Portal (Issue 16) by BotanyLife Community Church

Issue 16 | Oct - Dec 2017

A NOTE FROM

The Editor Hi all, Welcome to our 16th issue of Portal! Can you believe it’s nearly Christmas? I’m a little in denial about it at present. In October, when stores are more likely to be filled with Hallowe’en orange than Christmas red and green, that’s still possible. But come the end of November, when you’re reading this, I’d say that’s going to be nigh on impossible. Fortunately, this issue of Portal will ease you into the Christmas season. You can peruse the list of upcoming BotanyLife Christmas events, read John Piper’s thought-provoking article about Christ-centered Christmases, or try your hand at our Christmas craft. There’s even a link back to where it all began, via pieces on travelling through Israel by Nicola Mountfort, Daniel and Shih-Mei Lee and Sophie Osborne. Or, if you’re after something a little different, take a moment to reminisce over the community project (was that really two months ago?!) or check out Roly Runciman’s account of his travels through Papua New Guinea and beyond; helping enable Bible radio broadcasts and doing his best to avoid volcanic eruptions. As I reach the end of my second edition as Portal editor, I continue to be so grateful for all of those that contribute to it. That includes our amazingly talented team of writers and designer Amanda, but also everyone who has been happy to be interviewed, sent in pictures, or contributed ideas, suggestions or advice. A heartfelt thank you to you all. I love having the opportunity to keep discovering more about our church family, and I hope you do too. xx

Charlotte Gray THE PORTAL TEAM {EDITOR} Charlotte Gray {WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS} Mel Thorburn / Brad Carr / Tsitsi Kavumbura / Nicola Mountfort / ShihMei Lee / Daniel Lee / Sophie Osborne / Nikki Bray / Mark van Wijk / Anna Roughton / Harrison Carr / Roly Runciman / Vernon & Michelle Lomberg / Christine Thompson / John & Noël Piper / Mel Palmer / Robin Byrne / Erika Bond-Milne / Max Carr / Elaine Forman / Cassy Hand / Rochelle Carr / Tricia Stevenson / Ros Gray / Mack Palmer / Natalya Smith / May Albrecht / Caleb Thompson / Kieran Roux / Frankie Oyanedel / Tina Funnell {ART} Art Director / Designer - Amanda Crane / Photographers - Nathan Kavumbura / Ros Gray 3

Contents 06 06

Feature Article Community Project 2.0

Reflection Prayer

Church Life Internship Program

Leadership Spotlight Meet Charlotte Gray

Travelling Israel Incredible. Impacting. Best field trip ever!

Kotahi It’s all done!

Regional/National Partners Family Life 2017

Community Outreach Christmas Season 2017

Christmas Special How We See Christmas Symbols / Christmas Activities

Global Outreach Project Thailand / In The Gap Ministries

Community Groups Take a look at Launch and Mission Possible

Local Outreach Family Bingo

Church Life A look back on Nightlife

Children’s Ministry We will miss you!

Youth Ministry Xchange - Tru Identity / ALTR - Relationships

Who’s That? Get to know some of our fellow members in the church

Reviews Grab a comfy seat, turn the volume up, rustle the family together and grab some popcorn

Marriage and Parenting Trust by Nikki Bray

What’s On at BotanyLife? Get your pens out and mark these dates on your calendar

BOTANYLIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH {STAFF} LEAD PASTOR - BRAD (AND ROCHELLE) CARR COMMUNITY PASTOR - MARK (AND STEPH) VAN WIJK CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PASTOR - MEL (AND DREW) PALMER WORSHIP AND GROUPS PASTOR - ROBIN (AND SONIA) BYRNE KOTAHI MANAGER - MEL (AND JULIAN) THORBURN EVENTS MANAGER - MEL DUNFORD TRUST ADMINISTRATOR - CHARLOTTE (AND NATHANAEL) GRAY

{ELDERS} BRAD (AND ROCHELLE) CARR STU (AND IANTHE) JONES ANDRE (AND CHRISTL) KIRSTEIN KK (AND SUSAN) LEONG STEVE (AND ROBYN) YOUNG

COMMUNITY PROJECT 2.0 A WIDER COMMUNITY APPROACH Text by Charlotte Gray.

f you walked around Anchorage Park Primary School during Community Project weekend, what might you see? Let me capture a few moments.

mountains of cheese, ham, chicken and more. The delicious smell of fresh bread fills the air. Just outside, concrete is being poured into freshly-dug holes. They’ll be used to anchor benches. Another team is weeding in a garden across the field. Beyond them, the hill curves down towards the Tamaki estuary.

In two adjoining classrooms, small groups are huddled around circular white mural boards, carefully blending colours to reproduce primary students’ winning designs. These include everything from kiwis to a cow being abducted into a UFO. Underneath a rainbow, one child has written, “If you think someone could use a friend, be one.” Just outside, deckboard staining continues despite the rain. In the library, tape is being carefully applied to the wall to form a geometric design. Layer by layer, colour by colour, paint rollers and brushes steadily fill in each triangle.

Community Project green shirts, gray shirts, white shirts, are all around. Some have dirt on them, some have paint, some are still fairly clean - for now. But if you had just visited Anchorage Park School or the kindergarten during the September project weekend, you wouldn’t have seen everything that was going on. For the first time, the BotanyLife Community Project went beyond the school gates. While about 200 of us helped at the school over the weekend, small teams went to visit homes in the school community, to do what they could to help out.

Around the corner are small box gardens. Later, the school logo will be engraved into the wood on the front. Near the school playground, several painters are scattered along the length of a snake. The on and off again showers have made it hard for the paint to adhere to the damp concrete. It’s required perseverance, patience and - at one point - canvas covering.

So why change the way things are done? After all, things seem to have been working just fine for over 10 years. Mark van Wijk, our community pastor, said it felt like a really natural step. “It came about from a desire to see God’s grace shared even more widely, but also more personally and directly.”

In the hall, children are sitting in a circle to make fidget spinners out of brightly coloured cardboard. There is a line-up of sandwich makers in the foyer; surrounding piles of lettuce, 6

MAY ALBRECHT My team went to help a woman in the school community that had recently lost her husband. I also suggested to Mark that we took some Botany Chef meals with us. What I remember the most is just the experience of being there with her. It’s such a great ministry. People get blown away by the small things we offer to do. Water blasting the driveway, or wiping away cobwebs. They might seem like small insignificant things, but it speaks volumes. They’re blessed and we’re blessed. I’d do it again! CASSY HAND We went to help one of the mums in the school community; she had a child at the school and at the kindy. She was feeling a bit unwell. We did have a really nice chat though, talking about her children and how she was going. She was a bit teary-eyed with gratitude at points. They had lots of rubbish and weeds that we helped clear. It was a huge relief for them to see that go as it had become just too hard to handle. Her partner was so grateful as well. I loved the whole camaraderie of helping, and also working alongside people from the church. It was such a happy giving. We had great fun. ROCHELLE CARR On Saturday, we went to the home of one of the teacher aides from school. She initially said there was “just a bit” of weeding, but we could see that the garden was quite overgrown. So we called in reinforcements and got stuck in. We had a great team of BotanyLife people, including four teens, and it was neat to see them all embrace our ‘go and do’ value. We also waterblasted her path, took away a pile of junk and had a bit of fun smashing up a concrete tub that she wanted removed from the garden. At the end of the day we planted some colourful flowers and spread bark across a garden we had cleared (one of our team kindly went and bought these). She was really grateful for what we did and was blown away that we would do something for someone we didn’t even know. It was great to talk with her at different points throughout the day too, and she came down for lunch at the project with us. She had been part of the school when we did the previous project at Anchorage Park and thought it was awesome that we were helping some families out too this time. It was a great day of team work, hard work and fun. What a great way to serve the community!

After reflecting back on past community projects where they’d had the most impact, Mark and the pastoral team felt they could make a further contribution to Anchorage Park and their community. So they asked the school to suggest families in their community that could benefit from having a team visit their house.

By going out to people’s houses, that generosity becomes very personal. The jobs around the house that anything from busy-ness to a bereavement might have made it hard to face - we can help with that burden. As Galatians 6:2 puts it, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Over the project weekend, small groups went out on the Saturday and Sunday to help at the houses that had been suggested; gardening, tidying, bringing Botany Chefs meals whatever is helpful.

On one level, the impact is physical: places and objects newly painted or constructed or cleared. But the impact is also emotional and spiritual, as we build relationships with people in the school community. Having conversations with people as we work alongside them about why on earth we would give up a weekend to help weed a school garden. And through these actions and conversations, introducing people to God, and starting to break down some of the barriers between them and Him.

Those connections haven’t ceased with the end of the community project, Mark says. “Post-project, we’ve looked for opportunities to connect and bless the families in other ways.” There’s been deliveries of Wild Wheat bread, and two team members took a newborn hamper to a family that had just had a baby boy. It’s also a very natural extension of the key idea underpinning the whole project: since we believe God has met our greatest need for free through Jesus, we want to reflect this generosity by helping others. Helping out in a school gives back to the school community; students, staff and anyone in the community that uses the school.

And that’s why this new aspect is so exciting. As our children’s pastor Mel Palmer puts it, “in addition to making a difference in a school, we get to touch individual lives too. Those people get to experience Christ’s love wherever they are at.” 7

FEATURE ARTICLE

MEMORIES FROM SOME OF THE TEAM LEADERS…

REFLECTION

Prayer: Reflections This year, as a church, we have been focusing on prayer. Below are reflections on prayer from several members of our church family; how it has affected their thinking or habits, or simply a message or idea that stayed with them.

Thinking about how God may be speaking to me personally has changed how I pray. Now if I have a sudden moment of inspiration, it reminds me that God lives and may just be taking an active interest in my life. I am less inclined to dismiss my thoughts as merely whimsical, but instead to pray about them. The benefit is that my prayers are more comprehensive and relevant to what is going on in my life. Some of the subtler issues in my life are now getting covered in prayer, and I can feel the difference. God feels more like a caring, involved heavenly father now. And I know it’s not him that has changed.

Not being a wonderful sleeper, I have found myself praying for my family in the depths of the night. Instead of worrying, I have found real peace in being able to pray for each one. Sometimes I am frustrated that I can’t do anything practical for them, when they live so far away. But I now know that praying for them is so powerful; knowing that God can touch their lives and meet their needs, way better than I can, wherever they live.

