Adventure Magazine October 23

IN THE WAY OF JESUS INSIDE

EDITORIAL

Kia ora tātou.

My family and I walk home from church together most Sundays and, as we do, we have some interesting conversations. I have learnt to keep my wits about me as questions can come from all directions. Last Sunday, I had to think extra hard as I was asked “Nanny, how do I know if someone is a Christian because really everyone just looks the same?”

Well, maybe we do all look physically the same on the outside, but I hope there are important differences on the inside. Discovering and following Jesus should mean that we believe and think and act in ways that are noticeably different to the world around us. Surely these words of Jesus in John 14:6 change us as we live into them.

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Ko ahau te huarahi, te pono, te ora: e kore rawa tetahi tangata e haere ake ki te Matua, ki te kahore ahau.

—John 14: NIV

Here in Scripture Union, we want young people to explore what these words of Jesus mean for them as they take part in opportunities to discover and follow

Jesus. We want them to experience what it means to live in the way of Christ and develop their faith when they attend SUNZ camps and programmes and as we mentor them, and they upskill in their leadership with us.

As you read this issue of Adventure, please be in prayer for the young people in this process with SUNZ, recognising that Jesus encourages all of us, at every age and stage of life, to live in His Way.

Ngā mihi nui

HAGUE National Director Scripture Union New Zealand

HILARY

DISCOVERING AND FOLLOWING JESUS SHOULD MEAN THAT WE BELIEVE AND THINK AND ACT IN WAYS THAT ARE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT TO THE WORLD AROUND US.

- For use with Blue Star Group printed - Environmental statement example for use with

NIGEL WINDER | SUNZ Southern Director and Children & Families Consultant

THE WAY

He has a certain way about Him,” is a phrase used to describe attributes and qualities that make someone stand out. In Acts 9, the term ‘the Way’ was used to describe the early church that was ‘Living in the Way of Jesus.’ It got me thinking about this weird label that applied to the early church. Why were they described as ‘the Way?’ Whose way was it, and what way were they living? Is there any way that we might live in a comparable way now? What made this new community so different, so attractive, that so many were drawn to it, but others feared it, while even others, like Saul here in Acts 9, did all he could in his power to make those described as ‘the Way’ go away?

In the first few chapters of the book of Acts, I discovered ten C’s that defined their distinctiveness or way of being.

They were convinced: Acts 1:3, 2:3132, defined by their belief that Jesus was alive. The founders of their movement, the Apostles, were eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, convinced in His claims to be God, and convinced they too were promised the great hope of resurrection.

Encountering the resurrected Jesus and believing he is coming back changes the way that you live. For what you believe has a direct correlation to how you behave, which leads us to the second C, the distinctive of conviction: Acts 4:12 “…salvation is found in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (NLT) This Community believed with all their heart, soul, and mind Jesus’ claim that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and there was no other way but by faith in the redeeming work of Jesus that they could be saved. This conviction was a cutting to the heart about their true condition before God, accompanied by the action of repentance where they committed to turning away from all that they had done that grieved God. Acts 2:36-39.

This gave them a divine cause. Acts 4:19-20. They knew what they had seen and experienced, and they knew what God was clearly calling them to do in telling others. And because of the resurrected Jesus, not even death could defeat them, so they had courage. Filled with the Holy Spirit Peter spoke, and when they saw the courage of Peter and John, they realized they were unschooled, ordinary men. Astonished they took note that these men had been with Jesus. The people of the way could stand by their conviction and stick to their mission even amongst great persecution because they valued the life to come more than this one.

This convinced, convicted, courageous group of people with a cause formed a united committed community:

Acts 2:42-47. Notice the attitude of devotion, selfless giving, sharing, and commitment to teaching, prayer and fellowship.

counter-cultural care & concern: They were distinctive in their concern for the lost and marginalised, e.g., Peter healing a disabled beggar in Acts 3:1-10. They recognized all they had was blessing from God and in turn should be considered as a means to bless others. All are welcome and invited into the Way, regardless of race, wealth, status or their past.

communication: Communication with God through prayer and communication of the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus with others. They were a praying community who recognized God was sovereign and in control. They prayed to continue to speak boldly and to

demonstrate the power of God.

charged up: Plugged into God’s power, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, they were empowered to do God’s bidding in sharing the message of Jesus.

copied Jesus: ‘The Way’ was the way of Jesus. That is who they followed and sought to emulate. Again, others recognized and noted they had been with Jesus as they reflected Him.

contagious: ‘The Way’ was attractive as “thousands were added to their number.”

These are ten distinctive attributes of a community labelled ‘the Way’ because it was instrumental in showing the way to God and demonstrating the way of God.

acts 4:32-35 beautifully summarise life in ‘the Way’ providing a template for our churches today.

Spirit empowered

Hope filled by the resurrection

United in missional purpose in making Jesus known

Sacrificial living

Concern for the lost and marginalised

A holy and reverent fear of God

Rooted in a relationship with God through prayer and sharing the Scriptures

Modelled after the life of Jesus who Himself declared He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

It is our churches and our faith as authentic Jesus followers which provide hope and grounding for our children and young people who are feeling disconnected, confused, and anxious.

I wonder, do those who watch us and listen to us recognize that we are Jesus followers? Do they see these ten distinctive C’s demonstrated in our personal lives and the life of our churches when we come together?

SHOW ME

THE WAY!

This year I have had many discussions with young people who have made the comment that they feel lost, and they do not know which way to go. I have had many others say they are confused about the way they should live their lives as followers of Jesus. When I put these questions along with conversations about their mental health, or how they overcome their anxiety, I begin to wonder how we, as a Church, are doing at living and showing the way of life of a follower of Jesus.

As I ponder all of this, I must conclude that, as a Church, we seem to have lost our way and if we have lost our way, how are we ever going to show these young people who are desperate for help the best way to live.

NEVILLE BARTLEY | SUNZ Youth Team Leader

Young people today are not that much different from us when we were young in that they too are looking for a place to be safe, a place to be heard, and a place to belong and be loved. Then in that place they can discover who they are, who Jesus Christ is and who they are as a follower of Jesus Christ. The key difference for youth today is that all the pressures of being a young person and alongside the pressures of a world out of control is displayed on screens in front of them as it happens, 24 hours a day. There is no respite from it, and they feel compelled to engage with it. With this as their backdrop to life they are struggling with their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing at a time in their life where they are already dealing with massive changes within their own physiological make up. They are looking for a way to be safe. They are looking for a way to cope with the pressures of everyday life. They are looking for the way to be something of significance. They are looking for the way to truly know who they are and why they are here.

When I look at the early followers of Jesus who were called ‘The Way,’ their life gives the answers to those very yearnings.

So how can we live that way now? How do we return to the way of Jesus?

I know there are individuals and churches who are getting it right, but many are not, and it is time for us to stop and reevaluate who we are and how we express ourselves.

We need to make sure we have not become like the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, caught up in rules and regulations.

We need to be careful we have not taken back control from God in the way we do Church and in how we live our lives in the way of Jesus. We need to check we are not simply happy to stay with the status quo so we can continue to feel safe in our own faith.

Because these are some of the things young people struggle with about church and about being a Jesus follower and if we do not begin to live lives that express the 10 ‘C’s’ that Nigel mentioned in his earlier article, then our young people will continue to leave our churches.

Finally, we must look at the way we portray what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The messages I am hearing around the country is a message of no sacrifice on the part of the follower, and just the need for Jesus’ sacrifice. What do I mean? Well, I hear young people being told to come to Jesus just as you are, and you do not have to do anything but trust in God. This message has left many young people with the expectation that they do not have to change who they are, or how they live, and if they do have to change, God will make it miraculously happen and they will just wake up different. Because of this I hear many young people asking why God is not transforming them from their messy life.

We need to rethink how we share the message of Jesus Christ so that these wonderful young people can receive the true transformation that comes from choosing to follow Jesus and so they can be seen by their peers to be ‘The Way.’

Anamata is the name for SUNZ’s Youth Leader Training events. In Te Reo Māori the word means ‘a time to come’ or ‘the future’. This fits with our philosophy of wanting to train and equip youth leaders for not just today but for the future and this is particularly relevant with youth work as the youth culture is always changing.

So how does Anamata work on the ground? Well, we offer training to church youth leadership teams in a ONE/TWO approach.

ONE The first way is to do specific training with a youth leadership team that is tailored to their setting and their needs. This can be done in an evening, or on a weekend and can be anything from an hour-long session to a whole retreat weekend.

TWO The second way we provide training is through our big training day events. At present, these happen in two ways.

TWO/1 The first are day events in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin. At these events we split our workshops into three groups with one aiming at newer leaders, the next at more experienced leaders, and the last group for more senior leaders and those people who

NEVILLE BARTLEY | SUNZ Youth Team Leader

Anamata Wellington 2023

head up their youth ministry. Under each group, we run three 90-minute workshops which gives plenty of time to engage with the material and to try what they are learning and ask as many questions as they have. These events are interdenominational and is a wonderful time for youth leaders to connect with others from their area who are doing youth ministry like themselves.

TWO/2 The second version of these are run in other regions around the country like Northland, Waikato, Southland etc. These events are slightly smaller and just have two streams and two workshops in each stream. For all these events, we liaise with local youth teams and national youth heads on the topics that would best assist them in their leadership training. We use our own staff, as well as local experts to present the training material.

Our one-day events are designed to be high-calibre material at a budget price. We know that many youth teams have limited budgets and are run by volunteers, so we are charging prices for the events that just cover our costs, which means they range in price from $10 to $35.

We are very excited about the growth of our Anamata events, and we are looking for more opportunities. If you are looking for individual team training or would like to join one of our larger events, then check out our website https://www.sunz. org.nz/youth/youth-2/ or send us an email neville.bartley@sunz.org.nz.

Please pray for our Anamata workshops and for the youth leaders we work with.

Neville Bartley at Anamata

WELL BEING

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”—Luke 2:52

Luke 2 is the only place in Scripture where we are given a picture of what happened between the time Jesus was born and the time, he started his public ministry. This verse gives us an insight into Jesus' humanity and in verse 52 we get a glimpse of the holistic development of Jesus as it explains that he grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

For many years I’ve used a four-legged chair as a visual aid to explain this verse and the importance of each area, talking about the fact that the four legs need to be in balance. When all these things are in balance, we thrive, and the chair

remains stable. When one or more of these is out of balance, the chair becomes compromised and for us, our wellbeing is impacted.

In 1984, leading Māori health advocate, Sir Mason Durie developed the Te Whare Tapa Whā framework model of health that represents health and wellbeing as a wharenui (meeting house) with four taha (walls).

The wharenui walls are made up of:

• Taha tinana – physical wellbeing

• Taha hinengaro – mental wellbeing

• Taha whānau – family, community, and social wellbeing

• Taha wairua – spiritual wellbeing and the Whenua (land) forms the foundation

ANDY BANKS | SUNZ Youth Consultant Auckland

Notice how the four taha of the whare mirror the ways Jesus grew? He grew in wisdom (mental wellbeing) and stature (physical wellbeing), and in favour with God (spiritual wellbeing) and man (family, community, social wellbeing).

Jesus’ human growth gives us a great example of what balanced spiritual and physical development looks like. As we seek as a movement, as part of our mission statement, to help young people grow as disciples, we also recognize the importance of helping them to grow holistically as Jesus did.

In the last few years SUNZ have developed several tools and training sessions, with the purpose of helping youth leaders, churches and communities in turn help young people with their overall wellbeing, to thrive and be good stewards of the life they have been given.

We want to challenge each of us personally to be aware of not just what we are doing, but how we are doing in our lives and seek ways that we can support the young people around us as they grow in stature, wisdom and in favour with God and man.

TAHA WAIRUA spiritual wellbeing

WHENUA (land) forms the foundation

TAHA TINANA physical wellbeing

TAHA WHĀNAU family, community, and social wellbeing

TAHA HINENGARO mental wellbeing

IN THE WAY OF JESUS Leading

HILARY HAGUE | SUNZ National Director

Earlier this year, I was in Israel...these words have become an eye-rolling moment amongst my colleagues as I start a lot of sentences like this but hey, it was a very formative experience.

Anyway, when I was in Israel, I went to a church built on the site believed to have been the Upper Room. Jesus and the disciples gathered into that upper room for the Passover the night he was betrayed. They have had a busy week and even just that day they had walked a long way and they were tired and dusty and bickering amongst themselves.

And now there were no servants to wash their sore and dusty feet.

The disciples—who very soon would be arguing about who was the greatest of them all—looked around the room. Who would do the foot washing? Not any of them that was for sure.

Jesus has had the same sort of day as his disciples. He was likely hot and tired too. Yet in that moment he calmly got some water and a cloth and then he knelt and washed their feet. And when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he did it carrying the weight of knowing what was to happen to him the next day when he would show the ultimate act of leadership by dying on the cross for the

disciples and for us too. You can read all about it in John 13.

This is leadership in the way of Jesus, and it is the sort of much needed leadership that we want to encourage in our leaders within Scripture Union. Whether young people are at Gather learning about leadership on SUNZ camps or are in our Exodus Prime leadership development programme for teenagers in churches, or Beyond Experience where we work with young adults, we want them to know that leadership in the way of Jesus is first and foremost a way of being in God. And although seen in our actions, those actions must come out of that personal relationship with God.

This expression of leadership is important for us in SUNZ, but it is also important for our churches and our communities and our country. Our hope and prayer is that our young people will take what they have learnt from SUNZ and lead in the way of Jesus wherever they go. We want them to think about the example of Jesus and ask themselves, how can we too lead in the way of Jesus?

Actually that’s a good question for all of us, no matter our age.

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(04) 9280272 or 0800 SU CAMPS

Q&A

What does your Beyond Experience Kindred &/or Stream Project involve?

IMOGEN: SUNZ has two shipping containers that store equipment used for camps. They house anything from first aid kits to bicycles, and a large amount of cooking pots. I am practically minded, and I enjoy organising things. I saw the need for some order in these spaces and to create an inventory for camp leaders.

JOSH: I am developing a framework to measure a camps’ carbon footprint with the goal to offset the carbon impact through purchase of carbon credits. By doing this, SUNZ camps can go along the journey of eventually becoming fully carbon neutral. I am hoping to be able to put processes in place to measure impact so we can reduce where possible and then offset what remains.

What does John 14:6 mean to you in your faith journey?

I: In this passage, Thomas asks Jesus for guidance. Like Thomas, I have many questions. For me, getting to know Jesus involves being part of a church community, making space to read my Bible, and enjoying God’s creation.

Leadership Development Administrator, Beth Coates talks to Imogen McQueen (BE Kindred) and Josh Wright (BE 2nd Year). Imogen is a trained carpenter and works as a hard materials technician at Lynfield College. She works one day/week for SUNZ as a part of Beyond Experience Kindred. Josh works in Otautahi, Christchurch as an Inventory Analyst for Macpac. He is a 2nd Year BE participant undertaking a small service project for SUNZ. You can read the full version of Beth’s interview on https://www.sunz. org.nz/news-and-stories/

These things give me confidence that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that through him we can know God the Father.

J: Jesus is so clearly laying out for Thomas how he—and we—can come to know the Father, that through Jesus and what he will do for us. By acknowledging the sacrifice that Jesus has made to lay down a path for me...my iniquities, and my failures wiped clean has been profoundly powerful in my journey.

How does John 14:6 influence your Christian leadership?

I: I have been involved in Christian camps since I was 8. They have been a fundamental part of my growth as a Christian and as a leader. I have led on multiple SUNZ camps, mostly on Pōnui. As much as I love being in the great outdoors, I believe that the main purpose of these camps is to help youth to have a better understanding of who God is through Jesus.

J: We must point people to Jesus. Whilst leading young people on a camp you want your words to not be your own but Jesus’ for them. We can’t do that without a deep and personal relationship with the Father. Alongside this, Jesus’ teachings carry so much life in them and I want to share His teachings with the young people on camps.

I Am The Way,The Truth and the Life

Do you remember singing this song as a child—and as an adult? I do. What about these lines: ‘Without the way there is no going, without the truth there is no knowing, without the life there is no living’.

This song endures, for children and adults alike. Why is this I wonder? Perhaps it is the inherent truth within those words from John 14. Jesus makes this bold statement in response to Thomas’ question: “Lord, we don't even know where you are going! How can we know the way?” And Phillip follows with “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.” In a sense Jesus has already answered this in verse 6!

We lament the disciples being a little (if not very) dim at times but aren’t we all?! This simple song pulls us back to Jesus and his reason for coming to earth. The disciples had Jesus with them to show them the way, the truth, and the life. Who do we have?

Well, we have each other. We are not meant to live this life alone. One of the strategies in our Thrive programme is mentoring, which is a wonderful way of not doing life alone. In this edition of the WAY2GO magazine, we’ll look at mentoring and how you might be able to get started on that journey in your church.

Liz Eichler Children and Families Team Leader, SUNZ

What is Mentoring?

AND WHY BOTHER?

As part of our Thrive programme, we believe that faith thrives when:

• children and young people have someone to walk alongside them as they connect life and faith.

• children and young people have someone they trust to help them think through their questions and doubts.

• there is a safe space for them to reflect on their life experiences and where genuine care and concern are expressed.

• mentoring is intentional and ongoing.

Individual, small group and family mentoring can have a huge impact on

faith formation. This might look like a programme where a child or young person is paired with a mentor over the course of several years. It might look like buddying up the grandparents in your church with a family in your church, so they can pray for them and encourage them. Or it might be using your small group structure in a way that encourages mentoring.

