LEADERSHIP REPORT
The 2023/24 year has been both challenging and eventful in the life of our church as we have continued in our transition period without a Senior Pastor. The Leadership Team have worked tirelessly, with reduced numbers this year, to give support to our excellent staff and oversight to the church.
While the Search Committee have worked diligently to source a new Senior Pastor the church has been well led, firstly by Pastor Steve Clark who offered to delay retirement and continue with us until moving with Lynley to Whangarei after 12 years with us here in Pukekohe.
God faithfully then provided as we encouraged Pastor Josh van de Worp to step up from his position of Next Generation Pastor into the interim Lead Pastor situation for 20 hours per week. This gave him valuable experience. After 16 years in paid ministry with us here in FBC we sadly farewelled Josh and Wendy in July 2024 as they felt the call to a new future ministry elsewhere.
With the death of Nelson Stott, we lost the services of a very long serving faithful member of our church. We acknowledge too, the many years of service of Colin Maloney who has stepped back this year from capable service in attending to our property needs.
In June the Search Committee recommended one of our own members to be our new Senior Pastor. When it went to the church for approval the vote failed by the smallest of margins, which left people very despondent and unsettled for a time. This has led to a renew encouragement for prayer as we wait for what God has next for us.
We continue to be blessed in that despite difficult economic times, God has provided financially including the increased community use of our excellent facilities. There have been many baptisms and new members added to our numbers, attendance is good, youth & children’s ministries are growing, people are using their giftings and helping with preaching and serving. Worship nights are well supported, Life Groups, Alpha and Oasis, Men & Women’s ministries have faithfully continued and a new bicultural Friday night gatherings (1st and 3rd Friday of the month) have brought people together to develop their Te Reo language in a fun setting of games nights. We have had some fun social events together including the recent barn dance.
People are coming to church, not because we are Baptist, but because they feel the presence of God in our midst, so we honour Him and value and give thanks for all our people who serve so willingly as volunteers and leaders both here at FBC and in our local community. Thank you and may God honour your service.
In love and appreciation for you all,
Faye Snook (Chairperson)
Esther Calley
Liz Kelsey
Nicole Camacho
Erin Temu
Alan Calvert
InterIm Pastor
Josh van de Worp
I thoroughly enjoyed the time that I spent as the Interim Pastor. God was doing a big work in me and asked me to step out into something new. It was a great time for me – learning, growing and discovering what it is like to be a Senior Pastor. I loved it. I loved wrestling with God’s word and preparing sermons that were both challenging and encouraging. Through all this time God was highlighting a new path for me, out of Youth Ministry and into a leadership role in the church. Whilst I moved out of Youth Ministry I truly believe that our young people are so vital to church health. Our role is to foster this generation now, to prepare and equip them for church leadership. We need to trust them and encourage them as they lead and serve us.
Some of the highlights for me over the year have been:
The number of Baptisms we have had at FBC. It has been a great joy to see these people choosing to follow Jesus and publicly declare their faith. These moments have been made more special because we have been able to celebrate them as a whole church family. Involving our kids within this time of Baptism has brought about some success in our Intergenerational moments.
Raising up some amazing preachers from within our own FBC Whanau. The richness and depth and number of great people who read Gods word, listen to His guiding and deliver relevant and true messages is a great blessing to FBC. A big “Thank You!” to those who have shared this load during this year.
My final highlight is our FBC Staff team. What an amazing team they are. During this season of not having a Senior Pastor the staff team have really taken on an extra load. They have been such an encouragement to me and to our church by their dedication and work ethic. I will truly miss working with this amazing group of people. Can I ask one thing from you the church? Please encourage and support this group of people. Please pray for them and the ministries they lead. Please be kind and understanding as they strive to serve God and you, the church, the best they can during this season.
So for the last time. Thank you FBC for loving me, supporting me and encouraging me over my 16 years of ministry, and especially in this season of Interim Senior Pastor. I am praying for the future success of FBC and the amazing fruit you will see when you partner with God on mission.
Aroha Nui
ExECutive Pastor
Penny Day
We serve a God who longs to see His church become powerful and effective through a love for Jesus and each other. This past year I have seen and continue to see God at work in and amongst our church whanau and community.
I am reminded of the boat analogy that we felt God encouraged us to start the year with. We have had to become flexible as a church, navigating change with the wind of the Holy Spirit blowing in new directions. I’m grateful for the talents and gifts that you all have in our church family, but more so that we are seeing opportunities and a willingness to use these. Thank you.
In my role as Executive Pastor, I support the staff team, the volunteer groups, and work with the leadership team to support the strategic vision and direction the Church is going in. It’s been a challenging year in our search for a Senior Pastor, but God has provided for us great support with having Steve Clark and Josh van de Worp in the interim Senior role. Both have done an excellent job.