Tricia Stevenson

I really appreciated hearing that Brad struggled with prayer, as sometimes I struggle with it too. I have a book where I record prayer needs but sometimes the lists can get pretty long, or I can feel like I’m just repeating myself. It’s then that I ask the Holy Spirit to help remind me how important those prayers are.

I have been really encouraged throughout the series to see many in the Scriptures who faced the same battles we do. It has been so good to see their responses and to know that we are not alone in our struggles. Ros Gray

As you may or may not know, school has been a huge problem for me this year. I have faced a lot of challenges this year - from a lack of friends, to people being exactly the opposite of a ‘friend’.

Another sermon that I remember was the one about praying when you don’t seem to get an answer. It’s hard, but we’ve got to sit back and trust God in these situations. At my age, you also look back and see how God was in certain situations, even though you didn’t feel that at the time.

But there was one night when I was feeling particularly bad about going to school the next day. As I was lying under my covers, Mum walked into my room. We started talking about school, and the problems I was facing. We talked for a very long time, and when we were done, she prayed that all of these problems would go away, and that God would change my mindset, so that school was not such a bad thing. As she was praying I started to get more relaxed and stopped feeling as worried. Then even in the morning, I still wasn’t struggling! It was okay for almost half a term. The difference – I think – was that I was more certain God had it under control, and that He was helping me to feel more positive. I think he may have even made some of the actual problems a lot smaller, as well as changing my mindset so that I thought more positive things about school. School still is definitely not my favourite place to be, and sometimes it feels a bit worse, but this was a small (although rather important) victory that God won for me, and I trust He can do it again. Mack Palmer

May Albrecht

I’ve been finding the PrayerMate app super helpful. Having a big list of things to pray for is quite overwhelming, but the app breaks it down into 5 each time which has made it less daunting and more manageable. Natalya Smith

Intern PRO Text b y

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Charlotte Gray Text by Mel Thorburn.

ith Charlotte Gray joining the staff team, Mel Dunford can now pass on the mantle of “newest staff member”. Charlotte has also broken the mold by having her very own individual name! (See, we can hire outside of the Mel circle...!) Nearly four years married to Nathanael, Charlotte and her husband live just around the corner from the church offices in Pakuranga.

and “going her own way”. Looking back, she feels that rededicating helped start a change in her heart that helped these relationships and positively impacted on family life. As a strong-willed child growing up, she had no sense of fear. Charlotte recounts a tale of a neighbour who once phoned in panic after seeing a small girl climbing out of an upstairs window. On another family holiday, her mother awoke at 6am to the sound of wood being chopped. Outside was 5-year-old Charlotte holding an axe beside the woodpile. Standing next to her was her 3-year-old brother. The confident wee poppet, when questioned what on earth she was doing, replied, “How will I ever be a wood chopper if I don’t practise?”

At church, you may have seen Charlotte up on stage, serving as a singer in the worship band. Those of you who’ve been around for a while may recall that she was part of the original Portal launch team, contributing several articles for our early issues. When asked about her life growing up, the first thing Charlotte conveys is how very privileged she felt to be raised in a generational Christian family. Her parents are Christians, as were her grandparents, their parents, and so on. Her grandfather was a minister, as is her uncle.

In Year 12, Charlotte’s school offered the step of confirmation, which she decided to do as a public statement of faith. Her rededication in Year 10 had already led to some interesting conversations with friends, where she was challenged sometimes forcefully! - on her beliefs. This phase of her life has greatly impacted the way she evangelizes to others; not being aggressive but instead to be understanding of other people and the roads they may be travelling on, and trying to meet them where they are at.

Charlotte grew up in Christchurch in the South Island, with older sister Amelia (now married with two boys, living in London) and younger brother Thomas (living in Auckland). All siblings have worked as teachers and their mum is a teacher. Both her father and husband are engineers, although in very different areas. While Nathanael works at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare with embedded software, her father works with telecommunications technology.

She attended university in Christchurch, but when she got to her honours year, she applied for scholarships in both Auckland and Christchurch to cover her options. She was fortunate to be awarded the Auckland scholarship, so in 2009 she moved north to do an honours year in ancient history she has a double major in English and Classics. That was also the year she began dating Nathanael, having met him two years earlier at a bible study camp on Ponui Island.

As a baby, Charlotte was christened by her grandfather, who was a Methodist minister. The family enjoyed spending time together reading Bible stories over the breakfast table, and her mum or dad would regularly pray with her at night. But as Charlotte grew older, she says, her quick temper and sharp tongue made her quite a challenge to have around. At age 14, she rededicated her life to Christ after attending an Easter Camp which really challenged her about pride

It was Nathanael’s character and the way he thought about things that really grabbed Charlotte’s attention when they first met. Charlotte had recently thrown away her “list” 10

it happened (thanks for that God!) Brad had just sent something off to the church elders to say they needed more admin help! Charlotte had an interview with Brad and Mark before the July school holidays, and four months on, we have the lovely Charlotte working three days as the Trust Administrator and Portal Editor, while still she keeps a hand in teaching by doing relief teaching on the other two days. She is really enjoying the new mixture.

Initially, Charlotte had worked as a journalist in Auckland; following advice from other teachers in the family to try something else first! But after a year in the workforce, she still felt called to teaching, and so returned to university to train as a teacher. After training in Auckland, she moved down to Christchurch in 2013 to join Nathanael. He had moved down there for a new job the year before. Charlotte spent the next two years at Rangiora New Life School, a small Christian school just outside of Christchurch, while Nathanael worked at Tait Radio.

Her previous work as a journalist is an amazing asset for our in-house magazine Portal and we’re rapt to have her as the new editor. Charlotte’s burning desire for organisation and things being in right places are welcomed skills for her office admin role - especially with the accounts! TO FINISH, I ASKED CHARLOTTE A FEW ‘GETTING TO KNOW YOU’ QUESTIONS: Do you prefer cooking or baking? I love both! Lately I’ve been loving Middle Eastern flavours. (Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Jerusalem is well worth a look!) My mum has just returned from living in Saudi Arabia. The flavours she discovered while there have been inspiring my sister and me too! For example, pomegranate molasses is amazing over salad. And roast veges. Everything, really…

Her love of English literature, history and culture had always drawn Charlotte to England. So in 2015, they decided to do their OE. For the next two years they lived and worked in London, just down the road from Charlotte’s sister Amelia and her family. They attended church alongside Nathanael’s siblings Aimee and Nick, who were also living and working in London. At the end of 2016, with their visas ending, they returned to Auckland where Charlotte began teaching at Onehunga High School.

If you could sit for one hour with one Biblical character (other than Jesus) who would that be? Esther - I’ve always really enjoyed her story, and one of my favourite bible verses is Esther 4:14. I really like that idea that God has put you in this place at this time for a particular reason. The stuff you’re going through now may not be easy, but the reason you’re going through it could be that God will use it down the track; possibly to help someone else.

So how did Charlotte come to find BotanyLife initially? Not long after moving up to Auckland in 2009, she was out ‘church shopping’ with her cousin Liz Carter. Nathanael’s mum, Ros Gray, mentioned that she had heard about a relatively new church called BotanyLife. After checking it out for herself, Charlotte really liked the teaching and people, so kept coming.

What’s your favourite dessert? Nigella’s salted dark chocolate tart is dangerously amazing.

Her recent appointment as BotanyLife Trust Administrator transpired after Charlotte felt she was missing the work-life balance that she’d had whilst living in the UK. She’d loved the combination of relieving and office admin she’d done towards the end of her time there. Being a bit of a perfectionist and wanting to do things really well, she felt the demands of full-time teaching were starting to take over her life somewhat. While still strongly believing in teaching and its importance, she recognised she was needing a better balance.

When you get free time, what do you like to do with it? I love to get out in the bush for walks, watch movies with Nathanael, or - when I have time - writing. I’ve just started getting into sewing. Mostly hemming and mending at the moment, but I’d love to work up to making some clothes. I love 50s style fashion so maybe some of those gorgeous skirts and dresses. What book (if any) are you reading at present? A new murder mystery series I’ve discovered - Daisy Dalrymple by Carola Dunn. It’s not at all gritty or gruelling. Set in the 1920s and featuring a young lady journalist with plenty of gumption, I’d call it ‘cosy crime’.

So Charlotte started to send out applications for admin positions. She also approached Brad, feeling it could be worth asking if anything was coming up at church. As 11

LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

of conditions to find in a partner. Ironically, shortly after meeting Nathanael, she realised he had many of the things on that list. After four years of dating - including some long distance years where one was in Christchurch and the other in Auckland - Nathanael proposed to Charlotte at Ponui Island, at the top of a hill at dusk. On their way back to camp, they nearly tripped over a kiwi. They married a year later, in January 2014.

Travelling Israel

from the Mountforts Text by Nicola Mountfort.

NCREDIBLE. IMPACTING. BEST FIELD TRIP EVER!

on thirst for water made sense. Water is precious. This was illustrated vividly later in our journey.

In August and September of this year, Curtis and I spent 16 days travelling through Israel and Jordan on the inaugural Carey Baptist Bible College study tour. Shih Mei and Daniel Lee from BotanyLife were also part of the group of 45. For me, the tour was part of my part-time study at Carey. What a way to learn!

While traveling from Jordan to Israel, we reached an area where on one side of the road there was desert. Dry. Not a patch of green. On the other side of the road the vegetation was lush. The difference? Life-giving water. Irrigation. The preciousness of water isn’t an easy concept for us to comprehend in Auckland, where we often have an over-abundance of water.

Our first stop in Israel was Caesarea Maritima, a once-grand port city built by Herod the Great at the turn of the century. (c 25-13 BC). Then Megiddo, a world heritage site with a 7000 year history spanning twenty-five civilisations, and site of the future Armageddon foretold in Revelation. We drove up Mt Carmel, where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. We spent several days traversing around the beautiful Sea of Galilee (actually a lake) visiting many biblical sites including Capernaum, Banias (Caesarea Philippi) and Magdala (think “Mary Magdalene”). Beautiful Magdala features a first century synagogue, where Jesus likely taught. Another special place was Duc In Altum, a modern building featuring an atrium honouring women; specifically women past and present who follow Jesus. Many of us found this place to be unexpectedly - but deeply - moving.

