in this issue ...
Summit 2011
Thoughts from our President
A brief word from the NLT
Road show re-cap
Missional endeavour grants
The wider church
The final word
SUMMIT 2011
From Linda Eagle
As I write this newsletter, Summit is only 26 days away. Preparations are well underway and registrations are starting to come in.
If you haven’t already registered I would strongly encourage you to do so. We are heading into a pivotal season both within our Movement and as a country and this event will be an incredible moment in time where we can stand together and give praise to our God for the goodness and favour he has shown to us and to wait on him with anticipation for all that he has in store for our futures.
We would love for you to join us in uniting as a Movement to strengthen and encourage each other and to be inspired and blessed by the words of those who will be speaking into our lives and our Movement.
As well as hearing from the National Leadership Team their heart for the future of CCNZ we are privileged to have Ps. Paul De Jong from Life in Auckland as our guest speaker. Paul has a dynamic preaching style which is fresh and inspiring. He speaks from a personal revelation of the word and will challenge and equip you to grow in your relationship with God.
Also included in the program this year are elective streams which will run for 2 one hour slots each afternoon. This is an exciting aspect to the program as it means you will get four hours of input into one particular area. The seven electives which are being offered are:- Next Generations (Children, Youth, Young Adults), Assimilations / Volunteers, Holy Spirit, Worship, Missions, Senior Pastors and Business.
If you are serving in any area of your local church or considering becoming involved, then Summit 2011 is relevant for you – it is one event you will not want to miss.
All the details and registration form can be downloaded from our website or by clicking on the links below. If you would prefer to have a registration form posted out to you or require any further details please contact me on 03 5476044 or admin@ccnz.
Summit 2011 Details
Summit 2011 Registration Form
I look forward to seeing you all at Summit.
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THOUGHTS FROM OUR PRESIDENT
From Brent Liebezeit
I'm sitting in the Sydney entertainment centre listening right now to John Maxwell at Hillsong conference. I am enjoying the input, so refreshing.
I am thinking about our conference about to happen beginning of August and I wonder if in the future there would be a gathering of thousands to such a conference. Not to be like Hillsong but to be a movement of churches thriving, growing, and so in love with Jesus that everyone would just once a year gather to share our story together and envision the future with such hope to being one of the greatest movements in the world. Possible, why not?
A couple of things that will help make this a reality..
1. Turn up. Why don't you come this year and let's begin to build this movement together.
2. Switch on. Don't just turn up but switch on. God wants to speak to us, let's switch on, be open to His grace for our movement that although we are all unique, God has a place and a calling for us together in NZ
Look forward to seeing you in Nelson at The Summit in August. It will be a wonderful time as we gather together and love on Jesus and look to the future of what He has in store for us.
God Bless you
Our wonderful family
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A BRIEF WORD FROM THE NLT
From Jocelyn Stephens
The NLT last met in Nelson on 29 June and this was a very strategic and productive meeting. We spent a large amount of our time concentrated around the way forward in this next season, with our main focus to raise up and encourage pioneering leaders and to create opportunities for them through training, empowering, ministry and mission.
The road trip was a great success and has given us a much clearer picture of where the individual churches in our movement are at and how we can best help them with their mission.
We are all excited about the upcoming Summit conference which will be a great time of strengthening relationships and growing in the things of God and we look forward to seeing you there.
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ROAD SHOW RE-CAP
From Paul Burton
Throughout the month of June the National leadership have been on a tour to the regions with the goal of meeting face to face with all our ministers and elders. This was a fantastic opportunity for the NLT to meet with our current leaders in the Movement and they felt it was a very meaningful experience.
Brent and Viv Liebezeit, Paul Burton and Tony Downing made the first trip which took us to Fielding and Auckland.
Brent & Viv and Paul have made subsequent trips that have covered the Nelson district, Christchurch, Invercargill and Wellington. A scheduled trip to Dunedin was cancelled due to the ash cloud, but was rescheduled and went ahead a week later.
These visits and meetings have been incredibly worthwhile. We have really enjoyed spending time with the ministers and church leaders who were able to join us.