Sandra Bruin, Den Camacho, Josh Temu and Carol Dobbe are all on the staff team and it’s a joy and privilege for me to work with them all. Jayden Temu was also on the team as administrative assistant but has recently left to pursue more hours of work elsewhere. We will miss his support in the office and appreciate his hard work. Josh van de Worp has also moved on from FBC and we pray God continues to lead him into the Pastoral calling that is on His life.
There are many great things happening in the ministries at FBC and Sandra Bruin, Jan Day, Pam Shepard and I have committed to praying for these this year every Wednesday morning. This prayer time, 9am Wednesday morning at FBC, has a focus on church ministries and is open to everyone.
As the needs of the church have changed this year, much of my time has been spent supporting where needed, however I am still working on policies and procedures for the church which help us to run smoothly and safely.
At this time of the year, I’m again reminded of the boat analogy for the church and how it is an anchor that holds the boat securely. Hebrews 6:19 NIV 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Jesus is the anchor of our faith; we can remain secure in our faith no matter what changes come our way in church life because of this.
Blessings, peace and encouragement to your all
Penny
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Aaron Snook
As I think back on another busy year as a team it is a great time to reflect on God’s blessings to the church.
The Lord always provides the finances needed to support our ministries, staff wages, running costs and some more to enable us to bless others. Our church complex is an amazing asset that sees many outside community groups using this great facility. It isn’t easy for Den to facilitate all the hire group needs etc. but he has done a sterling job. This year we really want to strive to take some of these tasks of these bookings away from him and so setting up a church booking team is just one way we can help.
We have strengthened our relationships and cohesion with the leadership team, staff team and budget team so we are all on the same page striving for the same outcome.
We have done our best with the budget. Careful management of budgets by all stakeholders is still required by all in this economically tough time and I thank those that have restraint on spending.
Thanks to Russell Voigt and others we have good Health and Safety Policy structures in place to protect our staff and church facility users.
Phil Walker goes above and beyond in making sure our I.T. network equipment and programmes are current and fit for purpose as well as facilitating repairs.
Jan Day does an incredible job on the accounting and supports Den. Jan has stayed on for this yearly term as we have been unsuccessful with finding a replacement so we honour and bless you Jan. We really need to get serious about finding someone who can step in so Jan can catch a break.
We thanked Colin Maloney mid-term for his service to the property after all these years so he can enjoy retirement. While this left a void, we have still managed to keep on top of property matters and have a few good men who step in for odd repairs so thank you to those who help.
I’m excited for the year ahead for this amazing church. There are some good ministries happening and there are some good signs of a healthy church. Be positive and get involved.
Blessings,
Aaron Snook (management team chairman)
Worship Team
Josh Temu
To the current team…
“It’s an honour to lead in this space – I love your heart for Jesus and your commitment to Loving God and Loving People, which is evident by the way you serve! For all those that have stepped down from the team this year, some for many years, thank you for your service! And for those that have recently joined, welcome! It’s my privilege to serve alongside you all.” – Josh Temu
This year I felt God’s guidance towards the theme of discipleship and how we each have the opportunity to discern the voice of God and where He is leading, and to do so in tandem with and support of each other. This sparked inspiration for a number of activities & messages I planned throughout the year, and although this focus will likely change as we move into another season, I will be holding it close when planning for the future.
As a team we meet together on a Thursday night for rehearsal in preparation for Sunday morning services. Six times a year these are replaced with Team Nights, where the whole team gets together for a meal, and has the opportunity to be in fellowship and sow vision for the foreseeable future.
Whanau Worship Nights are nights just for us as Franklin Baptist to sit in a space as a whanau (family) and focus our worship on a theme. One that we ran in June had a theme of grace, and this was a powerful time of worship where many of our congregation had noted an unforgettable movement of God’s presence.
In this last year, I’ve also been so proud and excited about the introduction of Community Worship Nights, where our wider community, including those outside of FBC, worked in partnership together to bring worship on a larger scale than Sunday mornings. We’ve run two very empowering nights, gathering worship leaders from Uplift, Salvation Army and Hope Church, and as a collective team, facilitated moments where those in attendance encountered a great sense of unity in glorifying God through music. I look forward to organising more of these nights in future!
Some praise points I’d like to thank God for:
– His continuous provision
– The things He has done within our team and for where He is taking us
– The gift of leadership God has entrusted into the team and those who have taken the opportunity to step up
– A team that serves humbly and sacrificially week after week
– The gift of feedback and all the wonderful stories of what God is doing through worship
As a church, I ask that you please be praying:
– Over the songs we sing – that they would be light in dark spaces and a proclamation of hope for our church
– For us as a team – that we would grow closer to God and each other
– For vision and direction for this next season – may we be led by God and be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit
– For resources – in the form of new team members and equipment
welcome Ministry
Sandra Bruin
Last night I had a glimpse into a man’s journal. He was lamenting all the hard things that happened over the year: being made redundant from the job he loved after 36 years with the same company, the death of his beloved mum, his son being in a car crash, which kept him from writing an important exam towards qualifying as a medical doctor, as well as the repair costs of the damage to the car. His wife came into the study and read what he had written, went out and came back after some time, handing him a piece of paper. She wrote about all the things that happened over the last year she was grateful for: her husband finally retired after many years of hard work, her dear mother-in-law went to be with her Saviour and is now free of pain, their son’s life was spared after a serious car crash, and they have insurance and money saved to pay for the damage to their car.
