CHRISTCHURCH Lesley Simpson ‘After years of “waiting” for the WMCNZ to arrive in the South Is, my highlight was the appointment of Clint and Jamie Ussher in January 2012 to begin pastoring a church plant which was to grow into the present day “The Well “ church. It was then that I could conclude my time as Canterbury representative for the WMCNZ (2005-2012) and reflect on the many people, prayers and support from the national leaders to ensure this moment!’
PAPAKURA
want to start to transform this South Auckland sad suburb? Since 1998 the Upper Room Fellowship had met in the upstairs lounge of Des and Verna Vince’s. It was the embryo of what would become the Papakura Wesleyan Church. Des Vince was a well-known building contractor and in 2000, he gifted a section of land at the corner of Dominion Road and Croskery Road (worth $350,000) to become a Wesleyan Christian centre in the area. Two families lent the $70,000 to purchase the “Show Home” on the site. In February 2000 it was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Don Bray, International Mission Director
Rev. Edgar Hornblow I knocked on the door and this Mum was obviously high on drugs. We talked about her children who came to the Papakura Wesleyan “Kids Club”. I said I’d visit next door where other “Kids Club” young people lived, but she said “No good, too early. They’re sleeping off their binge from last night”. Just down the street a pizza delivery boy had been clubbed to death not long ago. Where did Jesus
THE VINEYARD
Early Beginnings
The Papakura Wesleyan Centre was opened and dedicated on 20 June 2009.
Des Vince “turning the sod” for the foundation of Papakura Wesleyan, 2004
The Papakura Wesleyan Climbing Wall
of the World-wide Wesleyan Church. This was the first Wesleyan building this century. Little did we realise that by 2008 we would have a debt-free facility worth $4 million.
A GLOBAL VILLAGE Warren Jack James 2:26 says, “Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” It was a highlight for me as a partner at East City Wesleyan (ECW) and being on staff with the Auckland affiliate of Habitat for Humanity to see this verse put into effect so clearly by many Wesleyans who collectively offered their practical support to help struggling families out of appalling housing conditions into decent homes they would eventually own. People participated in fundraising events and have volunteered on site both in NZ and overseas. A group of men from ECW came to the Otara Habitat depot one Friday evening every month to undertake maintenance work culminating in them building a rugged transportable toilet block which provided separate men’s and women’s flush toilets for the volunteers at the construction sites, previously unheard of within Habitat. Another highlight was the Navula Vou project in Fiji which was the brainchild of Lupeti Fihaki. Habitat Global Village (GV) teams of volunteers THE WESLEYANZ VINE 13 13
