Hillcrest Baptist
We have welcomed back Jim and Val Riley, our interim pastors for the next few months. We appreciate all who have been filling in for the past 11 months, especially Mark Row, who leads the elders ably supported by his wife, Katheryn. Speakers recently include Des Jones, David Hill and Graham and Karlene McFarlane from Far East Broadcasting, working at Faith Academy. The youth group held a fundraising dinner.

It has been an answer to prayer to have Malcolm Stewart, Denise Hamer, Joan Jones, Merv Finlay and Jan Keijzer able to attend church again after being unwell. David and Doris Hart remain in our prayers. On a recent Saturday our church delivered daffodils to homes in our neighbourhood and were well received. We appreciate John Irvine organizing this. Margaret Naufahu is planning another MAXIM8 school holiday programme. Our search committee needs our constant prayer as they search for a new senior pastor.

Havelock North
Pastor Kerry Brewerton
The church celebrated its 25^th anniversary and the opening of the new auditorium September 25-26. A pot-luck dinner on September 15 marked the inaugural service of the Havelock North Baptist Fellowship. An Alpha course has been held this term on Thursday evenings. A family fun evening, with board and card games followed by fish and chips then a screening of The Prince of Egypt was very popular. Nite Church is held on the first Sunday of each month. Ted Palmer travelled to Fiji with a Word of Life mission team. Rev Mark Fox shared about his work with Missionary Aviation Fellowship and Ian Vail spoke of his work in Indonesia with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Tauranga Central
June 27 saw Tom Frew inducted as Senior Pastor. It has been a joy to witness the baptism of six of our church family and 16 people come into membership. Shaun Holt spoke on respiratory illness at a recent seminar. TVNZ asked to record his next seminar on supplementary medicine for cancer patients. Sunday Night at Central has hosted international singers Margaret Keys from Ireland and Jay Weston from Australia, along with local artists. These evenings provide an opportunity for the community to experience a church family and to hear a gospel-based message. We are supporting a group prepare for a trip to CLTC, Papua New Guinea, where they will be involved in refurbishing buildings.

Thames
Family Faith Forum’s have been held monthly for parents to share child-raising concerns, where experience from the wider church has been shared. A new course, “Caring God’s Way,” will continue over six weeks. Children’s Ministry Training Day developed protocols for working with children. A Prayer Warriors’ lunch will provide opportunity for children to meet their prayer partner in a fun setting. Five new nominations were received for membership. At a combined churches worship event Jules Riding played and sang, followed by supper. Sadness on the departure of Gordon Mill whose death followed a period of illness.

Masterton
Zoe MacKenzie has been appointed to the position of 24/7 youth leader for the next six months. Already she is getting to know people and contributing to the life of the church and the school she is working at, Wairarapa College. Friday night kids club is taking off. The kids are having fun and receive great Bible teaching. They have started praying for one another during the prayer times. Our multicultural ministry has taken a leap forward under Kinnie’s leadership. Last Sunday we had the best attendance ever and the church rocked.

Wanganui East
Pastor Calvyn Jonker
We had a great Missions Sunday focusing on feedback from those on the mission field and looking at opportunities here. The church met a new missionary couple, Samuel and Praveena Dasi, evangelising and caring for outcast children in India. That evening we held a “MissionChips” family gathering and watched a missions film. For Prayer Day the church auditorium was set up in booths focusing on specific ministries of the church.We individually had time to pray through the church directory, the latest missionary emails, list of children in Junior Church, etc. Our baptismal class was well attended and we anticipated Baptism Sunday on September 19. The Sons of Korah event was a highlight and many “Eastsiders” attended.