It’s all about perspective. Do we see the glass half full or half empty?
Welcome and Newcomers
During the last 12 months, 34 new people attended a Newcomer’s lunch. Most of these people are still attending FBC and some even committed to becoming members here. We are so thankful that God is leading new families, almost weekly, through the doors. Thank you to our lovely barista team who makes free coffees every Sunday and gives a warm and welcoming smile and chat to visitors and new people alike.
I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone in this church family who reaches out with warmth and hospitality to people they have not met before. I often hear that Franklin Baptist is one of the most welcoming churches around. I love being part of this family of God!
Life Groups + Care ministry
Sandra Bruin
Life Groups
At the time of writing this report, we have 15 active Life Groups with about 120 members in total. Thank you, Life Group leaders, for holding these 120 people without much input from staff over the last year. Thank you for carrying, loving and shepherding the people in your group, enabling us as staff to pick up extra duties without a full-time Senior Pastor. We couldn’t have done it without you!
If you want to find out more about Life Groups, whether joining a group or starting a new group, please contact me on lifegroups@fbc.nz
Pastoral Care
While it is in Life Groups that pastoral care happens, there are still many people in our church whanau who do not belong to Life Groups. During the last few months, we have established a Pastoral Care team, which consists of myself and 3 core team members – Lynda Wilde, Maggie Quinlan and Winston Watt. Added to this number are several others who want to become involved but whose time is more limited. We are all connected via a WhatsApp group and when a need arises, it is shared on the group, i.e. K is in hospital, who has capacity to visit him? There are no demands to attend regular meetings, these would happen and is open to everyone who are able to make it. We would welcome new members to the group. When the load is shared the load gets lighter. Please get in contact if you are interested or click on Pastoral Care Team under “signups” on the Church Center app.
It was a privilege to be contacted by a Baptist Pastor from the South Island, who asked if someone from our team could visit his mum in Pukekohe Hospital. A few people on the team put their hands up but unfortunately the lady was transferred to Middlemore, where she passed away a couple of weeks later. A sad story but also a hopeful one because she loved the Lord very much. And an indication of our team’s willingness to go above and beyond. If you would like a visit or a phone call every now and then or know of someone, please contact any of the people listed above or email me on care@fbc.nz
Pastoral Care counselling
God has given me a heart for hurting people, and I love sitting down with them, listening to their stories and hopefully encouraging them with what is on God’s heart for them. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone outside your situation if you find yourself in rough patch. If you need prayer about something or want to share life’s hard times with someone, get in touch by emailing care@fbc.nz. Anything shared in the pastoral care counselling room is treated confidential.
Let us continue to pray for one another, stay in contact and support where we can.
God bless you all,
Sandra Bruin
The Marriage Course
Titus and Sandra Bruin (facilitators)
What a privilege and joy to facilitate this valuable course! We play just a small part in seeing couples benefit from the tools given to strengthen their marriages and bring them closer together.
The Marriage Course, an initiative that grew from the Alpha platform, is a series of video presentations by acclaimed marriage and parenting experts, Nicki and Silla Lee. This 7-week series is presented in such a way that attending couples never share anything about their marriage or relationship with anyone in the group. Specific topics are covered, often those things that, if not recognised or managed well, may cause big challenges and hardships in a marriage., i.e. the impact of family. The course provides easy-to-use tools and strategies for Christian and non-Christian couples alike, whether married or in a long-term relationship.
The success of this course is highlighted by the number of couples from the community attending, either hearing about it from friends/family or registering via the Marriage Course NZ website.
The course is presented with a “date night” theme. Hot drinks and dessert are provided. Our heartfelt “thank you” to everyone from this church family who has provided delicious desserts over the past year, in particular Jaqueline Ison, who has committed to provide dessert for all but one week of the current course! We wouldn’t be able to do it without your support.
Please continue to uplift our marriages to God in prayer..
fbi
Carol Dobbe
It has been a great year for FBI (Franklin Baptist Intermediates). I stepped into overseeing FBI when Josh van de Worp stepped into the Interim Pastor role and it has been such a joy! Josh left me big shoes to fill as he has faithfully served with this age group both in our church and in our wider Baptist whanau for many years. Thank you to Josh for your dedicated service to our intermediates.
This age is such an important age in the faith development of our kids. Research says that it is at this age that children decide if they want to have their own personal faith or not. They may continue coming to church as their parents insist but at this age they decide, when they get to choose for themselves, if they will follow Jesus.
Our FBI kids are passionate about social issues, knowing Jesus for themselves and having fun!