We journeyed to Tel Balata in Nablus - site of ancient Shechem, with its depth of biblical history. Then we drank water from Jacob’s deep well. Jesus had spoken there with the Samaritan woman, and offered the gift of living water (the Spirit), available for all who thirst (John 4). A vital place, a vital story. There were so many ‘pinch-me-am-I-dreaming?’ moments. Day 5 saw us at Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered (one of my study essay topics). This place was likely the desert ‘wilderness’ where John the Baptist grew up. Then Masada, the mountain fortress built by Herod the Great, which saw the tragically brave deaths of 960 Jews during a Roman siege of 73A.D. Rather than be captured and forced to serve the Romans, they executed one another until one man remained. He committed suicide.

The food... the FOOD! We ate whole St Peter’s fish and fresh dates on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and watched vendors squeeze ripe pomegranates so we could drink the sweet and tart juice. We feasted on kanafeh in Nablus (West Bank, Palestine) while drinking strong coffee spiced with cardamom. Kanafeh, a delicious Arab specialty, is cheese pastry soaked in sweet syrup and topped with pistachios. We didn’t go hungry!

These places were hot and arid, nudging 40°C. We floated in the Dead Sea, where the water is 30% salt (and very oily) so you float much higher than normal. As if that day wasn’t stunning enough, we then drove up to Jerusalem, then that evening walked from our hotel through the Jaffa gate to the Tower of David. As we walked, a spectacular sound and light show was being projected onto the walls of the citadel, showing the vast number of civilisations that have conquered and lived there.

We did, however, come to understand thirst. Israel is so hot and dry; especially at this time of year. Drinking water was easily accessible for us, but even so the biblical focus 12

bread only, no toast. Even the lift was on ‘Sabbath mode’. It stopped at every floor on the way up and down, so no-one needed to lift a finger! For Jesus to have challenged the notion of Sabbath law, in the presence of highly religious Jews, must have been affronting. In Herodium, we sang impromptu in underground caverns, ancient theatres and churches; including at the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. Reading scripture in situ was beautiful: the Beatitudes on the Mount, the Christmas story in Shepherd’s Fields Bethlehem; Jesus’ reading of Isaiah (Luke 4:16-28) in the Nazareth synagogue.

We then walked through the Old City along the Via Dolorosa to the church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our visit to the Garden Tomb was a peaceful end to the afternoon, celebrating the risen Jesus with communion.

Part of our group journeyed on to Jordan for four nights, where we visited Mt Nebo, the place where Moses viewed the Promised Land before he died. We drove in rugged old Toyota 4WDs with flimsy fabric roofs across the burning Wadi Rum desert sands, near where Moses led the Israelites for 40 years.

On Shabbat (the Friday night marking the start of Sabbath) a small group of us walked through the narrow walkways of the old city and down well-worn stone steps to visit the Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple. Orthodox Jewish men walked rapidly past us in their hurry to get there. Men and women were separated by a barrier. The men were dancing and singing. On the women’s side it was quiet. Women faced the wall; some seated, standing or leaning against the wall when there was space. Others rocked gently back and forth while reading their Torah and praying. Many were weeping. To be at the Wall…to lean against it and pray…my prayer without the grief of the women surrounding me - I know the Messiah! - was indescribable. Meanwhile, the men’s celebrations continued on the other side. My husband Curtis and others tried to get downstairs to the “extra-special place” which was closer to the ‘Holy of Holies’, but it was already full to the brim with Jewish men dancing, jumping and singing.

There is still so much more I could retell! I loved journeying with this group of amazing people. So much love. So much fun! So many memories. So glad to have shared this with Curtis and so thankful to my parents, Dave & Merilyn Griffiths, for minding our girls - you are amazing! Scripture - both Old and New Testament - came alive for me in a whole new way on this trip. I have a new deep respect for Jesus’ humanity, and my awe of his divinity has widened. My love for my Saviour has deepened in a way that is life-changing.

Salam. Shalom.

In Jerusalem, the obedience to Sabbath law was striking. Our hotel breakfast was all prepared the day prior; e.g. boiled eggs, not scrambled. The toaster was on Sabbath -

TRAVELLING ISRAEL

Oh Jerusalem. Mount of Olives. Garden of Gethsemane. So beautiful and special. For me, the most significant place of the trip was the Pool of Bethesda, in Jerusalem. I’d researched this site for my paper, so to stand there and realise how important archaeological evidence can be for biblical text interpretation was impacting. My head and heart collided powerfully in this place where Jesus ignored common superstition and healed a paralysed man with simply a word.

...from the Lees

fter the Panorama series last year, it was such a privilege for Mei and me to visit Israel and to see Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word come alive. To sing praises and worship in the land where it all happened, to walk the places mentioned in the Bible, and to form some image of how and what things were like back then was simply awesome.

and later by various empires like the Romans, Byzantinians and Ottomans. When the state of Israel was formed in 1948, the Jews were finally united and many returned to their homeland. Today the Jews are making preparations for the third Temple to be built on said site and awaiting the coming of their Messiah, in fulfilment of Biblical prophecy.

One lasting impression for me was visiting the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall). I witnessed how fervently and passionately the Jews prayed at the Wall, believing the presence of God is still there. This is the one part of the Temple Mount that the Jews are allowed to access. The Temple Mount (at Mount Moriah) is where Abraham was ready to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, and King David purchased Mount Moriah and made Jerusalem his capital some 3000 years ago. King Solomon built the first Temple on the site, and the Wall is the remains of the second Temple after it was destroyed in 70AD.

I was trying to reconcile the fact that Jesus the Messiah came some 2000 years ago, and the message of love and grace was given to the whole world. Yet the Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come as they had rejected Jesus then, and still do today. I am encouraged therefore, to pray for Israel as Paul exhorts us to do so in Romans 10. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as in the Psalm of Ascents. We pray for all eyes to be opened to see Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace and love. We pray for His sovereign will. We pray that we can be salt and light to the people in this part of the world.

The death of King Solomon marked the end of a united Israel nation. The kingdom was divided into two. Most of the subsequent kings were disobedient to God. As a result, they were invaded by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians,

Text by Daniel Lee. 14

t Nazareth we learned how an olive press works - it takes three presses, with additional weights added after each hour, to produce the oil. This process is likened to Jesus’ agony and anguish at the Garden of Gethsemane Gethsemane means ‘oil press’ in Aramaic. The Garden is situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives, overlooking the city of Jerusalem. When we were there, it was rather tranquil. I spent some time in the beautiful Church of All Nations next to the Garden, reflecting on how our Lord must have felt as He prayed to His Father. Carrying this burden alone must have increasingly weighed on Him as each hour progressed, just like the weight of the olive press is added each hour. Anguished and alone, He prayed so earnestly and His sweat was like drops of blood. I have read this bible passage countless times. However, being in the Garden and now understanding the significance in the name of the place, I was moved to tears with this fresh revelation of Jesus’ deep love for us. His obedience unto death overwhelmed me and my heart is thankful. As I sat there looking at these 900 year old olive trees, possibly offspring of the ones that existed during Jesus’ time, I couldn’t help but wonder at the history shared between the Garden and Him. Text by Shih-Mei Lee.

...from Sophie

lim Christian College also travelled to Israel this year.

Earlier this year, I was privileged enough to go to Israel with a group from my school. This was an absolute ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity, and I know that I, and everyone else on the trip, will carry the impacting memories and experiences with them for the rest of our lives. One of the main highlights was being able to physically see and walk around places that we had grown up hearing and reading about all our lives. We tended to refer to it as a ‘pop up Bible’ because quite literally, everywhere we went, we would uncover another Bible story. From the place where David killed Goliath, to the place where Jesus himself was born, it was truly astounding to be face to face with places that we had heard so much about, but never had actually seen. It really sparked a new perspective on the Bible for us; everything definitely seemed so much more real. I am so grateful that I was blessed enough to have this experience, and even more so to share it with some of my closest friends. It has truly changed my life. Text by Sophie Osborne. 15

TRAVELLING ISRAEL

KOTAHI

Update Text by Brad Carr.

OTAHI IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!

for council approval, it was so exciting to see building begin in earnest. The bones of the centre began to take shape as foundations were poured, beams and framing went up, and the new mezzanine floor was laid.

On Friday night 10th November, we held an ‘open day’ event at Kotahi to officially launch this new community space. It marked the end of a frantic week of final touch-ups and last minute details, but - more importantly - the end of a four-year journey from purchase to completion!

OVER THE YEARS… 2014: The mezzanine floor was completed! We were able to bust through the wall between our offices and the mezzanine floor, creating internal access into the centre. Mel Thorburn described the impact of that moment in the May 2015 Portal issue:

We bought the building at 272E Ti Rakau Drive in April 2013, after a number of years of searching for a suitable property. It was difficult during that time watching real estate prices climb just as quickly as our savings were! With congregational numbers also continuing to rise, we finally realised that buying a facility that we could also use for Sunday services was a big ask. So we modified our search criteria, and decided to buy a “first home” and get ourselves into the property market, with the hope of one day buying something larger.

“[THAT] WALL MEANT WHEN WE WANTED TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE COMMUNITY CENTRE WE HAD TO TAKE OUR KEYS, GO DOWN THE STAIRS AND OUT THE FRONT OFFICE DOOR, AROUND THE OUTSIDE CORNER OF THE BUILDING…AND USE ANOTHER KEY TO OPEN THE DOORS THAT ACCESSED THE COMMUNITY CENTRE BELOW!”

So it was an exciting day when we settled on the Ti Rakau property. The first stage of the fit out involved the offices upstairs, and we moved into the new BotanyLife offices at the beginning of August 2013. It was incredibly exciting to move into our own, permanent facilities!

Opening a single door instead was a major improvement. 2015: The upstairs area was completed, with additional offices, storage and our new meeting room. A new power supply was brought into the building, and the bathrooms were framed up. Three working bees at the end of 2015 helped to reinforce and concrete drainage channels.

Almost exactly a year later, Mobile Missionary Maintenance (MMM) arrived to kick-start the renovations by giving us three weeks of free building work. After months of finalising building plans, getting engineering reports, and applying 16

COMMUNITY CENTRE

Placemakers Pakuranga, GIB, James Hardie, Smart Energy Solutions, Cliff Hanger Shelving and Speedy Signs. The generosity of these companies and organisations saved us thousands of dollars.

2016: A newly insulated auditorium ceiling immediately cut down on rain noise. The toilets and shower were completed. Double exit doors replaced the roller door at the end of the auditorium. Additionally, 2016 saw the completion of our stunning kitchen.