THINK

• Is there someone in your life who has encouraged you in your faith in some way?

• How can you and your church encourage mentoring in your church life?

What do I need to Consider

IN A MENTORING PROGRAMME?

There are different models of mentoring programmes. We can provide you with them, but you need to think through what suits your situation best.

There are two main players in mentoring, the mentor and the mentee. There are others on the sidelines cheering them on—church leaders, mentoring co-ordinator, parents/caregivers.

THINK ABOUT...

• appointing a mentoring co-ordinator—this needs to be someone with the passion to see it through

• your expectations of mentors and mentees.

• safe practices in mentoring—if your church doesn’t have a health and

safety policy, get onto it right now! If you’re part of a denomination, ask them. Otherwise, we can help point you in the right direction.

• how to get started, how to match mentors and mentees, help break the ice, commissioning.

• what is expected of the mentoring session

o how often to meet

o good listening skills

o ice breaker ideas to help to start with

o a pattern to the meeting— structure gives safety

o Bible engagement ideas—if this is to be a part of your mentoring relationship/programme

• evaluation of the mentoring relationship and programme at a set time in future. 6 months? A year?

DON’T EVER BELIEVE THAT TEENS JUST WANT TO BE WITH THEIR PEERS!

They need significant adults who will love them, challenge them, be effective role models for them, hold them accountable and nurture their growing faith...teens need to be held in at the centre so there is a place they belong, not just while they are in youth ministry but also when they move on from youth ministry.’ WE

They need significant adults who will love them, challenge them, be effective role models for them, hold them accountable and nurture their growing faith... teens need to be held in at the centre so there is a place they belong, not just while they are in youth ministry but also when they move on from youth ministry.’

—YOU LOST ME BY DAVID KINNERMAN

THE WAY OF JESUS Learning

HILARY HAGUE | SUNZ National Director

God was very present as our Scripture Union staff team left the warmth and comfort of cosy couches and walked down through the trees to the side of the Ōtaki River. There we sat around a campfire and opened the Bible together. It was a special time outside, worshipping, praying, and sharing amid God’s creation.

“Who is God?” we asked,as we considered the story of John the Baptist baptising Jesus in Matthew 3. And if God is like this, then who are the people in the passage and what are they doing in response?

The answers were varied, and the conversations were deeply profound. They were thought-provoking too as we wondered aloud what the things we were reading meant for now and how we should live in light of them. When we left the river and walked back up through the trees to everyday life, we felt a difference.

The three questions we asked by the river, are the same ones we often use on our SUNZ adventure camps where we are committed to helping young people

pray and open the Bible together in community. We have found them helpful in encouraging honesty and openness. They are facilitating thoughtfulness.

We have learnt that they reduce the barriers young people find around Bible engagement. Their simplicity also gives young people a way to read and apply the Bible’s truths for themselves when they leave camp for home. These things are so important here in Aotearoa, New Zealand, where research tells us that only 6% of teenagers have a regular and intentional approach to the Bible.

But the research has hopeful news for us too. Although only a small percentage of young people are strongly engaged with their Bibles, the same research tells us that 66% are open to the Bible. And that is exciting to know for our camps where we long to see young people opening the Bible together and meeting God in the pages of His Word. It is what we are all about in Scripture Union—young people discovering Jesus and learning how to live in His way as they meet and explore the Bible in community.

A

dventURE ON AN E3 EXPEDITION

very few years, the E3 team re-evaluate the theme and content of the E3 programme in response to trends and feedback from previous campers. As the 11-day E3 expeditions have usually ended only a week before Christmas day, it has often been a scramble for campers and expedition leaders to re-orient themselves post-camp, to prepare for, and enjoy a peaceful Christmas season. Feedback from campers suggested they were keen to reclaim the meaning and magic of Christmas and not be swept up in the commercialism of the festive season hype. Some young people need

& PAUL HUMPHREYS | SUNZ National Leadership Development

Ean introduction to what Christmas really means rather than a reorientation of values.

Selwyn Yeoman and Paul Humphreys are writing the Advent material for this year’s E3 four expeditions. Selwyn wrote the original faith formation content for E3 and is thoroughly enjoying writing an Advent journey programme to fit with the current leadership development and creation care material.

As well as tramping, mountain-biking, white-water rafting, canoeing, seakayaking and fresh-water kayaking, the E3 expeditioners will learn, discuss, and consider the four main themes of Advent. These are HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. The young people will be challenged

“...understanding God’s amazing creation and realizing how BIG He is.”