This year we have reinstated the FBI socials. On the second and fourth week of the month during term time, we get together to have fun. Highlights have included movie nights at the Cornus, Donut decorating, and 10 pin bowling. Families have been stepping in to help and, in some instances, run these events for the kids. Connecting socially also helped our group as we headed to eCamp. We have great inclusive, kind and caring kids!
We also moved our Sunday morning study space to the staff kitchen/lunchroom. With its comfy sofas and a few added beanbags (and Milo!), this relaxed space has provided some great opportunities for the kids to go deeper in their understanding of the bible and in their relationship with God. This has also led to our young people wanting to step up and serve in different areas of the church – amazing!
All these great things would not be possible without the incredible FBI team. This team is one of my smallest teams and they step up time and time again. A huge thank you to Charlotte Reid-McMillan, Claire van Dam, Di Cotter, Issie Day, Richard van Dam and Zac Snook.
Please introduce yourself to our young people. Ask how school is going and what they like to do for fun, and then check back so see how that math test went last week. It is also so important that they are known by our wider church whanau. It helps them feel connected, seen and recognised.
Please pray for:
– Our youth. That they would know and love Jesus.
– Our parents. For wisdom and guidance as they raise this emerging generation.
– For faithful people to join our team.
FBI kids – thank so much for being you
Carol
Youth
Josh Temu
What an exciting and interesting end to the 2023 year!
Firstly, a massive shout out to Josh van de Worp! Josh was my youth leader 11 years ago and it’s been an honour to be led and discipled by him, to serve alongside him, and for a year work with him on staff here at FBC. Josh always believed that it was vital for us as a church to continue to foster our youth as they add life and value into our church, and while it’s sad to see him go, thank you Josh for always advocating for our young people and thank you for your servant-heartedness in this ministry for so long – be blessed!
To our current youth leaders, Nicole Camacho, Sebastian Partridge, Jayden Temu, Ned Narzo, Chloe Vivian and Emily Palmer. Thank you for loving on the young people of Franklin Baptist Church! I don’t think you know or understand how much your support of me over this season of change has encouraged me!
This year has seen growth in both our youth leadership team (where we welcomed two new leaders aboard the team) and our regular youth attendance on Tuesday nights – and also Sunday morning services as you might have noticed!
Youth is a great space of learning and connection, and is a continuous opportunity for discipleship, engagement, relationship and spiritual growth. Whether this be through playing games, celebrating, moments of teaching, time to connect, or even just through supper, we know God is moving in the hearts of our young people. I have particularly enjoyed the nights where we have had guests fostering intergenerational interaction!
Over the year we have 3 camps:
Southhead – we always look forward to our annual early December Southhead camp as a great space for our young people to unwind post-exams; enjoying great company, really good food, on the beach, relaxing and sitting in God’s beautiful creation to have a quick little reset before Christmas excitement. We anticipate this year will be no different!
Easter Camp – the annual Northern Easter Camp is held at Mystery Creek with 4000 other teenagers worshipping, playing sports, learning and having fun, all while encountering the loving tender presence of God. This year was no exception, as it always amazes me how passionate our young people can get in chasing after God and enjoying their adolescence – a group of us even made it into a few filmed EC segments!
King’s Birthday Youth Leaders Training – this conference was really timely this year with change and different life challenges, and as a growing leadership team, it is really important to be invested in and invest in each other. It’s always great to be able to lead the team in this space.
Please pray for our young people – that this growth we’re seeing will continue and that their relationships with God will flourish in the seasons ahead.
Please pray for our leaders – for continued protection, wisdom and perseverance as a team of young adults dedicating their free time to the discipleship of our young people.
Praise God for all He’s done, doing and yet to do.
24/7 youthwork
Josh van de Worp
24-7 youth work is a vital part of the life of our church. It is not simply about sending youth workers into the school to represent the church, but also about church and school partnership. Working together as one for the good of our young people and for our community.
These are our 5 outcomes of our youth work.
1. Supporting Young People and the School
We need to have a healthy balance of supporting rangatahi (young people), while also remembering that 24-7YW is there to serve the school and the staff. Youth Workers are vital and vibrant parts of the life of the school.
2. Building Positive Relationships
Building positive relationships with rangatahi, teachers and support staff is a key aspect of 24-7 YouthWork. This helps in developing good role modelling for the young people to observe, while also bringing a positive atmosphere into the school which is encouraging and contagious.
3. Cultivating School Spirit
The importance of supporting and cultivating school spirit creates an environment conducive to educational outcomes and youth development.
4. Leadership Development
Leadership development is key to getting the young person to understand who they are, and will help them to be proactive in the local school and community to become a positive influence amongst their peers.
5. Integration with Out of School Activities
The aim is to provide wrap-around service with continuity and consistency of relationships.