We also want to say a huge thanks to everyone who came and donated their time and expertise at various points along the way. So many church members contributed thousands of man-hours of hard work, from qualified builders lending their expertise, to retirees finishing off painting tasks, to teenagers helping put up GIB board. Thanks to every single person who donated their precious time to help complete Kotahi. This is also an opportune moment to honour the huge contribution made by MMM (Mobile Missionary Maintenance), the Christian organisation that spent time with us on two different occasions and completed some of the larger building tasks.

During that year the facility also began to be used more. Harvest Church moved into the offices downstairs and began holding Sunday services in the auditorium. We held a few Connect outreach events, such as the Olympic quiz night and live All Blacks test, as well as our first baptism service and Profile event for newcomers. 2017: The carpet was laid downstairs in the auditorium and foyer. The large movable wall was also put in, separating the foyer and auditorium into two separate spaces. Important audio-visual gear was installed. The exterior of the building was painted, and Speedy Signs generously paid for and installed the awesome external signage so people could actually find us. And finally - FINALLY - we had air-conditioning installed in the offices and other spaces, after we had endured a few cold winters and burning hot summers with little relief!

Finally, on behalf of the trustees and elders, and the whole church, I would like to say thank you to the building team that oversaw this project - Nicola Mountfort, Peter and Bronnie MacLeod, Mark van Wijk, Mandy Francis and Brad Carr - and especially acknowledge the work that Mandy did as Project Manager. We have already publicly thanked Mandy for all of her hard work, but this article would not be complete without acknowledging her contribution one more time.

So after a four year journey, the last light switch has been installed; the final patch of plaster has been sanded and undercoated; the last coat of paint has been applied.

One of the Pilgrim Psalms that we looked at this year, Psalm 127, reminds us that:

As we look back over these last four years, there are some very important people to thank. First of all, a huge thank you to everyone at BotanyLife (past and present) who over the past 12 years have generously donated over $600,000 to purchase and renovate Kotahi - over and above their regular giving to the church. None of this would have been possible without each person’s sacrificial gift. In addition, we also want to acknowledge and thank the organisations that have generously supported us - especially the Howick Local Board, Lotteries Commission, Lion Foundation,

“UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE, THE BUILDERS LABOUR IN VAIN. UNLESS THE LORD WATCHES OVER THE CITY, THE GUARDS STAND WATCH IN VAIN.” We gratefully acknowledge the Lord’s help in acquiring this great facility, and we pray that it will now be used to glorify His name. 17

LOOKING BACK ON 2017

he vision of FamilyLife is to inspire and equip couples to stay successfully married for a lifetime, and to glorify God in the process. Andy and I have had the privilege of directing FamilyLife in New Zealand since 1993.

Text by Nikki Bray.

“Where do I start? I thought we were coming to hopefully fix my wife! Turns out I had as many, if not more issues than her. This course literally saved my marriage of 17 years. It took me from a lonely and isolated husband to a hopeful and happy family samurai. You have inspired me to give 100%, not only to my wife but my children as well.”

In everything we do - weekend getaways, one-day events, small group studies, books and resources - we offer practical, Biblical solutions for enjoying a healthy, happy, meaningful, family life. The real-life stories and the humble way we aim to share means that a good proportion of those who attend now are not church-goers.

“Just WOW! Amazing messages that have helped me as a wife and a mum. Everything was awesome! Have enjoyed it so much.” “Thank you for our second chance! This course reset our expectations and enabled us to connect as a husband and wife, as lovers and as partners.”

Our weekends are life-changing as couples pull back from the busy-ness of life to focus on the most important earthly relationship they have - their marriage. They learn new skills, talk about issues in a safe environment, make new commitments and enjoy intimacy on a whole new level. It really is a Weekend To Remember!

“Not yet married but so valuable. We’re on the same page and have the tools to succeed.” “This weekend would be the best quality decision we have made together as a couple. Life changing and inspiring. So blessed.”

Here’s what a few couples said from our last weekend here in Auckland.

“We attended a ‘Weekend To Remember’ in Sept 2016. Twelve months on from our introduction to Family Life, we are continuing to put in place what we experienced and learnt. For me, the big thing was, ‘Gosh, there’s men out there, that are actually living this stuff. It’s not just a talk-fest.’ The modelling of it and the authenticity of the men was key. This was the catalyst I needed to start implementing a few strategies at home. Our lives are bearing new fruit which is a direct result of the strengthening of our marriage.”

REGIONAL/NATIONAL PARTNERS

A personal highlight for us was having our daughter Olivia and our new son Asher emceeing at the weekend, as well as 60% of the attendees being younger than 39 years old! We are definitely reaching the next generation.

wonderful man - when we were in the US in February. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist and one of the most widely read authors on step-family living in the US. We have also completed the production of our free on-line Couples’ Video Series. The filming was undertaken two years ago at a weekend getaway, and we have finally created six 20-minute sessions. This is designed for small group study or for couples looking for personal growth in their relationship.

Our one-day event, A Day Together, has been specifically designed with non-Christians in mind as an outreach to our local communities. They are totally non-threatening, light-hearted, yet inspiring. We held one in June this year in partnership with BotanyLife, and another in partnership with the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Papatoetoe where they had over 100 people attend.

As we enter into the last few months of the year, we are excited to be speaking at a North Shore Community event, a south Auckland community event, and the Auckland Prayer Breakfast at Eden Park. We are also on schedule to launch an alumni conference for those who have already attended our events. (A couple came for their 8th year in a row this year!)

This year Andy and I have been extremely excited to launch two new initiatives, Marriage Mentoring and FamilyLife Blended. Marriage Mentoring is a couples’ coaching programme whereby a couple mentor a younger couple meeting just one evening a month, for 12 months. Together they go through a series of ‘conversations’ designed by FamilyLife around specific relationship topics. It’s an opportunity to walk alongside a younger couple and champion them in their normal marital challenges.

It’s been a fruitful and productive year and we are so thankful to BotanyLife for your prayers, and your personal and financial support. You’re a blessing to us! FAMILYLIFE NZ: • Five full-time staff

Andy and I have recently trained up to 50 Marriage Mentors through a partnership with nine churches. I’m excited to see how quickly this new strategy can be implemented throughout New Zealand church communities.

• Total Kiwis attending Family Life events = 31,260 • 167 Weekend To Remember events • Average attendance at Weekend To Remember= 135 FAMILYLIFE GLOBALLY (OUTSIDE THE USA):

FamilyLifeBlended started after a Kiwi couple, Rodney and Lisa, approached us in February to begin a ‘blended’ programme within FamilyLife. Re-marrieds definitely have unique challenges and we were keen to equip this volunteer couple to head up this aspect of the ministry. They are running our first blended video conference in November and then next year we are bringing Ron Deal out from FamilyLife US to host a range of events for blended families and ministry leaders. Andy and I connected with Ron - a

• FamilyLife has a leadership presence in 103 countries through 148 full-time staff. • Around 50,000 people attend events similar to the NZ weekend getaway each year. (100,000 people attend in the USA per annum) • More than 4 million people around the world have been trained at an event sponsored by FamilyLife. 19

christmas

season

2017 Text by Mel Thorburn and Charlotte Gray.

his year at BotanyLife, we have a variety of wonderful events planned to celebrate the Christmas season. Not only is this a special time for us as Christians to come together as a church family and rejoice in our saviourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival on earth, but it gives us the opportunity to interact with unchurched friends and family about the true meaning of the season - Jesus. Each of the events that are detailed below offer a safe setting for you to invite your friends and family along to, where they can hear the good news of Christ while also having fun. Flyers and on-line advertising will be available for all these events closer to the time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so start thinking about who might benefit from your invitation to some of these events and be bold! 20

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

CAROLS AT BOTANY / BOTANY TOWN CENTRE / THURSDAY 7TH DECEMBER 7PM What better way to spend a December evening than by singing carols? We are once again privileged to be invited back to Botany Town Centre to lead what is essentially a carols service right in the heart of the shopping centre. This is a wonderful opportunity to kick off the Christmas season by inviting our local community to slow down, sing some carols, and consider the true meaning of Christmas. We would once again love to have a huge crowd from BotanyLife there in support, so please mark this Thursday evening in your diaries and invite your friends to join us there.

CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE / HOWICK INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL / SUNDAY 17TH DECEMBER 9 & 11AM We are planning a special Christmas Family Service for both children and adults that will look forward to Christmas Day, just a few days later. This year, we will be celebrating an emoji-themed Christmas! This will be another wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family members to come along and consider the true meaning of Christmas.

CHRISTMAS ON ICE / PARADICE ICE SKATING / SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER, 6PM This has become a highlight of our Christmas calendar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the chance to experience a little bit of winter wonderland at the start of our summer! The generosity of Chris and Sarah Blong and the team at Paradice Ice Skating allow us to have a fun time with family and friends, ice-skating to some live Christmas music. Last year all profits from this event were donated to the Howick & Pakuranga Toy Library, and this year the proceeds will once again go to a worthy charity doing great things in our local community.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES / HOWICK INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL / SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER, 6:30 & 8PM The final event on our Christmas calendar will be our traditional carol service by candlelight on the evening of Christmas Eve. With Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday this year, we will be having two evening services but no morning service. This has been a feature every year since BotanyLife began, and the sense of excitement as we gather as a church family and a large number of guests to celebrate the birth of Jesus together is something truly special. From carols to readings, multimedia to a brief message, the entire service draws our attention back to the Saviour who was born in Bethlehem for us. This is a wonderful service to not only attend as a family or group of friends, but also to invite unchurched friends along to. If they are going to come along to one church service in the year, it may well be this one, so invite them along! 21

How We See Christmas Symbols Text by John Piper and Noël Piper. John Piper is founder and teacher at desiringGod.org.

“These people must really believe the old myth is true!” Christmas is first Christ, second Christ, third Christ, and again and again Christ! Here are some of the little efforts we have made to keep Jesus at the center of it all.

hat do you think of this paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 5:16: “From now on we do not know anyone or anything according to the flesh. Even though we once knew Christmas according to the flesh, we know it thus no longer”? Noël told me last week that she went to a store to find some Christmas decorations, but that in six long aisles only a couple of small items were related to Christ. All the rest was “Christmas according to the flesh.” How should Christians respond to this?

