this point, I had already begun serving in the church, primarily within the young adults and evangelistic ministries. But with this formal position, I began receiving more intentional discipleship and material to support my journey into Church ministry”.Pastor Phil Henderson applied on Lewis’s behalf to Lichfield Lan...

Thanking Stuart Bay

We had a very special time at the CCCNZ Board meeting today saying thank you to Stuart Bay for his time on the board. We also said thank you to Stuart and Beth for the contribution they’ve made together to the CCCNZ Board and the wider movement....

Thanking Sefton Marshall

The CCCNZ Board along with the GC3 staff team of Michael Hanson, Heather Taylor and Johanna Birks also said thank you to Sefton and Claire Marshall today over lunch.Sefton has served GC3 for 33 years on the board, and more recently for 12 years as the GC3 Operations Director. Sefton has served us as a movement of churches so capably, supporting local churches and their missionaries to point people to Jesus through the gospel from t...

Bearing fruit

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorColossians 1:6 Kua whai hua hoki a kua nui haere ki te ao katoa, pena hoki i roto i a koutou, no te ra ano i rongo ai, i matau ai koutou ki te aroha noa o te Atua i roto i te pono.In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.  The gospel has come to the city of Colossae and the Colossians. The message of Jesus’s deat...

Glentunnel Chapel's Calendar

Glentunnel Chapel, in the rural Canterbury plains, has for many years produced and distributed a calendar to every single home in Glentunnel and neighbouring Whitecliffs and Coalgate. The chapel is grateful to the local postie who voluntarily delivers to each home.Every year the calendar has a local photo and a Bible verse with a note about Glentunnel Chapel. David and Elaine Smart have been the drivers of this for two decades, handing over recently to James Proudlove&nb...

Dinner & Doctrine - Auckland

On Thursday (23 November), around 31 Auckland church leaders and theology enthusiasts gathered at Birkenhead Community Church for Dinner & Doctrine. 13 churches were represented, with people coming from Amatakiloa Gospel Church, Au uso Christian Fellowship—Henderson, Birkenhead Community Church, Eden Community Church, Kaukapakapa Bible Chapel, Lincoln Road Bible Chapel, Manurewa Bible Church, Massey Community Church, Mt ...

Baptism at Northcross Church

On Sunday (19 November) Northcross Church celebrated the baptism of Rhona Yang, who is originally from China and came to New Zealand in 2019.Rhona came to Northcross Church through the ESOL classes. She comments, "In the first class, a Chinese man—a Christian—came into the class and told us there would be an Alpha course on the following Sunday nights. I applied and attended".Rhona continues, "When I watched the video of Jesus standing before the door and knocking on the door ...