PUKEKOHE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
What have we done:
- Lunch time interactions
- Hockey Coaching
- One-on-one mentoring
- Helping student leaders
- Interaction with staff
- Supporting school events
- Working with other agencies for the betterment of students
- Girls groups
- School camp
- Breakfast club
This year Maddison Jourdain from Revive Pukekohe (our 24-7 partner church) finished in her role as a youth worker after 5 years. Maddison contributed so well to the life of Pukekohe Intermediate School. She ran a girls groups, coached a football team, helped with the breakfast club and supported in many sports days. A big highlight was when Maddison and her church bought in a pancake machine and pumped out 100’s of pancakes for students and staff at the breakfast club. In term 3 of 2024 we welcomed Utiku Payne and Anna Blundell (both from Revive Pukekohe) and new youth workers into Pukekohe Intermediate School.
This year FBC enjoyed the morning at Pukekohe Intermediate School for our Joyya bike event. It was a great moment of partnership as the school was using our church auditorium for their major production. All who came had an amazing time riding our bikes and worshiping together. A key moment in that morning was when we got to pray for the schools around our community. God is at work in our community so lets keep praying for Him to work in our local schools.
Children’s ministry
Carol Dobbe
I feel like this year has flown by. With kids things are always changing and growing. Our Sunday school programme is providing some good foundations for our children to learn and grow in Jesus.
We have had 4 children dedicated over the past year. Baby Dedication provides an opportunity for parents to declare their hopes for their children to follow Jesus and for us as a church whanau to stand with them and support them in this work.
We had a great community day with “Joy ride for Joyya” raising money for the work that Joyya is doing in marginalised communities in India. This was also a great partnership with our 24/7 partners as we used the school hall while the school used our church. We started regular tithing in kid’s church. raising money for the literacy programme that Kevin and Gillian Bird are supporting in Cambodia. It has been fun to bring the kids tithe into the main service and see the joy of the whole congregation with the special receptacles.
We have run a “Parenting for Faith” course. The numbers for this course were slightly lower than hoped but I have no doubt of the impact for those who attended. This course continues to impact my faith as an adult, particularly in the area of discerning from God, as it gives practical tools to help you teach your children to chat and catch from God. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says:
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
We only have a limited time at kids church, if you are a parent who is wanting and needing resource around how to support your child’s faith development, please email me carol@fbc.nz. I would love to help resource you.
We have had some changes in our kids church team over the year. We have sadly said goodbye to Sarah Hancock, Sophie Clark and Wendy van de Worp but have other wonderful people join the team. We have an amazing teams with Sara Jensen, Abi Brooks, Carolyn D’Souza, Shirley Collocot, Enya Felton, Sarah Caughley, and Kylie Lendrum in the preschool and Graham Brooks, Jackie Felton, Anita Holt, Sam Hughes, Patricia McKelvey, Krystal Sue, Lisa Tabor, and Alison Twist in the primary. I am also grateful for the pitch hitters who step in to coordinate and make sure the leaders are okay on Sundays including Emily Palmer, Carolyn Cornu, Kylie Lendrum and Helen Walters. This term we have a few people exploring where in kids’ ministry they would like to serve, Christine Butler and Riley Hunt. Thanks, Team, for all that you do! It takes a village and we definitely need one. We always welcome more people joining our team – many hands make light work. Please come and see me if you would like to join the team.
Looking forward I would love to see our families connect and support each other. If you have any ideas about what we could do, please come and share these with me.
Please join me in praying for:
– our children, that they would learn to love Jesus and have a living relationship with him
– our families, as they invest in growing young Christians at home
– our team, as they share Jesus with the kids, and for team growth
Thank you all for your support and encouragement.
Carol
OASIS
Charlie Potter
Writing a report for this ministry each year presents a challenge for me as I’m not a great report man, but it does bring a joy to my heart as I reflect on this past year in the life of this important ministry at our church.
Oasis is like a large life group that meets each week and therefore is made up of retiree’s but is open to anyone who can be available during the day on a Wednesday morning. The group currently includes two couples who do not attend our Sunday service but enjoy the worship and teaching we have as part of our programme; currently our weekly average attendance is 25.
The Chapel Service that we have on the first week of each month is a very important part of the group’s activities. The service begins at 11.00 am and includes a message, usually from visitors such as our Pastors, and we have been blessed this past year to hear from Steve Clark, Ian Moorhouse, Colin Maloney, Maggie Quilan, Sandra Bruin, Josh van de Worp, Jane Potter, Helen Elley and Stewart Bent.
Helen Elley is the leader of our Chapel Services and fills that role very well. At the end of the service, we gather in the café for a luncheon, that Glenys Barlow, Jenny Hunt and Shanae Dean have prepared for us, with Jean Archer supplying her wonderful scones. A koha is requested to cover costs. Glenys and Jenny have decided to retire following our August Service and we thank them very much for their faithful and dedicated hard work. Cher Scott and Sheryle Spyve have offered to fill this roll in the future.
We have continued to watch some teaching videos; these have mostly been from David Jeremiah and some times Robert Morris. These have been received well and promoted some good discussions. I am very grateful to Colin Maloney for his help with all the technical matters.
Jane Potter, Arlene Hutcheon and Ayumi Trautvetter have continued to provide us wonderful support on the piano for our praise and worship at both our regular meetings and the monthly chapel services.
