Karori
Pastor Mike Enright
We hosted the Tearfund Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda and enjoyed their singing and dancing performance one evening in June. Chris Marshall, Head of the School of Art History, Classics and Religious Studies, and St John’s Associate Professor of Christian Theology at Victoria University did a 5 part series on Jesus Matters – Exploring what Mattered to Jesus and why it should Matter to Us.

It was very thought provoking. In July some of our men enjoyed an evening ten pin bowling and also had a breakfast where they learned something about men’s health. Some of our young people attended the Xtend Leadership Training Conference in Rotorua. During August several people attended a Bridge Builders course run by Caleb Ministries at KBC. We have also had a great weekend with Luke and Marieta Kaa-Morgan who came and ministered to us in testimony, music and song.

Upper Hutt
Chris Finlay and Paul Thompson
Plans for additions are progressing after the satisfactory sale of our fellowship centre. All our mid-week activities are held in our worship centre and foyer. A mid-week drop-in centre, 10am to 1pm, has been operating for a few months. It is very popular, concluding with lunch for those who wish to partake. A group of ladies knit peggy squares, others make cards and some play games and chat. A young couple spent two weeks in Mexico recently helping in a house building project. A number of our young people held a weekend camp at Foxton recently. It is good to have Simon Webby back with us after six months with the Hutt City Church. We will be seeking a youth pastor for 2012.

Blenheim
The Midwinter Christmas Dinner in August arranged by the Mission World team was a wonderful success, with 62 people enjoying a bi-cultural meal featuring roast and hangi and Christmas pudding. A silent auction raised more than $1000, largely for the Living Waters Orphanage in Borneo. So far more than 500 pairs of undies have been contributed along with stationery, stickers, stuffed toys, tennis balls, and elastoplast for Christmas gifts for the children. Sharyn Simpson returns early October to Nakon Sawan, Thailand, to work with Averil Bennett at Samphan Crafts for a month. She is taking a gift of some quilting equipment for one of the Thai workers to help her support her family. The first stage of redeveloping our current property has been the purchase of the house and property next door. The offices will move over there while further construction takes place.