During the pōwhiri, from left: Malachi Williams, Nick Goodwin, Julie McKinnon, Cynthia Hulse, Char Williams and Paul Samuels.
On Friday afternoon, we gathered at the Tauwhare Marae in the Waikato.
The day involved a Pōwhiri, a listening hui with CCCNZ Board members and Māori CCCNZ-OBH leaders, an AGM and a good time talking together over lunch.
A huge thank you to Te Mape Haimona, Renata Te Aho and Norm Silcock (leaders of Tauwhare Marae and Tauwhare Gospel Chapel) for so warmly hosting us and contributing to the listening hui.
A huge thank you to church leaders from across the Waikato—Auckland region who came.
From left: Gordon Fountain, Rick, Stuart Bay, Kevin Ngawhau, Helen Ngawhau, Bruce Stormer, Chris Broadbent, Richard Goodwin, Te Mape Haimona, Kahurere, Shannon Samuels, Murray Frost, Dave Firth, Nick Goodwin, Norm Silcock, Seufata Burgess, Maufuaina Tominiko, Mark Grace, Mark van Wijk, Jackie Millar and Paul Samuels.
From left: Richard Goodwin, Norm Silcock, Ane Ponifasio, Chris Broadbent, (JC Marais), Murray Frost, Renata Te Aho, Te Mape Haimona, Mark Grace, Max, Gillian, Paul Samuels, Kemp Pallesen, Bruce Stormer and Stuart Bay.
CCCNZ Board members listened to Māori CCCNZ-Open Brethren, Māori leaders from Tauwhare Gospel Chapel and Tauwhare Marae, along with others from around the country.
It was a privilege to hear the heart of Kemp Pallesen. Kemp (89) has spent a lifetime amongst our movement of churches working with Māori and Pākehā.
Kemp shared on the significance of this day for the growth of the gospel on these Islands. It was deeply moving listening to Paul Samuels who recounted that the Māori assembly at Rukumoana—the one that he and Kemp are re-establishing—was the first Māori Brethren Assembly in the world.
I was very moved by Te Mape and Renata as they shared Tauwhare Marae and Tauwhare Gospel Chapel's passion to point people to Jesus through the gospel from the Scriptures. I am thankful for the leadership of Jerome Edwards, Max Guptill and Te Mape Haimona as they lead us through the day.
Left to right: Maufuaina Tominiko, Norm Silcock, Renata Te Aho, Liz Silcock and Mihiwai Te Aho
By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador
