Whangarei Central Baptist Church

Mark the date for Term two 2019 has been completed! If you would like a paper copy please come and see us in the church office.

This resource is ideal for you to place on your fridge to keep track of events happening at WCBC (with space for you to add personal events also!).

Every 6 months our church puts out a survey to attendees and members of WCBC.

This survey is designed to help us measure how well we are doing with building intergenerational relationships.

Many of you will know personally and love Katie, Adam and Nehemiah Hughes. Adam grew up in this church. Katie moved here from America to marry her man. Last year we celebrated the birth of their son Nehemiah.
A couple of months after Nehemiah’s birth Katie’s health took a downward and mysterious turn. The lymph nodes in her neck began to swell up and spread and she developed Polyneuropathy affecting her feet. There are three more tumours, she has a swollen liver and spleen, a bone marrow and plasma issue, extreme exhaustion, weight loss and skin changes.
Many in the church have been active in supporting them with food and at home and in prayers. Katie’s mum has been here for this past month but is now returned home to the
USA. Adam has had to resign from his job so he can support Katie and Nehemiah. It’s unclear how much support they can access through the government as Katie is not yet a full resident.
What are their needs:
1. Prayer for a miracle
2. Full residency for Katie
3. Financial support (a give a little page has been set up) https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/castlemans-variety-of-poems-syndrome
4. Practical help around the home
5. Food
6. A calm secure atmosphere for Nehemiah
7. Practical repair work around the house
The family are constantly travelling between home and hospitals. If you can help in any way, we would be so grateful.

On behalf of the church family
Pastor Russell

You are invited to join us for the WCBC Camp 2019.

Family, when we are going through tough times its easy to see the faith and the calibre of those of you serving around the church. With the promotion of 3 or four people in this last month I have heard such great testimonies and seen people face their promotion with such faith. With Anne Ling having such a serious (potentially fatal) call a couple of weeks ago and one of our special young mums, Katie Hughes, facing a huge health challenge, I have seen you all rally your very practical and faith filled support. We have a number of people who are sick and aging and to see how they approach illness and life’s priorities has been inspiring.
Our special members meeting yesterday was so well led by the Holy Spirit and Greg Mutton. I am so grateful for Shania’s willingness to serve (and skill to do so) and Brigitte’s willingness to go wherever God leads. Brigitte has said yes to our call and asked that we pray for her as she has some difficult conversations with people that she has served for many years. We must still try to keep our communications about Pastor Brigitte ‘in house’ until she has had those conversations. All of us are aware that though the job description is very detailed and full – Pastor Brigitte must be allowed to a large degree to shape her own ministry. There has been an amazing offer of temporary accommodation for them. Bruce’s question around how are we going to welcome them both are now in many conversations.
You will be aware that Sheryl Kitchen is now preparing lunches on the first and third Sundays of the month. The alternative Sundays we encourage you to take someone out for a coffee or home for lunch.
The elders just completed a very unified and faith filled, prayer focused day retreat. We are aware that the church looks very full on Sundays, which is off-putting for those who are new and want to slip into back seats. Ideally, we wait until Pastor Brigitte is well established and the new car parking built before changing things or looking at two services. However, we need to do something now so that our visitors and newcomers can feel that we have room for them, so we must tweek/ juggle things to allow God to grow the church in the mean while. Can we encourage everyone to consider sitting as far forward as you possibly can on Sundays, and filling up the middle of rows, leaving the back rows free. Big thanks to those of you who are parking off-site or near the high school!
As an eldership we are looking at strategies to keep the church growing, how to get back to a full-time youth pastor one day, issues around vision (wondering if slight amendments to wording may give clarity) etc. There is great harmony in the eldership and a real sense of trust that God will speak and guide each step of the way.
Evening services will restart again soon. At this point I am gathering the names of people who would like to be involved in some way. Hospitality/ music/ learning to preach/ prayer ministry etc. If God is speaking to you about this please let me know.
Over the past couple of months quite a number of our family have said to me that communion often feels rushed. I have taken this to heart and will endeavour to have some services when the children are in but with only one song before communion and some with more quiet times of reflection and prayer after they have gone out. Please note that communion in March has been moved to the second Sunday to give Richard Brunton time to minister.
This month we are going to launch and promote our Mentoring network and the Church Camp. Both activities will fit in neatly into what we are currently doing and bring about greater intergenerational relationships and growth in faith.
Frontline youth group is about to restart this week as is Rock Solid. From where I sit I it would appear to me that we may be a little short of leaders for Rock Solid which is a ministry to year 6-9’s at a critical stage of their lives. If you can help please contact Scottie 021782547or Chelc 0274208506.
We have the ladies’ brunch, Richard Brunton, Parenting 0-4’s, the Heap offering for the building coming up and so much more.
There will be multiple evangelistic opportunities this term. The ‘Relationship Matters Course’ will be advertised to the community. It will be good for all mentors and pastoral workers as well. I hope to do a street outreach again outside Reyburn house on Easter Saturday. Canon J.John outreach (bring a friend) on Easter Saturday. Youth and intermediate Easter camps. We will have follow-up discipleship and Alpha beginning the week after Easter.
Every one of us at every stage of life has gifts and talents that God will use to help us reach out to this community and make disciples/ relatives for eternity!
Your Brother and Fellow Kingdom Builder – Pastor Russell

4 steps to take to help prevent liberalisation of the abortion law.

