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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....

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 ...

Jesus faces the furnace

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorMatthew 26:39A haere ana ia ki tahaki tata atu, ka takoto tapapa, ka inoi, ka mea, E toku Matua, ki te mea e ahei, kia pahemo atu tenei kapu i ahau: otira kaua e waiho i taku e pai ai, engari i tau.Ua maliu faaitiiti atu i luma, ona faapaū fao ai lea o ia ma tatalo, ua faapea atu, Lo‘u Tamā e, afai e mafai, ia ave ese lenei ipu ia te au; a e aua le faia lo‘u loto, a o lou finagalo. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, �...

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 ...

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...

New Building for Cornerstone International Bible Church

Cornerstone International Bible Church opened its new building in Filleul Street in Central Dunedin on Sunday 12 November.  All the tradespeople who worked on the building were invited to join them for a service of dedication and opening followed by morning tea. Elder John Woodfield commented about the challenges they had on this journey, which were 15 years of looking, competition from the University, three unsuccessful bids and the COVID-19 pandemic. ...

Dinner & Doctrine - Waikato/Bay of Plenty

On Thursday (16 November), around 40 church leaders and theology enthusiasts from Waikato & Bay of Plenty gathered at Raleigh Street Christian Centre for Dinner & Doctrine. This was a chance to enjoy a meal together and begin a conversation about theology and doctrine.  This dinner also functioned as a launch event for the Pastoral Theologians Fellowship. The fellowship has been formed to draw leaders together in efforts to encourage and assist the practice of th...

Koinonia

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador1 Corinthians 10:16 Ko te kapu whakapainga e whakapai nei tatou, ehara koia i te inu tahi i nga toto o te Karaiti? Ko te taro e whatiwhatia nei e tatou, ehara ianei i te kai tahi i te tinana o te Karaiti?O le ipu o le fa‘afetai ‘ua tatou fa‘afetai ai, e lē o le mafuta fa‘atasi ‘ea lea i le toto o Keriso? O le areto ‘ua tatou tofitofiina, e lē o le mafuta fa‘atasi ‘ea lea i le tino o Keriso?Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give than...

Auckland Prayer Breakfast

On Thursday, the Auckland Church Network hosted the annual Auckland Prayer Breakfast at Eden Park.Jackie Millar, CCCNZ Prayer Enabler, writes, “It was wonderful to see such a great representation of CCCNZ/ Open Brethren heritage churches at the Auckland Prayer Breakfast. It was a joy to gather in prayer for the city and for New Zealand, with 500+ people from various denominations, non-profit organisations, and businesses”....

Rally NZ Board Meeting

It was lovely to be with Tony Foster and the NZ Rally Board last weekend in Manawarū. Thank you to Denis and Joy Wallace for your hospitality.I came away deeply encouraged to hear of what God is doing across 50+ churches through Rally as children and families are being pointed to Jesus. More churches are starting Rallies to reach out to their communities and a new Regional Rally Camp in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty in 2024 will see churches working together to reach c...

Official Welcome to Caretakers at Coopers Beach Christian Youth Camp

Coopers Beach Christian Youth Camp celebrated an official welcome to Grant and Evelyn Laybourn to the position of Camp Caretakers. They joined the camp in July, but the welcoming celebration was held this week.Lynley Fleming, Coopers Beach Secretary, writes: “Attending were members from the three supporting churches of the camp, Tōtara North Bible Chapel, Mangonui Bible Chapel and Kaitaia Bible Chapel.“A delicious afternoon tea was enjoyed and it was a lovely time to sit and chat to everyo...

NextGen Summit

Our vision is to see churches working together (with the regional camps and national support ministries that serve them) to point people to Jesus, through the gospel from the Scriptures. It was a real delight to see 50 leaders from 17 churches across the country attend the NextGen Summit from Monday to Wednesday this week at Willow Park Christian Camp in Auckland.These are leaders who are actively working with the next generation: children and families leaders, youth leaders, camping leaders, an...

Examine ourselves

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador1 Corinthians 11:28Engari kia uiui te tangata ki a ia ano, ka kai ai i taua taro, ka inu ai i taua kapu.Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. One of the things I’ve noticed about driving in Auckland is that you have to spend more time looking in the rearview mirror than you do in Feilding. To get where you are going, you need to be more aware of what’s behind you. In the same way, I don’t think we can fully ...

CCCNZ Partnering with Bethany Trust

On Wednesday 1st November, we acknowledged the partnership we have as a service trust with Raleigh Street Christian Centre and its property trust Bethany Trust as we’ve moved our Cambridge office into one of Bethany’s buildings next to RSCC.Pictured above, from left to right: Karen Morris (RSCC), Sheryn Brownlee (Bethany Secretary), Kacha Vuletich (Bethany Trustee), Grant Birks (CCCNZ Waikato/Bay of Plenty Regional Enabler).A huge thank ...

Baptism at Church on Ingestre

On Sunday 29th October, Dayanna (pictured above giving her testimony), who is originally from Colombia, was baptised at Church on Ingestre's international service. Pastor Doug Benn writes, “She has grown in her faith due to strong discipleship from Thiago and Mara Girao (from Brazil) and it was a great pleasure for them to baptise her”. It’s such a joy to see people decide to follow Jesus and be baptised.  ...

Light Party at Raleigh Street Christian Centre

On Tuesday 31 October around 700 people attended the Light Party at Raleigh Street Christian Centre, about 450 of them were kids. Jeremy Johnson, one of the organisers of the event, says:"What was truly special was seeing many attendees who aren't part of our regular church community". Jeremy continues, "One of our volunteers shared this encouraging story: 'Our neighbour came and loved it! She wanted to know if there was an open day at church! She wants to get her kids into church, we were able ...

The Mark Drama at Rutland Street Church

Our vision is to see churches (and the regional campsites and national ministries that support them) working together to point people to Jesus through the gospel from the Scriptures. For that reason, it’s a delight to see two CCCNZ churches in Christchurch, Rutland Street Church and Redemption Church, inviting non-Christian friends and family to the Mark Drama. Last weekend Rutland Street Church hosted the Mark Drama presentation. This is a 90-minute theatre-in-the-round presenting all of Mark...

Communion Matters

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador1 Corinthians 11:27Mo reira ki te kai he tetahi, ki te inu he i te kapu a te Ariki, ka whai hara ia i te tinana, i nga toto, o te Ariki.O lenei, ai sē ‘ai i lenei areto, pe inu i le ipu a le Alii ma le faaletatau, e nofo sala o ia i le tino ma le toto o le Alii.Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.The Corinthian church’s communion had gone to custard. Dis...

Family Fiesta at Hillcrest Chapel

On Tuesday 31st October, Hillcrest Chapel opened its doors to the community and hosted the “Family Fiesta” event.Sarah Chalmers, Hillcrest Chapel Youth Pastor, writes: “There was a range of stations inside and outside the chapel building including a sausage sizzle, cupcake stand and ice cream servery!”...

CCCNZ and Pathways College

On Monday, board members and senior staff from CCCNZ and Pathways College gathered to share honestly and listen to each other. It was a significant time together reflecting on the challenges and opportunities of developing people in CCCNZ/Open Brethren heritage churches through theological education.Pictured above, from left to right: Gordon Fountain (CCCNZ Board Chair), Clint Craig (Pathways Board Chair), Michael Hanson (Pathways Trustee), Ian Payne ...

A Kiwi Family's Experience in Israel During Conflict

I have already been to Israel a couple of times before and it was at the top of my bucket list to take my family there and show them all the major sights where the stories of the Bible unfolded. For the past two years I have been planning and saving to take my family to Israel. Actually, it was my wife, an ex-travel consultant, who returned to paid employment who did most of the planning and paying.My three children are 8, 12 and 14 years of age and I have just celebrated turning 50 so it seemed...

Fenton Park Bible Church starts a Rally!

It's great to hear from the Fenton Park Bible Church family as they begin reaching children and families in Rotorua through starting a Rally.May you and the church family know God’s good hand as you reach out to children and families in your community through Rally. It’s a delight knowing this is the third new Rally started this year across the country.By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador...

How long, O Lord?

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorPsalm 13:1 “Kia pehea te roa o tou wareware ki ahau, e Ihowa? mo ake tonu atu ranei? Kia pehea te roa o tau hunanga i tou mata ki ahau?”“Ieova e, e te faagalogalo pea lava ia te au seia afea? E te ‘alo ou fofoga ia te au seia afea?”“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”You may have heard the expression 'courageous conversations'... it describes a conversation about a difficult matter that could go to ...

Local Church Leaders Share Stories of Camping Ministry

We recently shared about the breakfast at Willow Park on Friday 13 October, where a number of church leaders from Auckland and Northland gathered together to talk about how churches and camps can be working together. Leaders shared how they have grown flourishing relationships with local camps to share the good news about Jesus, through the gospel from the Scriptures. Richard Davis, CCCNZ Camping Enabler, writes:“Marina Shannon, Orewa Community Church, spoke on the relationship that the youth ...

Children's Day at LifeChurch Manurewa

Every year in October, LifeChurch Manurewa has a White Sunday, a traditional celebration in Pasifika churches where children take the stage to minister to the congregation. Pastor Ane Ponifasio writes, “They recite bible verses, and perform different items like singing, dancing and acting out Bible stories etc... We also do a formal prayer for baby dedication”....