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New Plymouth Community Church in the countryside

Last Sunday, New Plymouth Community Church (NPCC) enjoyed an outdoor family service. It was a great day of fellowship, filled with worship, testimony, and teaching. Pastor Brian Ropitini writes, “We are blessed to have a couple within our fellowship who have an amazing lifestyle block which they have also set up as a wedding venue. They generously offered us the use of their place to hold a summer family service.  ...

Rosedale Bible Chapel Church Camp

Last weekend, Rosedale Bible Chapel (Invercargill) held a church camp at Lakeland Park Camp, Queenstown.Elder Nigel Winder writes,“Over the weekend we explored together God's Great Invitation to Belong, Believe, and Become. “After some teaching on each theme, we gathered in mixed age groups to discuss further how we might apply and support each other as a church family in becoming lifelong committed followers of Jesus. “The weekend also included some...

Thank you!

After seven years serving as pastor at Birkenhead Community Church in Auckland, Dan and Emily Tyler and their whānau are heading back to the UK where Dan will take up a Senior Minister position at Haywards Heath Baptist Church in South East England. We're grateful for Dan's contribution to the CCCNZ movement as a volunteer regional PastorLink Enabler for the North Shore. Thank you Dan and Emily!  We'll be praying for both the Tyler whānau and the Birkenhead C...

Beginning preachers putting their theological studies into practice

Each Sunday morning over the summer months of January and February Lincoln Road Bible Chapel has been working through a sermon series called Story of the Bible.Seven different beginning preachers have had the opportunity to take a Sunday each, focussing on a different theme, such as Beginnings (Kyla Scrimgeour), Exodus (Thomas Scrimgeour), Kingdom (Lauren Palmer), Remnant (Susannah Olive), Jesus (Janai Randall), Church (Jeremy Tattersall) and New Creation (Isaac MacKenzie)....

The Embassy launch

Last Sunday, one of CCCNZ's most recently linked in churches, North Beach Christian Fellowship in North New Brighton Christchurch, had a big celebration relaunch with a new name: The Embassy @ North Beach. Centred on 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, the vision is to live as ambassadors for Jesus in their community.The building was bursting at the seams, including guests from Rutland Street Church and other local churches. ...

United with Christ - Part 2

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorKi te mea hoki kua honoa tatou ki a ia i runga i te ahua o tona matenga, ka honoa ano tatou ki a ia i runga i te ahua o tona aranga:For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.Romans 6:5Part 2 of 2:Paul Windsor, commenting on holiness, noted the number of seniors in his first church as a pastor who would grieve over sin in their lives—sin that he, in a sense, thought was minor. He c...

CCCNZ Staff Conference

How can we serve alongside you as you work together as churches, campsites and support ministries to point people to Jesus through the gospel from the Scriptures? That’s the question we explored together as a staff team on Tuesday and Wednesday at our staff conference at Willow Park Christian Camp in Auckland. ...

Churches Working Together

Daniel and Sophia Choe from Rutland Street Church helped EAUKS (Ekalesia Au Uso Kerisiano Samoa) get underway with a ‘local mission’ training. The first session of the training was held on Sunday.This training equips older youth to be spiritual leaders at an outreach camp, which has a cohort of youth from a local school attending and a clear opportunity to follow up with those young people and their families.RSC and EAUKS are two Christchurch churches with a special relationship forged in th...

Commissioning New Staff at Crossroads Church

On Sunday, Jacob Kendrew was commissioned as Young Adults pastor at Crossroads Church. During the service, the church prayed also for Lucy McIlwaine and Isaac Pettersen as they entered into their new roles of Operations Coordinator and Discipleship Pastor.Lead Pastor Reuben Porter writes:“We are so expectant and excited for the ways in which God will use Lucy, Isaac and Jacob's gifts as they step into their new roles. Please continue to pray for the...

United with Christ - Part 1

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorKi te mea hoki kua honoa tatou ki a ia i runga i te ahua o tona matenga, ka honoa ano tatou ki a ia i runga i te ahua o tona aranga:For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.Romans 6:5Part 1 of 2: How are you and I, living in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2024, united with Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, which occurred roughly 1990 years ago and 18,000 kilometers away?Faith....

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...

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 ...

The upper room

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorTaro ake, a e kore koutou e kite ano i ahau: a taro ake ano, ka kite koutou i ahau, no te mea ka haere ahau ki te Matua.E toe itiiti ona outou le vaai mai ai lea ia te au; e toe itiiti foi ona outou toe vaai mai ai lea ia te au, auā ou te alu atu i le Tamā.Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”John 16:16More than once in our woodshed I’ve come across a bird’s nest. Each time, the n...

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....

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...

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....

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.  ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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”. ...

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...

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...