Join
Join a prolife organisation such as Right to Life NZ, Family First, Voice for Life. They need members, they need people to send information to, they can organise group events like marches. They need money for publicity, administration and staff wages..

Inform Yourself.
Look on prolife websites, facebook groups, get on newsletter mailing lists, read books, follow the views of Members of Parliament. See how legislation on abortion is progressing through Parliament.

Pray
Ask God what you should do personally. Pray for your Member of Parliament, pray for all members of Parliament that they would make the right decisions. Pray for leaders of the pro-life movement

Protest
Write to your Member of Parliament, write to the Prime Minister and Minister of Justice telling of your opposition. Go and see your M.P. Sign petitions circulated by prolife groups. Use social media to give your opinion. Give you r opinion to MPs by using their social media sites.

Our latest upload to the website is Russell’s new booklet on How to Connect With God. How to Connect with God

If you would like a printed copy to share with a friend, don’t hesitate to come and get one from the free resources shelf.

The WCBC library has subscribed to Creation Magazine. The subscription comes with links for 5 devices to read online. If you would like a link, please let us know in the office and we’ll forward one to you.

Over the last month there has been a range of social all-age events in the church. They haven’t been hugely attended but the quality of conversation and relationship building has been excellent. Also within the life of our church family the tangible presence of God is increasing. There is real evidence that our attitudes towards each other are good and that we are willing to face changes together as we seek to become more outwardly focused. I have enjoyed preaching through the Bible again (expository preaching is the style of preaching that I feel most passionate about) and Dr Dunn’s recent message was hugely appreciated. On a personal note I have stood amazed at how Lana and our worship leaders are managing to draw in more people and in particular younger people. It feels like we are heading in the right direction.
Thanks to all those in the family who are preparing for the AGM/ family meeting in a couple of weeks in a very Godly way. Questions are being asked now, directly to the right people, and I know we are praying.
The eldership recently worked through the budget that you see in your AGM report book. It wasn’t an easy job. We have had to acknowledge a drop in income and projected income and some things we have done for years and highly value have been omitted this year, simply so that we can employ a Full-time Children and Families Pastor. Hopefully next year most of those areas will be back in the books. I know the leadership team found it really hard planning to employ a youth leader for only two days a week next year (and the funding for that will be a huge faith step). We all want something much bigger and have a passion to see it happen now. We are testing out possibilities within the family, and the Baptist Youth Ministries are also aware of the opportunity. My expectation is that we will have a youth leader to ratify early in the new year. There have not been many new applicants for the Children and Family Pastors position, however we are aware that God is gently leading and speaking (things are still happening).
This month we have further developed the Mentoring training and caring strategy for next year. I will run through things more thoroughly with the elders this month and hopefully we will be good to go in February. When I present the process and how it works to the church next year I am only expecting 15 or so Mega Mentors (ie mature Christians who meet regularly with a younger person to help them achieve their goals). Most of the mentoring will be done via a network of people with a huge variety of gifts and skills. That is to say ‘the Church’ will be raising World-Changing Christians and not individuals.
Also Helen Erceg has helped me write a booklet on How to become a Christian in modern language. We now have a ministry team to speak to seekers after the service and will begin to give pre-Christians the opportunity to respond. I am frequently encouraged by other churches that are finding our outreach and discipleship materials very helpful.
Helen and I represented the church at the Baptist Hui this year. I have attached a brief summary.
December the 9th is our next church-wide event: a picnic at Camp Manaia. I hope the new waterslide will be in operation, we will launch the pontoon (anchor/ not moor) and I think you will all be pleased with the exciting developments that have taken place at the camp recently.
This year, in order to reach the community, we are organizing a ‘carols by glow stick’ combined church service in Laurie Hall Park. Plenty of parking. Level ground for the elderly. Silver beet for the donkey. This will be on the 23rd of Dec from 8:30-9:30pm. Please support this for ‘their’ sake. Next year we will probably go back to a normal Christmas Eve service (unless there is something we can do more effectively for evangelism).
Christmas day service will be from 10am-11am only and very family friendly. Please feel free to bring your favorite Christmas present (all ages).
Please continue to keep Faye in your prayers and the large number of church family who are facing serious health challenges and the recent loss of loved ones (God’s presence has been amazing through them all).
Your brother and fellow Kingdom builder – Pastor Russell