“Our community is important with faith and support.”

“Make E3 longer and arrange reunions.”

“I want to pursue God more.”

to consider their current lifestyle and situation, how the birth of Jesus Christ gives hope and peace, dive into the joy of Psalms, how love for creation and conservation and our neighbour work together, and how all these values can shape Christian leadership. Eleven days will not be enough to fully unpack and explore this Advent journey. Our prayer is for young people to explore and extend their faith as they traverse the landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand.

It's all about ADVENTure!

So, where are the E3 expeditions?

E3 BAY OF ISLANDS

This new E3 expedition starts with a pōwhiri at Waitangi, in recognition of this whenua and Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa the expeditioners will adventure through. Journey by sea kayak, tramp Cape Brett, bike south along coast, and tramp to Whananaki.

E3 CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND

Starting at SU Adventure Lodge in Whakapapa Village. Tramping through forest and rivers, traversing alpine passes of Tongariro National Park , mountainbiking to Whakahoro, into canoes for the

epic Whanganui River adventure, back on the bikes into Whanganui.

E3 CANTERBURY

Tramping through Lewis Pass and Fowlers Pass. Bike Tophouse Road to Acheron Homestead, raft Clarence River / Waiau Toa to East Coast.

E3 OTAGO

Tramp from Blue Pools through parts of Aspiring National Park, into Gillespie Pass. Kayak Lake Wanaka, mountain-bike through Minaret Station to Glendhu Bay and into Wanaka.

E3 YOUNG ADULTS

A new 5-night expedition for adults aged 19-25, in February. Journey by foot, by bike, by raft. Expedition route to be confirmed; starts from Christchurch. Does this challenge you? Get in quick –each expedition is limited to 12 campers. Sign up at www.sunz.org.nz/youth/e3/

E3 is a partnership between Adventure Specialties Trust, A Rocha Aotearoa

NZ and SUNZ Scripture Union. Each organization holds Christian faith at its core and contributes their expertise and ministry to each expedition.

“…being around other Christian people my age and being open with faith.”

“I learnt that I have strengths that help get me through situations.”

“I enjoyed the leaders and how they engaged with us. I liked how they got us to lead and were positive role models for us.”

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

About 1 in 5 New Zealand adults experience challenges with mental health in any given year. This means that all members of our community can expect to have close contact with someone experiencing mental health challenges at some time. For this reason, the Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa workshop is relevant and beneficial to everyone

Light

PIPER CLARE | SUNZ Youth Team Administrator

for the path

When faced with a difficult challenge, what is the first thing you do? Do you take a step back, look at all the possibilities and analyse for the best possible path? Do you just dive right in and hope for the best? Or do you let someone else take the reins for you?

Now, most people would not pick that last option—I know I would not. When I face some sort of adversity or challenge in life, my first instinct is to figure out the best course of action to get things back into balance. But often, life does not work out according to my plan. Sometimes life throws you some huge curveballs that you never saw coming. In those moments when everything seems to be going wrong, nothing is going to plan and you are struggling to see God in the here and now, I turn to this verse is Jeremiah 29:11:

“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 a hope and a future.” (NIV)

This verse has stuck with me through a lot of hard times in life. It serves as a constant reminder to me that no matter how often things go wrong, no matter how often I cannot see what God has in

store for me or I feel lost, He is working it all out for good.

What often strikes me about this verse is in that God says He ‘KNOWS’ the plans He has for us. He does not make it up as He goes, there is meticulous craftsmanship in everything that God does, and He is Lord over it all. Then when He says the plans He has ‘FOR YOU’, not only does He have full power and control, but He has a deep and personal relationship with every one of us.

EVEN WHEN WE DO NOT SEE IT, GOD IS WORKING.

On top of this, God is declaring this over us. Whilst this is not a ticket to an easy and pain free life, I take comfort in the declaration that God has His hand in it all. Even when we do not see it, God is working. When life does not go as we planned, it is because God has something better in store for us. In the moments when I feel hopeless, this verse prepares the way for me back to God. It reminds me that God is not done His work in me, and He is the one in control.

