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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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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, �...

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. ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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”....