On the third Wednesday of the month, I have tried to have visiting speakers share with us, these have been both practical and inspiring; these have included Geoff Mathews, (a Christian Beekeeper), and Angela from St. Johns Medical Alarms, also Richard from Independent Living, and more are being planned for the future.
We have continued to explore different outings where there has been a 5th Wednesday in the Month. We have had lunches at, Bombay Coffee Club, a special Christmas treat at Lynda and Trevor Fulton’s wonderful garden. Also, a trip to the Regional Gardens at Manurewa that included Buggie rides, and most recently we went to the Pukekohe Cosmopolitan Club and played 10 pin bowling. All these events were well supported and enjoyed.
A big thank you to my leadership team for their support and encouragement, particularly during my illness in hospital last September. Also grateful thanks to Margaret Adams in running a morning tea during the school holidays and to Jaypaul Ison who regularly grabs the vacuum cleaner for a tidy up. Just some of people who help make this ministry work so well.
Sadly, this year we have lost a wonderful, caring and faithful friend in Nelson Stott, who is now with His Lord and Saviour. Nelson was a very regular and encouraging member of our group who we miss.
Finally, all praise and glory to our awesome God who continues to bless this ministry in so many ways.
Charlie Potter
corporate prayer
Ian Moorhouse
Over the past twelve months in the life of our church, God has allowed us to experience circumstances which have been testing, circumstances which have made us realise that He is calling us back to this place of being still and knowing that He is God and in control.
It is only in this sacred place of surrender before Him, we can seek His enabling Holy Spirit to impassion, to strengthen and to guide the fellowship.
This is encapsulated in two significant verses:
John 15:5 -I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
2 Chronicles 7:14- If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.
God is calling us back as a fellowship to be a church in a rhythm of regular prayer and worship as individuals, as small groups and as an entity together, meeting regularly day and night to surrender ourselves to the great ‘I Am’, to acknowledge his sovereignty in all things so that our direction as a fellowship becomes clear, our love for others grows, our eyes become lifted above ourselves and we become inspired to minister in our communities.
Prayer has again featured more in our church services, both before the service and in the weekly Pause & Pray section prior to the message. This is good to see.
Weekly Sunday evening 5pm prayer meetings have been held again this year which have been a blessing to those who attend but we’d encourage more to join with us.
We pray that God would draw us as a people back to that place of enjoying spending time at His feet. Only in that place is there life, direction and peace before God. In that place there is power and purpose as we hear and respond to God’s heartbeat for those who don’t know Him.
Ian Moorhouse
Prayer Chain
Arlene Hutcheon
The Prayer Chain is a team effort starting from the request that is received by a phone call, or email, or text.
The next step is to send the request out to the people on the prayer chain and then leave it in God’s hands.
It is good to receive feedback on how God has answered prayer, and this is also passed on to the Prayer Chain to encourage them.
I would like to thank all who are on the Prayer Chain for their faithfulness in this Ministry.
Arlene Hutcheon
GLOBAL ACTION
Stuart Smith
Matthew 24:14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.
Our Team:
Stuart and Julie Smith, Marian Whitehead, Helena Round, Carol Dobbe. And a huge THANK YOU to Val Horne who has stepped down after many years of passionate support for God’s mission beyond our motu. She organised speakers for Global Focus Sunday lunches, greeting cards for our global partners and kept in contact with many sent by our church to work overseas.
Partner Highlights:
- Greg and Rosie, Thailand: Gospel of Mark translated, checked and ready to publish. L children learning to read and write in their own language, attending son Thomas’ wedding in NZ, Rosie’s sewing trainees filling orders. FBC Christmas Appeal raised $5,087 towards their proposed translation and literacy centre building.
- Kevin and Gillian, Cambodia: Pastors’ technology training and teacher training ongoing. Success and completion of Sokatt’s pastor/church technology training, home assignment in NZ with much needed eye surgery for Gillian. FBC contributed to the costs. FBC Kids Church supporting purchase of books for local children.
- Peter, Dasha, Sean, East Asia: New FBC Arotahi partners. Building relationships in their community, serving special needs families, growing IT business creating apps for disability users.
- Peter and Leonora, South Asia: Arotahi partners supporting Living Hope community. Basanti business doing well with skills training and production underway, and first samples sent to USA.
- Alan and Fiona, Leeston: SIM NZ part time communications role (video and print), Leading mission team in their local church, preparing for short term trip to Cambodia.
Promoting a Global Focus @ FBC
This last year we have resumed monthly missions slots in the Sunday service where we focus on one of our partners to pass on recent news and take time to pray for their needs. We have also resumed handing out hard copies of the bi-monthly Prayer Focus which is enabling informed prayer for our partners by a greater number of people.
Global Focus lunches have been held on a semi-regular basis. Speakers this year included Anne Walsh, Peter van, Kevin and Gillian, and Sarah Hancock.
The Joyride for Joyya was a great multi-generational event which raised awareness and a tidy sum of money. Our thanks to Carol who co-ordinated this active way of worshipping on a Sunday morning.
The recent annual “Renew Together” appeal raised $795.10 in addition to $2000 of budgeted funds. It reminded us that we are all called, across the room, across the road, or across the world. God is asking each of us – will you join me?
Women’s Ministry
Kylie Lendrum
Firstly, we would love to give God all the glory for what He is doing (and is going to do) within our women’s ministry and lives at Franklin Baptist. “Navigate the weaving” has been our theme over the last 3 women’s events. In our current season we are weaving the past, the present and the future. As we reflect back, we get to celebrate what God has done through that time, in lives and in the ministry itself over the years.
We would love to acknowledge and honour Penny Day for all her years of faithful leadership in Flourish. Penny has invested so much of her time, effort and prayers into our women’s ministry and into the lives of many. Thank you, Penny, for all you have done, the seen and the unseen. You are very appreciated and valued. Partway through 2023 Penny made the decision to step down into a supportive role. As part of her decision, she passed the baton of women’s ministry to Kylie Lendrum.
Heading into the future we are re-envisioning what women’s ministry for Franklin Baptist looks like. Currently there is no set women’s ministry team that will organise events. Looking forward the team will change as will the style of events. We want to empower and encourage women to step up and step into their gifts, talents and passions through a range of events, to be part of what God is doing and to give freedom for the Holy Spirit to do his thing.
Navigating allows us those intentional moments of trusting God and partnering with Him as we explore. Together with God we are stronger. Together as women we are stronger. Weaving, you can’t always see the depth of the layers until you turn it on its side or look at it from underneath. When you take the time to look at all sides of the weaving you get to see the true craftsmanship of the weaver OR when you sit and talk to the weaver and listen to their stories. It’s our stories, our experiences and what we bring that allows the weaving to come to life.
So far, together, we have connected, laughed and cried, shared food and talked, prayed, found moments to use our God given voices and listened to other’s stories. We are focussing on connecting with God and with each other and having some fun while we do this.
Looking into the future, we get to navigate and see how God is weaving his story in with ours. We get to take this journey with him.
Isaiah 6:8 NIV
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
We would love to invite you and have you all partner with us in life and in prayer as we “navigate the weaving” individually and together as a ministry.
May God bless each one of you.
Kylie Lendrum
Men’s Ministry
Charlie Potter
We have met three times in the last year for breakfast on Saturday mornings.
These events have been well supported and have included men from other churches.
After we have had an amazing breakfast prepared by an awesome team, led by Greg Abbott that includes Daniel Bailey, Steve Clark, Josh Temu, Nigel Brown and Scott Heaford. We are very grateful for these men who have sacrificed their time, using their talents to bless us as a group.
Our programme has either been watching a video or a quest speaker.
This year we have had Geoff Wiklund and Grant Buchanan as speakers, and their messages have been very encouraging.
Average attendance at these events has been 38. Planning is underway for future events in the coming year, including three monthly breakfasts and social events.
A big thank you goes also to others that have helped with the organisation of events, and a great support to me in the leadership role.
Charlie Potter
community toy library
Leanna Dunk
After joining the Toy Library as head librarian, I began learning the requirements and processes of running the Toy Library sessions. Connecting with existing members and welcoming all our new members is a crucial part of the role as a librarian. I quickly became very passionate about providing this wonderful service for our community.
I was warmly welcomed into the committee by Steve, Lyn and Sophie Clark, and Arlene Hutcheon, Kylie Lendrum joined the committee in late June 2023. Kylie’s support has always been above and beyond what was ever required of her as a committee member.
We made the decision to open a fourth Toy Library session as a trial which to this day has gone very well and gradually has become a more popular day. In November 2023 we were incredibly grateful for the completion of our playground and as an official opening we held a small fundraiser on a Saturday morning with a sausage sizzle, decorate your own cupcakes and a sale of preloved toys. Families and kids love playing in the playground and it allows parents, caregivers, and grandparents to connect with other members which has been great to see.
We warmly welcomed April Haru into the Toy Library Committee as the preparation began for Steve, Lyn and Sophie to leave and embrace the next step in their future. Over the summer break we allowed our members to hire outdoor toys over the closed period which was highly successful and a busy end to the year.
After returning from our summer break, we welcomed Isabella Day to the Toy Library Team and Committee embracing the responsibility of running the Saturday session and really enjoying connecting with all kids and members.
With an increase in change of circumstances we have less members that can help in any of our sessions, which has been challenging but thank you to Melinda Hennessy and Selina Hira for being available for me to call on making it possible for the Toy Library to stay open for our members. Our goal is to acquire new members through connecting with local childcare facilities displaying posters and relooking into designing a basic flyer to drop into various centers in our community with basic information about the service that we offer.
To sum it all up it has been a very productive year and learning the processes and the various roles and responsibilities has been a work in progress. We re navigating the challenges and embracing the positive feedback about the service we provide. Bring on another year!