In our family, we use Advent candles. There can be four or five candles. We light one the fourth Sunday before Christmas, two the next Sunday, etc. The fifth candle is lit on Christmas, the day we celebrate. At the lighting of each candle we read prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. We put large and small manger scenes everywhere - on dresser tops, with the Advent candles, hanging in the windows, made into mobiles, etc.

The answer that Noël and I give for ourselves is that we want as much of our decorating and festivities as possible to be explicitly Christ-centered and Christ-exalting. There are Christmas decorations that are explicitly Christ-exalting; there are decorations which are neutral and can become secular or Christian by their context; and there are anti-Christian symbols which function to divert attention from Christ and give Christmas a secular meaning palatable to our culture.

The boys earn pennies for any jobs during December. They save them for a birthday gift to Jesus; donated to a charity.

In the latter category we put Santa Claus. The American Santa Claus is a far cry from the old German Saint Nicholas who came on December 6th. The development of the Santa Claus myth in our culture is precisely a diversion from the Christian reality: “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.”

A new tradition in our celebration is the Shepherd’s Pouch. On Christmas Eve the children put their gifts to Jesus in little bags beside the manger, as the shepherds brought gifts of worship and joy to the baby. On Christmas morning Jesus’s gifts have been replaced with little fun gifts to the boys - symbolizing the gifts God showers on us.

In the second category of neutral decorations we put the Christmas tree, candles, holly, wreaths, bells, chestnuts, snow, colored lights, etc., etc. All of these can enhance our celebration beautifully if they are given a Christ-centered context.

Passers-by only see the outside of our house. Will they know whom we celebrate by what they see? A stained glass nativity scene is in the window, a small scene hangs in the greens by the door, and a lighted star hangs near the roof. I’d like to make a banner to hang on the porch.

But mostly let us outstrip the world in joy and celebration by filling our homes and our churches with as many explicitly Christ-centered symbols as possible. Let us decorate in such a way that guests and passers-by say:

I could think about Christmas all day! May your Advent season be filled with sweet anticipation and blessed hope. 22

Text © Desiring God Foundation. Source: desiringGod.org

The center of celebration is a special manger scene on a table in the living room. Under that table we gather our gifts. Beside it we have our Christmas Eve party - popcorn and hot chocolate, the Christmas story and prayers of thanksgiving to God for his love and deliverance.

Advent Calendar Text by Julie of HappyHomeFairy.com.

IDEAS FOR USE • Put it on your fridge and enjoy reading a verse each day • B uy two pieces of A3 card. Use one as backing for the verse sheets. On the other, number and cut out small doors over each verse. Then, open a door each day in December to uncover and read that Bible verse. • C ut out the cards and number the backs. Hang them along a string and take one down each day to read. • C ut out each card. Hide one under someone’s plate each night at dinner, then read the verse together. • A fter cutting out the cards, slip one into a child’s lunch box each day.

Thanks to Julie of Happy Home Fairy for permission to reprint and share this printable. https://happyhomefairy.com/ bible-verse-advent-countdown-kids-freeprintable/ 23

CHRISTMAS

Christmas Verses

CHRISTMAS YOU WILL NEED: • White paper • A container or washable surface e.g. ice-cream container lid for the paint colours • Yellow paint • Brown paint • Blue paint • Pink paint • Damp cloth to clean fingers • Newspapers to cover painting surface This is a craft aimed at younger children, but could be adjusted to suit older children (e.g. using paintbrushes or coloured pencils, and adding more detail). You could do it after reading or watching the story of Jesus at Christmas as a standalone activity. If you like, you could also photocopy the pictures to use as Christmas cards, or gift tags! 1. L ay out paint and paper on the newspaper. You might like to draw the outlines of the picture first to help younger children. 2. Have the child dip their index finger in brown paint and make a stable. 3. W ipe their finger off and have them dip it in yellow paint. Make “straw” on the floor and in the manger. Then draw a yellow star on top. 4. U se pink paint to make a face for baby Jesus. Then, using the blue color, make three fingerprints for the baby’s body/blanket. Let dry. 5. (Optional) Write a Bible verse beneath e.g. “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) 26

Idea and pictures used with thanks from: https://www.craftymorning.com/baby-jesus-in-manger-fingerprint-craft/

Baby Jesus in a Manger Fingerprint Craft

unday 17th Decembe S , m p 6 r

TOWN SQUARE, BOTANY TOWN CENTRE * THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER, 7PM 27

Internationally, prostitution and trafficking of Asian women and children is increasing. It is the third largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world and one of the most urgent human rights issues today. Over 4000 women work each night in the sex tourism industry of Patpong. Rahab Ministries rescues girls from prostitution in the bars of Bangkok and helps rehabilitate them through training and education. Bar Visitation and Outreach Parties // Each week the outreach team visits different bars in Patpong seeking to make contacts through friendship evangelism, as well as running monthly Outreach Parties. As they build relationships, they are able to tell the women about Rahab and what support and new opportunities they can offer them. Rahab Bazaar // Rahab Bazaar was set up both as an income generation programme and to offer alternative employment to women choosing to leave the bars. Making jewellery and soft toys at Rahab enables the women to make something beautiful out of lives that have been ugly and hard. It is also a time to build new relationships.

Text by Mark van Wijk.

s a church community, our key global outreach initiative operates under the banner of Project Thailand. For the past few years, working through Bright Hope World, we have pursued three local partnerships in Thailand: Hill Tribe Hope, Rahab Ministries and Good News Team. Here’s a refresher on who those partners are, and what they’re involved in.

Discipleship and Training // Twice a week Rahab runs a Bible study and offers counselling and discipleship. On Fridays, English classes are taught. These classes are also open to any bar girls wishing to attend.

HILL TRIBE HOPE // Started in 2012, Hill Tribe Hope brings together four New Zealand churches (City Bible Church, Mt Albert Baptist, St Andrews Waipukurau and BotanyLife) to work alongside the Integrated Tribal Development Programme. Since 1990, this programme has assisted hill tribe people in Thailand to cope with the many changes that have taken place in their livelihoods. This has predominantly been through small projects providing special assistance with drinking water, irrigation systems, farming and income generation, fish farming and establishing a coffee cooperative (La Mai).

GOOD NEWS TEAM // The Good News Team does an amazing job of spreading the good news of Jesus to hundreds of thousands of children all over Thailand. The gospel is powerful, touching hearts and changing not only the lives of children but the lives of their friends, parents and those they know. This project is bringing hope to children and is beginning to break the cycle of injustice with just a simple magazine, correspondence and the gifting of Bibles. Children love reading the fun, high-quality magazines.

In particular, we’ve had the privilege of engaging with two villages about 400 km southwest of Chiang Mai; Krae Maw Kee and Kraw Lor Blur. Past projects here have included water supply and filtration, sanitation, and a large school building. Currently this group of churches are fully supporting two schools, four teachers, and a large group of children. Educating children is a vital ingredient to lifting hill tribe people out of poverty. It helps ensure they are able to gain citizenship, enter universities and access better jobs.

Public School Evangelism // Each month, a team heads out to a new group of (Buddhist) state schools, in partnership with a local church in that area, where they share the good news about Jesus with the children through drama, puppets and music. The team is always well received, often being asked to return again! The children are then given a magazine, and invited to sign up to the correspondence course (which they almost all do). Every year since 1981, up to 300,000 comic book type magazines have been printed and distributed.

The Integrated Tribal Development Programme is making a real difference in the lives of many hill tribe people in Northern Thailand. They have been involved there for many years and are committed to helping these people holistically. By providing for physical needs and helping lift them out of their lifestyle of poverty with water and sanitation projects and the micro-loan programmes, they have built good relationships with a number of villages and have established an excellent platform to continue to send teachers and church planters into these areas.

Correspondence Course // Through a 24-lesson correspondence course, hundreds of thousands of children across Thailand are learning the hope of Jesus. Upon completion of the first eight lessons, children receive a New Testament. When a child becomes a Christian, they are then linked with a local church in their area. Nearly every day they receive at least one letter from someone who has become a Christian or is excited about their new life in Christ. This project has a huge impact on Thai children and their communities.

RAHAB MINISTRIES // Rahab Ministries operates right in the heart of Bangkok’s red light district Patpong, where they have been operating since 1989.

Prison Correspondence Course // Prisoners are given the same cartoon magazine that is used in the public schools. Many of the inmates become Christians through these magazines. 28

2018

Thailand Trip I

Anna and Harrison share what interests and excites them about being involved with Project Thailand.

n March 2018 Anna Roughton, Harrison Carr, Mel Palmer and myself will spend just over a week visiting these partners in Thailand, as we connect with our partners, gather stories and provide encouragement and support. Our hope is that this will enable us to keep inspiring you as our church family (including our kids and youth) to continue to pray for our partners in Thailand, to give generously to them, and to share their stories with those around you.

I get really excited about missions and making it accessible for the church family. I love being part of helping people to catch the vision of what is being done; to feel connected to it and to get excited about it. It’s also great experience for the longer term missions I’m interested in doing in the future. Thailand isn’t somewhere I ever thought I would go to - but I’m looking forward to going and learning from each other’s stories. Anna Roughton I’d been interested in going for a while. I had heard about it before through events like Splash and helping out with ALTR Youth, which donates to Project Thailand each week. I’d also heard about it from Dad and Mark going, and they’d had a pretty awesome experience. It’s a cool opportunity to help out, meet new people and form new relationships. I’m feeling kinda excited but also kinda nervous - this is a new thing for me! Harrison Carr

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Project

GLOBAL OUTREACH: In The Gap Ministries Text by Roly Runciman.

t was a very stirring message. One Sunday morning two years ago at BotanyLife Community Church, I was listening to guest preacher Pastor Tim Collins speak, when the Lord spoke to me about using my experience and skills to follow His command to reach out to the lost.

Savai’i. One of the aims of our trips is to try and encourage these countries to become autonomous through on-the-job training and encouragement. Samoa is just about there! September and October 2017 saw me in Timor-Leste. I was able to fix their station transmitter and also improve the coverage from their mountain top transmitter which links to the station transmitter. Prior to the improvements, we estimated that the coverage was limited to the city of Dili, which has a population of 200,000. On completion of the work, a road trip plotting the coverage showed to our utter joy that 89.5FM Radio VOZ was now reaching closer to 500,000 Timorese!

Sitting at home watching telly certainly did not suit me one little bit. After hearing Tim’s message, the Lord prompted me into using my 45 years of technical experience in radio and TV broadcasting - including heading Rhema Broadcasting’s technical department - to help others. Specifically, those seeking to use the medium of radio in the Pacific Islands to spread the good news of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. I had been doing this type of work during my time at Rhema Media under the auspices of United Christian Broadcasters (UCB).

