Today I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for our dedicated volunteers at St. Peter's. Your efforts enable us to enjoy our church community every week and reflect the wonderful vision of our founders.

A huge, big thank you to our church family at St Peters for welcoming the ethnic community to our combined church service last Sunday. With over 400 attendees, it took all of us working together to make the event a success.

The bible talks about the race we run daily as children of God. The Apostle Paul tells us that a race has been set before us (Hebrew 12:1), and he instructs us to run in such a way as to obtain the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24). Our race begins when we declare with our mouths that “Jesus is Lord” and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

The journey from Bethlehem to church is such a gift from God. Riding along the waterfront, with Mt Maunganui in view and the energy from runners, walkers, bikers, birds, and the morning traffic all around, made for a refreshing start to the day. Truly, this is God’s creation on display.

In New Zealand, Labour Day is a time to recognize the contributions of workers and the importance of fair labour practices reflecting principles found in the Bible. It’s a great reminder of our call to support one another in our work and communities.

Since arriving in Tauranga, I have had the privilege of meeting with a dedicated group of church and community leaders every Thursday morning to pray for the welfare of our city. This group, which has gathered for over 20 years, is committed to interceding for the wellbeing of our community and seeking wisdom for our city leaders. Their faithfulness and resilience inspire me, and I give thanks to God for their unwavering dedication.

School holidays are such a great opportunity for catching up and spending quality time with loved ones.

This week, the Paralympics opened with a message of inclusion and positivity. Around 4,400 athletes are taking part in the events, including 25 Kiwis. The Paralympics is about human resilience and the determination of athletes who overcome various challenges to compete at such a high level. This caused me to reflect on how we make the most of our abilities and blessings, and the importance of using them wisely.