Whanganui City Corps Participates in Christmas Parade It was with a sense of excitement and expectation that the community gathered to enjoy the Whanganui Christmas parade on a stunning summer afternoon on Saturday 9 December. There were 47 float entries, making this one of the larger parades the city had seen for several years. Whanganui City Corps created a spectacular float, with the theme: ‘Jesus is the Greatest Gift’. Tinsel glistening in the sun and a display of brightly wrapped presents under the Christmas tree drew onlookers to the float. Jesus lay in the manger in amongst the presents, with banners proclaiming the good news. The corps family decided to give out a gift that expressed the gospel message of Christ’s birth. Being an eco-corps, CDs were re-purposed to make an ornament for people’s Christmas trees, which were received enthusiastically by children in the crowd.
Tonga Region Youth Councils Over the first weekend of December, 80 Tongan young people gathered at Tupou College, Toloa, for the first faceto-face youth councils since the pandemic. Regional Youth Worker Mele Vaea led a fantastic weekend with support from Regional Leaders Captains Kenneth and Catherine Walker, and special guest speakers Major Mat Badger and Leslie D’Mello from the Territorial Youth Department. Mele had prayerfully chosen the weekend’s theme of ‘make a choice and stick with it’. Inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22, ‘but test them [prophecies] all; hold on to what is good and reject every kind of evil’. Mele says that for her, the highlight of the weekend was seeing how the theme impacted the young people’s hearts and minds. For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
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