In this issue of the NZ Baptist, we explore and celebrate multiculturalism in our congregations and the journey many churches have embarked on to embrace the growing ethnic diversity in our communities.

New Zealand is becoming a melting pot for a rainbow of nationalities – a microsom reflecting the wider world. Close to one quarter of people living in New Zealand today were born overseas.

And that needs to be mirrored in our church congregations according to the ethnic makeup of our communities.

Two things are true: God created multi-culturalism and we are all God-created. We are also all migrants to this land we call Aoteoroa, whether descended from the tangatawhenua arriving in the first whaka, in colonial sailing ships from the Northern Hemisphere, or more recent arrivals on silver jumbo jets. And we all have our part to play in making New Zealand a vibrant country.

Churches can follow different models when it comes to embracing multiculturalism, but the end result is that people of any ethnicity share a sense of belonging, of family, of feeling valued and accepted for who they are when they step inside our churches.

In God’s presence it doesn’t matter what our ethnic differences are because we are all one through our faith and loved equally by God.

– Fran Pardon