The recent volcano threat in Bali changed some plans. [Ed: An eruption from Mount Agung, in eastern Indonesia, was believed to be imminent. People in the area were evacuated to at least 12km away. The New Zealand government released an official travel warning to steer clear of Bali.] Originally I had intended to fly from Timor to New Zealand via Bali, and I had arranged to work with two Bali radio stations while there. Unfortunately, the volcano warnings meant I had to travel back via Darwin instead.

So without too much persuasion, I went back to Papua New Guinea to fix up the main FM transmitter in Wewak. This was the main transmitter there for Christian radio and was used to relay off into other more remote areas and villages. This trip was followed by a further trip to the Solomon Islands where we installed transmitters in Honiara, Munda, Gizo and Milata. All would be proclaiming the Word of God in music and messages 24/7.

In November 2017, I will be back in Papua New Guinea to fix a few new problems and hopefully improve the coverage towards the border of West Papua. I also hope to return to Bali when possible. As long as everything is fine, why not?

The next trip was to the Cook Islands to extend the coverage of Christian radio in Rarotonga. This is still a work in progress and by early 2018 we should have 100% coverage for the South Cook Islands and hopefully extending a little into the North Cook Islands.

You might ask why ‘In The Gap Ministries’ is involved in so many countries around the Pacific, Melanesia and Micronesia. The short answer is that there are still souls that need to hear about the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our “go to” verse is Romans 10:17 “…so faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ…”.

Earlier this year I made a trip to Samoa to finish off work started on a previous trip. Now we have just about 100% radio coverage of the main islands of Samoa, Upolu and 30

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Radio is the perfect medium, indeed often the only medium, to reach lost souls where we are unable to do so by other means.

PLEASE PRAY FOR: • Safety as we travel often into fairly hostile areas • For those who hear the Good News from these Christian Stations where we are involved, that they will respond to the Lord and receive salvation. • Continued favour from the various government departments so that we can keep transmitting the Gospel.

‘In the Gap Ministries’ is a charitable trust set up by Roly and Gail Runciman, along with business and ministry advisors Dave Padfield and Owen Jennings.

For more information, some really nice pics, and offers to help, please visit our website www.itgministries.com.

Text by Vernon and Michelle Lomberg.

aunch is a fun and relaxed community group catering to the young (18-24ish) adults of BotanyLife who are either studying or working. The group is led by Vernon and Michelle Lomberg, who took over the reins from Mark and Stephanie Van Wijk four years ago. The group meets weekly and alternates between a study and a social.

“Why does God allow suffering and tragedy?” and “Why are Christians so hypocritical?” Our group aims to create an environment in which we can safely ask these big questions and discuss how God responds to them. On the social side, our activities have been diverse - but pretty much always involve food! Members take turns to organise socials and in 2017 we have been rock climbing, had games nights of both the board and computer variety, poker nights, a cupcake decorating night and an awesome Independence Day Dinner combined with the Drive community group.

This year, in addition to the wider church’s focus on Prayer, we have spent some time looking at some of the big issues in a young adult’s life through the series ‘Adulting’. This included sessions on career, singleness, dating, commitment and faith. These topics had us looking at God and how our faith in him impacts on our day to day life. Recently we began a new apologetics series looking at how to respond to some of the questions people raise about God and Christianity like:

So if you want to connect with other students/young workers in the church, grow spiritually and have a lot of fun at the same time, come along and check us out.

COMMUNITY GROUPS

MISSION POSSIBLE Text by Christine Thompson.

he ‘Mission Possible’ community group started a few years ago. We meet fortnightly at 7:30 on a Wednesday in one of our homes. Our ages are between 30 and 70+ years. Our different roles in life enrich our gatherings and we learn heaps from each other.

Our various cultural backgrounds often lead us into interesting discussions. One evening Dr Sheryl Silzer from Wycliffe Bible Translators taught us about ‘East/West Communication Challenges’ which was an eye-opener to most of us and very helpful in understanding ourselves and each other better.

Our personal and/or professional lives can be so full on with various pressures, demands, emergencies and surprises that it is helpful to have a group of women to walk the journey with. Sometimes all we need to do is pray for each other. Other times, more hands-on help is required, depending on how the Lord leads us personally. Our seasons of life are as varied as the many countries we come from. We are never all down and never all up at the same time. God’s timing is best! Sometimes life seems a hard slog and at other times it is so funny! We laugh and cry together and basically encourage each other not to give up, hold on to hope and trust in Jesus.

The structure of our meetings varies; we are quite flexible and it seems that we all enjoy it this way. At the moment we are going through the DVD series ‘The Armour of God’ by Priscilla Shirer. Other times we have gone for walks, enjoyed an evening of games or cooked for a fundraiser, for the Botany Chefs freezer or we learned about a new kitchen gadget. You can see cooking has been a good way to get to know each other better! We always end our meetings with prayer and stay in touch with each other during the week with our WhatsApp group-chat.

As it says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

If you are looking to join a group, feel free to check us out!

LOCAL OUTREACH Text by Tsitsi Kavumbura.

WHAT : Conne ct Fam ily Bingo N ight WHEN : Sat 26 Aug, 5p m WHER E: Kota h i why: To enjo y prizes and a d bingo, eli dinner cious

t had been a really long year for our family and everyone needed something fun, so Family Bingo sounded like just what we all needed. Just as we were about to purchase our tickets, we realised that Nathan was going to be out of town on business. We still went ahead to buy tickets for Tsitsi, Samantha and Stephanie. Even though it was not going to be the whole family there, we were determined to make the most of the evening. But then, much closer to the date, Stephanie gently reminded us that she had a birthday party to attend on Family Bingo night! She had made plans with her friend so obviously she felt sad to miss out on the Family Bingo, but she wasn’t about to change her mind now. She only attended the first 30 minutes and then I had to take her to the party. This meant that this was going to be half-the-Family Bingo for us! I must admit, Samantha and I really enjoyed the night. Stephanie’s main highlight was being able to write on the table - where the bingo grids were - without getting a telling off. So, in those 30 mins she was there, she made sure to scribble as much as she could. Both girls enjoyed putting on the funky glasses provided and taking pictures as they changed their looks. This was actually the first time we had ever played Family Bingo and it was so much fun. It was exciting watching other

people get prizes after calling out ‘Bingo!’. Of course, we all hoped we could get a prize, but sadly neither of us got anything! Another highlight of the night was the food, and as promised, it was a kid-friendly dinner indeed. I saw Samantha really enjoying her sausage sizzle and the ice cream. She was almost tempted to take Stephanie’s share but by then she was already so full of food and sugar, so didn’t. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the company! We enjoyed interacting with the people who were there, making it what we call the ‘fellowship and swallowship’ combo. The half of our family that were able to go loved it, and the other half who missed out wished they had been part of the fun. We are already looking forward to the next Family Bingo. Hopefully next time we will be able to enjoy the event as a whole family! 34 34

COMMUNITY CHURCH LIFECENTRE

Text by Mark van Wijk.

he evening of Sunday September 10th saw the launch of our new worship gathering Nightlife at Kotahi. What a night it was! Nightlife was born out of a desire to provide new ways to rejoice in God’s goodness, to sing great music, to encourage each other, to share great stories, to celebrate baptisms and to do all this in a relaxed, joyful environment. Held once a term, each event will focus on a particular theme for us to celebrate. The first event’s theme was ‘Freedom,’ which gave me the opportunity to share for a few minutes about the incredible freedom I have in Christ. This is something God has been reminding me about in recent times - particularly through stunning music and lyrics found in the songs we enjoyed that evening. The BotanyLife band were superb as they led us in a stunning array of songs, including Death was Arrested, This is Amazing Grace and O Come to the Altar. We also had the privilege of celebrating Sue-Lynn Leong’s baptism as, alongside friends and family, she made a public declaration of her faith. At the second Nightlife, held on Sunday 12th November, the theme was ‘Celebrate’. We were inspired by the Irish worship band Rend Collective Experiment; listening to their music and watching a video that reminded us to think about our reasons to celebrate. Two major joys were the baptisms of Eva Mountfort and Dolcia Manihera; key and exciting parts of the evening. The stories they shared were such a testament to God’s love and provision: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) The entire evening truly was a joyous celebration, and I can’t wait for the next one! 35

When’s the next Nightlife? Sunday 25th February 2018

We will miss you! Text by Mel Palmer.

I sometimes find it hard to accept the truth that kids grow up. It happens far too fast for me! Every year I am reminded of this when it is time for another great bunch to ‘graduate’ from our BotanyKids ministry. I’m sure these kids were 5 just the other day! But, while it is hard for me to let them go, I’m also excited for them to join Xchange and to continue to learn and explore all that God has planned for each of them.

This page features some of our 2017 BotanyKids ‘graduates.’ I asked them two questions. “What is your favourite memory from your time in BotanyKids?” and, “If you could tell someone one thing about God what would that be?” I love their answers to this second question! Would you please join me in praying for these kids at as they transition to intermediate school and Xchange – and for them to have courage to share their “one thing” with people who need to hear these awesome truths?

CHLOE MAE MOUNTFORT 1. The fun socials! 2. I would tell someone that God will save you if you believe in him.

ANNABELLE TAN 1. When we celebrated our journey through the Bible. 2. “For God so loved the world He gave His one and only son, for whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

MILLA BYRNE 1. Hanging out with fellow kids at Jesus’ birthday party - especially in the photo booth with the dress ups! 2. God’s amazing unfailing love.

1.The SPLASH party! I loved the kids’ worship at BotanyKids and also our current pompom collection.

SIENNA DENIS

2. God loves us unconditionally and sometimes we make wrong choices but if we ask God He will forgive us.

1. My favourite memories of BotanyKids were the socials like movie nights, Guy Fawkes, the Amazing Race and Christmas Eve services. 2. I would tell people about God’s great love and how His son died on the cross to save us.

SIENNA KENRICK 1. Being on the cover of the community project book! 2. One thing I’d tell people about God is He is always beside you.

HUNTER SMITH 1. Fun parties and meeting new friends. 2. He loves you.

SAM MOLLOY 1. How the leaders interacted with the kids, and the youth band - I REALLY like the youth band! 2. He is All powerful and everlasting and he will not forsake you, EVER. He will love you for ever and ever and He has good plans for you.

To all of you who feature on this page - we will miss you! We hope you love your time in XAVIER NEWELL Xchange. Have fun, learn lots and we 1. I enjoy the Bible stories. pray that you continue get to know our 2. He is your Father who awesome God more and more and loves you. that you trust Him with your future. You never know, this Also moving might not be the end of on to Xchange BotanyKids for you next year - Hannah one day you might be Cullingworth, Lachlan back as a leader! Smith, Lucy Knight, George Robinson.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

MARALIZE ROMKES

The lesson outlines for the Ephesians series follow a simple pattern: LOOK UPWARD: • What does this passage teach me about God? • Do I know who God is? • Do I know what God has done and is doing in the world today?

Text by Mel Palmer and Robin Byrne.

• How does this fit in God’s grand redemptive narrative?

LOOK INWARD:

f you took the time to browse the last edition of Portal you may have read all about the new curriculum we are using in the Forest and Jungle - TruStory. The team who created TruStory also create variety of TRU curriculum for other age groups. We are now really excited to have launched the older age group materials with our intermediate aged kids in Xchange.

• What does this passage teach me about myself? • Have I trusted in Jesus Christ to save me from my sins? • Have I fully given Him control of my life? LOOK OUTWARD (OUR RESPONSE): • How can I respond to this truth about God in my life?

The curriculum for this age group is called TruIdentity, and it claims to empower kids to own their faith as they seek and respond to God. It encourages them to find their identity in Him. That’s what we want, isn’t it? A next generation who find their identity in Christ. If our intermediate aged kids are in love with Jesus and in a real relationship with him, then surely the world is going to lose its appeal and the teenage years, that are just around the corner, are going to be much easier to navigate.

• How does God’s plan for the world affect my life at home, at school, and at church? • How is God calling me to live my life in light of His work? These are big questions that we will all be working through for the rest of our lives. Thankfully, God hasn’t left us in the dark about how to join Him in His work. He has given us His Word. Throughout the Ephesians series, the kids in Xchange will be diving specifically into this amazing book, where God lays out amazing answers to our questions.

TruIdentity takes a book of the Bible and spends 8 weeks exploring it. Throughout each series, the kids will have the opportunity to encounter God personally and respond both corporately and in small groups. They’ll learn more about God’s character and work through His Word. The kids will also receive reading plans to help them explore God’s word for themselves at home.

Sounds exciting doesn’t it? I’d love to join them! Wouldn’t you? As parents, these studies really encourage you to get alongside your kids and help spur them on in their walk with God - who knows, you may be challenged too!

This term Xchange is exploring the book of Ephesians and learning to look upward to discover who God is for themselves, inward to form their identity in Him, and outward to worship in response.

Please join us in praying for the leaders and the kids in Xchange as they explore this awesome book. May they be drawn into closer relationship with God and transformed through the truth in its words. 38

ast term ALTR did a series of studies around relationships. Not just dating, but how to have good relationships generally: with God, with family and with friends. Below are some of our thoughts on the studies.

CALEB THOMPSON Something that stands out from the term was the compassion and kindness of the people that are part of ALTR. It’s really good to be a part of a group that you know have your back no matter what. Also the leaders are all really supportive and fun-loving so that’s great. One thing about the studies that made me think was the lesson on identity. It’s not all about the things you wear and what you do. If you lean on God and let him guide your way you will never become lost in life. I think that was one thing that really made me think. I think a lot of what is taught is really useful in life as a whole. A lot of the messages were about the lives of people in the Bible and how we can learn from them as well as how God used them to do great things. It really made me realise that God can use all of us to do amazing things as well no matter who we are.

KIERAN ROUX Something that stood out for me about ALTR this term was the outstanding effort and enthusiasm each leader put into both their individual groups and the main ALTR group as a whole. I appreciate all the effort my group leaders have put into me and our socials, which included some very fun competitive badminton which they took upon themselves to initiate.

FRANKIE OYANEDEL (LEADER) This term in ALTR it was great to see how much the youth really got stuck in to the tough questions. It was awesome to see them develop their thinking around what it means to have a faith. Seeing the youth’s responses to tough questions really got me thinking. It would be great to see how much we can get the youth to think about in terms of religion and life in general for themselves.

There were also several socials, including a bonfire night, a laser strike showdown and a car rally. They also enjoyed getting stuck in and helping with the community project.

I really appreciate the hard work that all our leaders put in to running ALTR well. It’s such a great atmosphere to be in and it’s awesome to be part of something where everyone wants to do their best for the youth.

For Term 4, the theme is Kia Kaha. This term, the talks and studies will look at some of life’s pressures e.g. bullying, peer pressure, addictions and mental health. 39

YOUTH MINISTRY

Text by Harrison Carr & Charlotte Gray.

Phil & Sheryl Savill Text by Erika Bond-Milne.

was excited to be given the task of interviewing the Savills, as we had met each other 15 years (ish!) prior on Ponui Island. Phil and Sheryl were camp mum and dad, and I was a cook. It was great to reconnect with them and find out what they have been up to!

shaping our whole married life. We had both grown up in churches where our parents were really involved, so we didn’t really have our own identity. It was really cool to become ‘Phil and Sheryl Savill’. Phil: My family moved to Tauranga when I was 14. I did a mechanics apprenticeship there and moved to Auckland when I was 21. I did 18 years as a car mechanic then 15 years in the police. In July last year I left the police and I am now a fleet repair and maintenance manager for a rental company.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT BOTANYLIFE CHURCH NOW? Sheryl: Over three years now. Phil: This year was community project number four, and at the very first community project, we decided we would be here permanently.

WHAT A VARIED CAREER! CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR GIRLS?

WERE THE COMMUNITY PROJECTS INSTRUMENTAL IN YOUR DECISION TO MAKE BOTANYLIFE YOUR HOME CHURCH?

Sheryl: Well Sarah’s turning 21 this week, and getting married in 7 weeks. So it’s a big year! Katie’s 18. They’re both at AUT studying. Sarah’s doing a business and marketing conjoint degree. And Katie is studying psychology and criminology.

Sheryl: It was one of the things. We really liked the fact that they were involved locally. They were actually trying to make a difference where we live.

WHAT ABOUT YOU, SHERYL? WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME?

Phil: We got to know people. For me, it’s also important to go to a local church. I didn’t want to drive past five churches to go to church or drive across town.

Sheryl: I’m an admin manager. I work for a company called LeaDev Langham and they are an international ministry supporting Christian leaders in the Asia Pacific region.

SO YOU’VE BEEN AT BOTANYLIFE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW... HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED IN AUCKLAND?

WHAT MAKES YOU GUYS TICK THEN? WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

Sheryl: We were both born in Auckland. We lived overseas for a year and a half, when we did our O.E and lived in London.

Sheryl: I’m really passionate about helping people. I worked with ‘Focus on the Family’ for 7 years and I really enjoyed being involved with marriage and parenting; raising children to have a faith. So that’s what I really, really enjoy.

Phil: We did Upward Bound at Capernwray in Austria, and that was amazing. If you know the Outward Bound course, this was a Christian version of that. We did it in the Austrian Alps and it was fantastic.

Phil: I’m pretty similar with helping people. I’m always fixing someone’s car. I’m very practical like that. I can’t sit still so I’m always building, fixing things. I hate seeing people get ripped off, especially with car stuff.

Sheryl: Capernwray is a Bible college - the organisation has ones all over the world, including in New Zealand. It was incredible and very significant in

We chat for a while longer and I glean as many tips as I can from the Savills about parenting and marriage in the age of technology. In particular, I like the tip that if somebody is busted at the dinner table with a cell phone, they have to give someone a foot massage. Bring it on! 40

Text by Max Carr.

O, WOULD YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH US WHERE YOU WERE BORN.

I was born in Nadi in Fiji. I am an only child whereas Mum had 5 siblings and my Dad had 11 siblings.

My Mum and Dad decided to migrate to New Zealand for a better way of life and its close proximity to Fiji.

I also coach junior and youth football and have done so for the last three years at the Manurewa Football Club.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN NEW ZEALAND?

WHAT IS THE LATEST BOOK YOU’VE READ?

WHAT WAS IT THAT BROUGHT YOU TO NEW ZEALAND?

I am currently reading a book called “Man Alive” by Patrick Morley and also enjoy detective stories.

I have been here for 36 years now. I attended primary school here in New Zealand and had ambitions of being a lawyer but actually studied tourism and travel.

IS THERE A WORLD LEADER YOU PARTICULARLY ADMIRE OR DISLIKE AT THE MOMENT? WHY?

WHO DO YOU SUPPORT AT RUGBY SEVENS INTERNATIONALS?

Currently no one springs to mind. There are some who I do not admire but there is one in particular who seems to lack diplomacy, tact, humility, compassion for humanity and wider global issues such as pollution.

In my teenage years, I supported Fiji but as New Zealand is now my home I have switched allegiances and support New Zealand in all sports. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A JOB?

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING IN NEW ZEALAND AT THE MOMENT WHAT WOULD IT BE, AND WHY?

I am an Immigration Officer for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and have been in this role for 10 years now. I work at the Manukau branch of the ministry and as you can probably imagine, work is extremely busy. It seems everyone wants to come to New Zealand!

I would like to see an abundance of quality fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood and dairy products at a cost that everyone could afford.

WHAT PERSON IN YOUR ‘GROWING-UP’ YEARS MEANT THE MOST TO YOU?

FINALLY, IF YOU WERE ABLE TO INVITE A BIBLICAL CHARACTER (OTHER THAN CHRIST HIMSELF) TO SHARE A THICKSHAKE AT MCDONALDS TOMORROW, WHO WOULD THAT BE?

My uncle (Mum’s youngest sibling). He had a very different perspective on life, heavily influenced by western ideology. He spent a lot of time with me talking, playing and just hanging out. He imparted great wisdom to me in my formative years.

Well, there are two actually. I would chat with Samson because of my admiration of his God-gifted physical strength and the way he sacrificed his own life by bringing down the temple filled with Philistines. The other person would be Solomon, because of my admiration of his unsurpassed wisdom.

DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OR SPORTS YOU PLAY? I have always been active in sport including football (soccer) - mainly in the winter - and in the summer, cricket. These days I play indoor football generally once a week. 41

WHO’S THAT?