Meet PIPER

Piper, our writer for ‘Light for the Path’, is the SUNZ Youth Team Administrator. We asked her to introduce herself to you. Here’s what she had to say:

Kia Ora tatou! My name is Piper Clare. I live in the mighty Pōneke but originally hail from across the Tasman in Australia. As a kid my family lived in a few different countries (Australia, Scotland, America, Egypt and now Aotearoa), so home for me is wherever my whānau is. And so right now, that is Aotearoa. I grew up in the church, but it wasn’t until I moved to NZ and attended my first Easter Camp in 2016 when I truly accepted Christ into my life and made my faith my own. My passion for people and the church sparks from the

diverse church communities that I have been a part of throughout my life and seeing the Kingdom of God be expressed in endless ways. But also, God’s character shown through the love, kindness, and passion that I have seen people around me display.

I started my serving journey through kid’s ministry when I was a teenager and loved seeing the unconditional love and faith that children have for Christ. However, it was the support and love that my youth leaders gave me growing up that has truly inspired me. I now serve as a youth leader at my church’s youth group in the hope to be that same support and guidance I was so privileged to receive. After completing my undergraduate degree in Criminology and Cultural Anthropology I did not feel led to follow that career path. After a period of reflection and prayer I felt God calling me to youth work. So, after a quick google on what that meant, I decided to embark on more study and am currently in my last semester of a Diploma in Youth Work at WelTec Te Pukenga.

A huge part of my faith journey was the community and support I had during my childhood and teenage years. Therefore, being a part of the SUNZ Youth Team has been incredibly fulfilling for me in allowing me to help equip churches and leaders to do the same for their rangatahi. My hope is that as a team we can continue the work being done and see more youth ministries across Aotearoa to thrive and for God to move in incredible ways among our young people.

AUGUST ĀKUHATA

LARISSA PEARCE started end of July, covering Lizzie Moore’s youth ministry work in Otago & Southland. Lizzie & Ray had a baby boy, named Ben, safely born 14th August.

ELI SAVILL has been building connections with youth groups across Waikato & BoP, and strengthened working relationships with Capernwray and CYC. From his August newsletter: “A lot of the churches that are looking for support are eager for help around their youth groups as they are finding it hard to employ youth pastors or are looking to rebuild their youth ministry. It is great to start journeying alongside them as they step out in faith. So, please join us in continued prayer for them.”

ANNETTE OSBORNE involved with Bible engagement resources workshop with an amazing group of young African leaders in Uganda, 4-15th. Andrew Ramsbottom back from long-service leave on 7th. Liz Eichler at Intergenerate Conference in Christchurch 8th, also catching up with WAY2GO workshop leaders (like Neville & Penny Yeoman) in preparation for 19th August final WAY2GO event at St Aidan’s Anglican Church. Andrea Lukin at Intergenerate Auckland 10th. SU Camp Team (Paul Humphreys,

Please check out the News and Stories section on our website www.sunz.org.nz for more information.

SUNZ also publish Prayer Adventure bimonthly prayer points, available on our website www.sunz.org.nz/get-involved/

Jayden Meads, Natalie Duchesne) at leaders-in-training at GATHER South in Karitane 11-13th. Final WAY2GO in Christchurch 19th. Ministry Hui for SU Youth & Children and Families teams in Otaki 21-24th to plan & strategise. GATHER North in Cambridge 25-27th.

SEPTEMBER HEPATEMA

NIGEL WINDER spoke at Wyndham Presbyterian Church 3rd. Neville Bartley & Andy Banks running MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) workshop in Auckland 6-7th. Andrew Ramsbottom (on organising committee) at Leaders-to-Go conference in Sydney 7-10th. Hilary Hague, Mark Nichols and Ruth Early presented AGM on Zoom, Thursday 14th. Liz Eichler & NZCMN have helped organize Rachel Turner’s Parenting for Faith conference in Auckland 16th, Wellington 17-18th.

Annette Osborne at SUI Team meetings in Florida 23-29th.

SU CAMPS in Spring Holidays 23

September - 8 October:

Going Deeper Pōnui, 23-27 Sept

Gain Momorangi, 24-28 Sept

SUPAKidZ Pyramid Rock, 25-28 Sept

Sustain Raglan, 1-5 Oct

Spring Capers Queenstown, 1-5 Oct

Pōnui Intermediates, 3-7 Oct

HONOURING Sylvia Coulter

JENNY MACKIE | SUNZ Member & Convenor Auckland Camps Working Group

Over 120 people gathered in Auckland on Sunday 23 July to honour Sylvia Coulter on her retirement from Scripture Union after almost 21 years of service. A wide representation of people attended: longtime friends, family members, former and current staff of SU, prayer and financial supporters, church friends, fellow tramping club members, camp directors, and members of the former Auckland Regional Executive. Sylvia found herself in the unfamiliar position of being the focus of attention and not at her usual station at the door, handing out nametags!