What we are hearing and seeing is going help us formulate strategy and structure for the next stage of our journey as a movement. Some of our intended plans are changing and more on this will be shared at Summit Conference in August.
Our journey has been interesting, meeting leaders dedicated to the kingdom, discovering many different journeys, struggles and successes - we have them all across our movement of churches.
We have been inspired by stories like the one in Invercargill of Beverley and Gerald Barraclough, so faithfully ministering to over 100 people each week; yet challenged on we can support them in growing the church past an attendance of about 12. Their story sums up much of what is happening around our churches, some great heart and ministry amongst real challenges and issues.
Mairangi Bay Church is packing out their church building each week, and has begun building an extension to cope with their growth; they are facing a $400,000 shortfall in funds to finish this.
Our Christchurch congregations are facing unique issues as they go through this torrid season of earthquakes; yet are full of passion for the mission of the kingdom.
We are encouraged, challenged and inspired and have more causes to bring us to our knees in intercession. The tour has confirmed our convictions that we are on threshold of a season of growth in significance and fruitfulness across our movement as part of the overall church of Jesus Christ in New Zealand. We are convinced of our need to focus on pioneering leaders and missional endeavour as we move forward.
Thank you to everyone who met and extended hospitality to us. We appreciate and love you all.
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MISSIONAL ENDEAVOUR GRANTS
CCNZ is dedicated to seeing the gospel impact each community within New Zealand and to help our people who are in great need of an encounter with the living God. To encourage this to happen more the NLT and the CEPTB has put together a fund that will give increased incentive and assistance to allow our churches to make this possible.
We are offering ..... thirty $500 grants annually. To find out more about how to apply for a missional endeavour grant and to read the guidelines click here.
The deadline for 2011 has been extended so remember all applications must be with the national office no later than Friday 12th August 2011.
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THE WIDER CHURCH
From Lyndsay Jacobs
Christian World Service is ‘our own’ aid and development agency - the only agency where our churches help formulate policy and goals. Angela McMorran of St Andrew St, Dunedin is our representative and chaired the last meeting of the CWS Council. All churches are urged to share in the annual Christmas Appeal this year.
The world food story should have a happy ending by now. It should be a success story. We should no longer have to hear that every five seconds a child dies of hunger related causes. Famine, want, acute hunger were all meant now to be steadily receding into the past. That’s the story we would like to be sharing but the reality is that we can’t. But we can Share the Care through our Christmas gift to the world’s hungry. cws.org.nz
The Uniting Congregations biennial Forum is being held at Motueka (Top 10 Convention Centre) September 1-4. This is open to all members of all of our churches. Union and cooperating parishes are especially urged to be represented. Theme: Beyond the walls. Speakers: Rev Peter Cheyne, Bishop Richard Ellena, Dr Mary Caygill. This is a time of inspiration, learning, worship, sharing. The business meeting occupies just a brief time within the Forum. Reduced registration till July 15th. ucanz.org.nz
Our four-yearly World Convention is only a year away: July 25-29 in Goiania, Brazil. The experience of a life time! A number of New Zealanders will be attending. Let the national office or Brent Liebezeit know if you are interested. Information at worldconvention.org
I will be concluding my voluntary position as Cooperative Ventures Coordinator at the Forum and new arrangements to begin in September will be communicated in due course.
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THE FINAL WORD
From George Langford, National Director
As I come to my final days as National Director of CCNZ, I’ve been reflecting on my time. There has been some extremely good progress made and I am very excited to leave with the movement in better heart than it was 7 ½ years ago.
I have made some very good friends with many of those friendships having been forged through crisis. I am amazed at God’s grace and provision through this time.
My prayer for all of you is that you press on to what our Lord has in store for you, leaving what is behind, reaching for what He has for you. We live in challenging times, enjoy them and look for the opportunities God is opening for you. Walk by faith, be courageous and have confidence in your Lord.
We are on sabbatical until the 13th September; for the first month we are taking a South Island excursion in a motorhome. We have plenty of books to read and we will be spending time seeking direction for the next season of our lives.
Thank you so much for your support, hospitality and prayers through our time of ministry with you.
This is George and Pauline signing off with our love and blessing.
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