Mohammed (Mo) Tahir

Text by Tina Funnell.

t was great to sit down in the home of Nathan, Tsitsi and their lovely girls Samantha (Sam) and Stephanie (Stephie) amongst Nathan’s photography set-up. Looking around the house, Nathan is a talented although very modest photographer. He brings New Zealand - especially pōhutukawa - to life in vibrant colour. Nathan and Tsitsi are originally from Zimbabwe, where most of their family still reside. Nathan originally worked as an airport design consultant in Zimbabwe. By faith, they chose to leave Zimbabwe after the economy shrunk significantly post-2000, resulting in widespread poverty and a 95% unemployment rate. They lived in Bangkok, Thailand for a year while Nathan worked on the new airport in Doha, Qatar and then moved on to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in 2006. Their lovely girls were born in Malaysia. This can confuse Customs as they come through with gorgeous African looks and Malaysian birth certificates! They started school in Malaysia at an international school, where Tsitsi also found work as a teacher. The Kavumburas began to feel they needed a change. They wanted to give the girls an identity; a place to call “home” with citizenship. But they weren’t sure where God’s journey would take them. Then Nathan happened to come across an airfield lighting engineer position available in New Zealand, just three days before applications were due to close. As a Lord of the Rings fan and a keen

photographer, he liked the look of the country. They also had some family already living in New Zealand. After a two-hour phone interview, he had the job. Six months later, they finally moved to New Zealand, arriving in August 2013. Samantha was 5 and Stephie 3. After being told East Auckland was the place to live, they moved into a slightly draughty rental in Howick. They experienced their first winter in six years - a bit of a shock to the system! After two years in his new job, Nathan was thinking of moving on. He was head-hunted for a job in the Middle East, and at first was keen to accept the opportunity. Unfortunately, after some research, he discovered it was possible his re-entry to New Zealand might not be guaranteed. Since they had originally moved to New Zealand to give them all a place to call home, he decided he should refuse.

aide. However, she was pleased to be able to finally (after ten years of teaching) choose something she thought she’d enjoy. Tsitsi has now completed her first year studying full-time for her Masters in Social Work at Massey University in Albany, amongst the busyness of family life. Having interned at Sowers Trust for 3 months as part of her studies, she has since been offered a job there once her studies are complete. She is looking forward to looking after those in need in East Auckland, which she says is surprisingly many. She feels like she is in the right place at the right time. Nathan now works for Airways, looking after airfield lighting and based at Auckland Airport. The girls attend Shelly Park Primary School, and are also involved in drama classes and Girls’ Brigade after school.

So how did the Kavumburas find their way to BotanyLife? Initially, they attended International Baptist Church (IBC), but then found it hard when close friends at the church moved to Australia. After some searching, they found BotanyLife, where they have been for two years now.

They call family overseas every couple of weeks, but it can be hard to hear how tough life has become for family. Their stories can be very despondent. However, they are looking forward to spending Christmas in Whangarei with family this year, including an Uncle and Aunt arriving from Swaziland.

Tsitsi is a lovely lady with a caring heart for those that need help. After arriving in New Zealand, she was shocked to find out her qualifications didn’t allow her to teach here. Instead, she would need to take a role as a teacher

It was so nice to sit and chat in this comfortable home with these beautifully brave, motivated and enthusiastic people who have trusted God in their journey through life. I look forward to chatting with them again soon.

Photos by N Kavumbura

WHO’S THAT?

The Kavumbura Family

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grab a comfy seat, turn the volume up, pull the family together, grab some popcorn, it’s...

Album | FOLLOWERS

Review Time dreams that will satisfy your heart.

Reviewed by Mark van Wijk

Band: Tenth Avenue North | Release: 2016

“If our hearts are made for a new kingdom-a new heaven and a new earth-if that’s what the bent of our souls is, then these little man-made dreams aren’t ever going to be enough... God’s not as interested in the success of our career as He is the posture of our hearts.”

Over the past few months, I’ve been enjoying soaking in a pool of beautiful music and lyrics crafted by a range of super talented artists. It was into this pool, on a mid-September evening, that Tenth Avenue North dove headfirst with their album Followers, and they’ve remained in the deep end ever since. Not since Rend Collective’s Organic Family Hymnal has an album been stuck on repeat for so long in my world!

Brilliant. The songs themselves are just stunning, from the reflective heart surgery of ‘I Confess’, to the EDM-infused anthem ‘What You Want’, Tenth Avenue North show their ability to harness a range of musical styles to challenge, inspire, restore & celebrate. To be honest, the entire album feels like it was written just for me, but one of my favourites has got to be ‘Fighting For You’ - a powerful reminder of the peace to be found in embracing the truth of God’s relentless love for me.

Tenth Avenue North is a Christian band made up of five university mates from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Followers is their fifth studio album. I love the heart and vulnerability that permeates this entire album. As lead singer Mike Donehey says, “I think with this record, I started to realize how a lot of my dreams weren’t big enough and that they were very much mine - like getting signed, getting played on the radio. Those aren’t the kind of

I like it. I like it a lot. 44

Reviewed by Elaine Forman

The PrayerMate app revolutionized my prayer life! Prior to downloading the PrayerMate App onto my phone, I wrote names of people I was praying for in a journal on my desk. I would refer to it from time to time. It was quite overwhelming to see this long list of people I said I would pray for and know I didn’t have the time right then to pray for them all! Since going to Myanmar, Ghana and Nepal, my list has grown as I mentor women from those countries and promise to pray for them. This became even more daunting. I love it that the app has lists: • B iblical prayers. I have added additional ones I come across in my reading. I can pray these prayers for the people on my list for that day.

REVIEWS

App | PRAYERMATE

• My walk with God • M y family. I have also added a separate list for my grandchildren. • My church. • U nbelievers. This has been really helpful, as I have specifically named the ladies I play tennis with who don’t know the Lord. The interesting thing here is that since I have been more regular in praying for these ladies, I have noticed a softening towards Christian things and lots of good discussions! You can add any list you want, so I have added Myanmar, Ghana and Nepal, and our Aroha Community Group. The wonderful thing about the app is that it collates all my lists and each day gives me 5 out of the 35 names from the lists, so I am not praying for everyone on the list. Every day I just have a few. It is not so overwhelming!

You can set a reminder which goes off at a time I have chosen. As I have my phone with me most of the time, I can look at the app and pray, especially if I am walking or even sitting in the car. I thoroughly recommend this app to keep you on track with your prayer lists and not feel so overwhelmed. Available free via the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices.

DISCLAIMER: These reviews contain personal opinions of the reviewers and do not necessarily reflect the views of BotanyLife Community Church. For more specific information on movies and music, check out www.pluggedin.com.

Christmas Eve 6:30 & 8PM, BOTANYLIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH H OW I C K

I N T E R M E D I AT E 45

S C H O O L

MARRIAGE / PARENTING

Trust Text by Nikki Bray.

ndy and I aren’t qualified marriage counsellors, but we invest a lot of our time coaching couples in trouble. We love seeing couples grow back together again. However, last year, after many hours with one couple, the husband made a comment that made us realise it was not going to end well.

Andy and Nikki Bray are foundation members of BotanyLife, being part of the original leadership team that started the church in 2004. Together the Brays and FamilyLife, a ministry which is dedicated to showing couples God’s plan for marriage and family. Through one day seminars and inspiring weekend conferences, FamilyLife presents biblical, proven principles to help people stay happily committed and continually growing for a lifetime of oneness.

He said, “I just don’t trust her.” He wasn’t talking about his wife being unfaithful. Over the course of their married life together, he’d felt betrayed time and time again, until his trust had been eroded to the point that he felt his heart wasn’t safe with her. I wanted to know when he had first started shutting his heart down to her, and what had occurred to make him do so, but he couldn’t tell me. Sadly, in this case, they didn’t make it.

Let me give you a personal example from my own life.

Trustworthiness is essential in marriage. Our hearts have to feel safe with one another, don’t they?

We had some friends coming over for dinner and I was enjoying preparing them a special meal. Andy was in the study working on the computer, and I knew he was waiting on some blood results and was worried. As I headed into the study to get my recipe book I heard Andy groan, “Uh oh.”

John Gottman, relationship ‘master’, believes that in marriage, we’re all quietly asking the same questions: Can I trust you to respect me? Can I trust you to do what you say you’ll do? Can I trust you to keep my confidence? Can I trust you to work hard for our family? Can I trust you to choose me over your friends? Can I trust you to be financially faithful? Can I trust you to help around the house – to help with the kids? Can I trust you not to cheat on me – to be sexually faithful? Can I trust you not to use my weaknesses against me?

I remember in that split second thinking, “I really don’t want to deal with your health issues right now. Maybe I could just pretend I didn’t hear that and just sneak back down to the kitchen.” But because I work at FamilyLife and travel around New Zealand teaching this stuff, I checked my attitude. You see, I knew in that moment, I had a choice to either turn towards Andy, or turn away.

So how do we build trust so that our hearts remain open and we feel safe? Gottman says trust is built in the small interactions of everyday life; when we choose to ‘turn towards’ our spouse in daily moments.

I chose to turn toward. I walked into the study, put my arm around his shoulder and asked, “Tell me the bad news.” I was so glad I did because in that very moment Andy needed my support and reassurance. He needed to know that once again I will be there for him and that he can trust me with whatever “uh ohs” come our way.

Every time a couple interacts they have a choice to either ‘turn toward’ or ‘turn away’ from their spouse. Each time one ‘turns toward’ the other, they are building trust.

Can I encourage you to choose to ‘turn toward’ each other to build trustworthiness in marriage? It’s an antidote to conflict and it is foundational to healthy happy marriages that go the distance. 46

WHAT’S ON GUIDE

What’s on at BotanyLife... Thursday 7th December Carols at Botany

Sunday 17th December Christmas On Ice

Sunday 31st December & 7th January No church services

Sunday 4th February Two services begin again at 9am and 11am

Saturday 9th December ALTR end of year social

Sunday 24th December Christmas Eve Services at 6:30pm and 8pm

Sunday 14th January Summer series begins (one 10am service for summer)

Sunday 18th February Vision Sunday

Sunday 17th December Christmas Family Services at 9am and 11am

Sunday 25th December Christmas Day / No church service

Sunday 21st January WillowPark “Fiesta” Kidz Camp

Sunday 25th February Nightlife at 7pm at Kotahi

COMMUNITY PROJECT 2017 @ ANCHORAGE PARK SCHOOL & COMMUNITY