Speakers acknowledged Sylvia’s passion for people and prayer, care of staff and volunteers, her strategic thinking, and ability to recruit people for all manner of tasks. A few references were made to Sylvia’s connections; Hilary Hague noting that “instead of going to the database, I’d usually ring Sylvia”, and camp directors seeking Sylvia’s help in finding people to fill roles. Her encouragement of both her colleagues and volunteers was highlighted, from emails (often sent in the middle of the night!), to phone calls and cards. Sylvia’s belief in the centrality of prayer to the work of Scripture Union has been evident in the running of preand post-camp prayer evenings, and the nurturing of prayer groups.

In response, Sylvia noted how important Scripture Union has been to her. Crusader groups as a teenager were a vital time in her life and later, as a teacher, she got involved in ISCF groups. She has been a regular attendee at the Pōnui Bible Study Camp – in fact, it was at her first camp in 2000 that then SU Director, Cathie Smith, broached the idea of Sylvia working fulltime for Scripture Union as Auckland Regional Director. It was not until the middle of 2002, that Sylvia received a clear call from God to apply for the role. Her school principal gave her a year’s leave of absence in case the job did not work out!

Over two decades Sylvia has served as Auckland Regional Director, Relationships Manager and, in later years, encouraging prayer through 12 prayer groups around the country. We give thanks for Sylvia’s faithful service – confident that because of her connecting, encouraging, and prayer there are children and young people throughout NZ who have been helped in their faith journey.

The speeches concluded with an acknowledgement that this event was a farewell from a staff role, not from Scripture Union. We are delighted that she has agreed to put her name forward as a member of the advisory board of Scripture Union – and will continue to see her at AGMs and prayer meetings!

C H R I S T M A S S A L E

B e s t - s e l l i n g a u t h o r K e n n e t h T a y l o r w a s w e l l - k n o w n f o r h i s f a i t h f u l r e t e l l i n g o f B i b l e s t o r i e s i n a w a y w h i c h e n g a g e d y o u n g c h i l d r e n T h i s n e w l y i l l u s t r a t e d c o l l e c t i o n o f m o r e t h a n 1 2 0 B i b l e s t o r i e s f r o m h i s C l a s s i c B i b l e S t o r y b o o k p r e s e n t s t h e t r u t h s o f t h e w h o l e B i b l e i n a w a y t h a t i s u n d e r s t a n d a b l e f o r k i d s . E a c h s t o r y h a s 3 - 4 c o m p r e h e n s i o n q u e s t i o n s t o h e l p c h i l d r e n e a s i l y g r a s p B i b l i c a l c o n c e p t s

Your Legacy Could Change Lives

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Please consider giving a gift today – your donation will change the lives of children and young people as they ignite their faith and passion for God.

Please consider giving a gift today – your donation will change the lives of children and young people as they ignite their faith and passion for God.

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You can also set up a regular donation by automatic payment, either via your online banking or by visiting your bank. Please use SUNZ account number 02-0560-0036204-003 and quote ‘ADV1023’, plus your supporter number (if known) or surname and postcode in the reference.

You can also set up a regular donation by automatic payment, either via your online banking or by visiting your bank. Please use SUNZ account number 02-0560-0036204-003 and quote ‘ADV 23’, plus your supporter number (if known) or surname and postcode in the reference.

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and frequency of your donation. Alternatively you can let us know by emailing accounts@sunz.org.nz

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You can also donate a one-off gift to Account 02-0560-0036204-00 quoting ‘ADV1023’, plus your supporter number (if known) or surname and postcode in the reference. If this is your first gift to SUNZ please email accounts@sunz.org.nz with the details of your donation – this enables us to thank you and send you a tax receipt. Or donate online at sunz.org.nz/donate-adventure or by calling 0508 423 836

You can also donate a one-off gift to Account 02-0560-0036204-00 quoting ‘ADV1023’, plus your supporter number (if known) or surname and postcode in the reference. If this is your first gift to SUNZ please email accounts@sunz.org.nz with the details of your donation – this enables us to thank you and send you a tax receipt. Or donate online at sunz.org.nz/donate-adventure or by calling 0508 423 836

Please post your completed form to Scripture Union New Zealand, PO Box 760, Wellington 6140 Thank you!

Please post your completed form to Scripture Union New Zealand, PO Box 760, Wellington 6140

Thank you!