Blessings
Leanna
alpha
Paul Brown
WOW! 72 people attended Alpha FBC in the last 12 months.
This is what has been happening in the last year:
– the formidable team this year comprised Anthony Dunk, Dennise Biddick, Derek Jolly, Howard McCawe, Jill Courteaud, Kate Caldwell, Keith Amoore, Leanna Dunk, May Lee , Paul Brown, Sherrell Amoore.
– 4 courses were held at FBC & 1 at Pukekohe Christian School (thanks to Carolyn for facilitating this)
– a new initiation is an Alpha Life Group, led by Howard, Anthony & Derek, where life issues are discussed alongside bible study
Advertising:
– thanks to Matt Gould (Alpha head office, Auckland) for speaking at the Alpha promotional Sunday service
– thanks to Mark Bevan (Alpha head office, Auckland) for his continued support & encouragement
– ‘City by City’ national advertising campaign promoted in Auckland & 5 other major NZ cities
– church promotions
Thank you to those who have:
– generously provided meals & refreshments
– provided child-care to enable parents to attend courses
– prayed for the Alpha courses
– invited guests
– supported our Alpha courses in any way
Regional activity:
– conference for Alpha churches to meet & discuss stories, systems & experiences
– conference with Dan Blythe (HTB London) focussing on the younger generation
What now for our non-Christian contacts?
– Think of new & interesting ways to approach & invite folk to this fabulous resource called ALPHA.
Thank you
Paul Brown
karakia 7am + 7pm
Erin Temu
Platform Growth
The ministry continues to grow stronger as people continue to search for peace and comfort. We have 9683 followers in 2024
Leadership Course 2024
This year we were able to financially support Māori Leaders to do a 2 day wananga on Faith led Māori Leadership at Laidlaw college by professor Bradford Haami. (Thank you to our sponsor)
Testimonies
We continue to celebrate God’s goodness in healings, miracles and salvations. These are some of the latest stories in 2024:
First testimony:
“My name is Charles From Kenya. I was a Muslim person for several years, me and my young brothers and sisters in Kenya.
But I come online recently online and read your teachings I turned to Jesus.
Indeed dear Karakia at 7am and 7pm teachings about Jesus has saved my soul and of my younger ones.”
Second Testimony:
“I just wanted to give an update:
This week is my first week without meth, marijuana, waipiro & I’m not in a lesbian relationship anymore
The Lord came back into my life ON HIS OWN, so he intervene I’m glad he did that, I was not expecting that.”
Third Testimony:
“Wow – I just listened to one of your FB lives. I was so blessed to hear you share. As you spoke, I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking to the core of my being. I have never wanted to be vulnerable with anyone about my trauma experiences. Who if any really wants to be that person straight away when coming into a church environment right. Well, I personally never ever wanted to become vulnerable – largely because it hurts so much. And just like how you felt about it, I would rather die than expose my wounds of trauma and abuse. And it’s true we run until we can run no more. Thank you for being obedient to sharing your testimony live. Your obedience to making yourself available has helped bring some clarity and confirmation to my heart and soul. Including much needed revelation heart knowledge. God alone knew who to pick to reach my heart.”
Firewood during winter
I was given money to buy firewood and distribute to someone needing warmth this winter. This is the blessings I see not just online but in a practical way which shows the love of God in those who participate in this online community.
Nga mihi / Thank you
· To those that support our ministry financially
· To those teams who provide prayer support in Australia and New Zealand
· To those who supply professional counselling
· To those who provide administration support in Wellington and Levin
· To those who are called to provide a word, worship and prayer on our platform
· To those who share their testimonies, share the content and pray for the ministry
All Glory to Jesus
Please continue to pray for our ministry as we increase our love for God and people.
If you would like to support our ministry, please let me know.
Seedpods
Agnes De Beer
Who are SEEDPODS?
We are a group of parents and their preschoolers who meet in the FBC café on Thursday mornings. Around 12 adults with 15 children meet at 9:30am for a time of music, movement and story, morning tea followed by an activity.
Why are we here?
Lynley Clark set this group up and passed the baton to Agnes De Beer when she moved out of Pukekohe. When needed Carolyn D’Souza takes the sessions. Lynley had prepared themed boxes of music and activities which are great resources to work with.
We have a vision….to show and tell our Christian faith in our community.
Our families come from varying backgrounds through local friendships, family connections and Toy Library. It is a time of building relationships with Christian and pre-Christian parents in order to share Christ as the Holy Spirit leads.
made with love
Lynda Wilde
Our ladies knitting group has had a very busy year knitting; Cardigans /Jumpers/ Vests/ Singlets/ Beanies/ Bootees/ Blankets. We have ladies who sew quilts/ Bibs/ Muslin face cloths/ Toys. Two of our groups husbands produce rattles from their lathes.
Our monthly coffee mornings are very inspirational and we share ideas and patterns. We all feel the fellowship of this group is very important to us. There are 30 Members in our group.
We have supplied Pukekohe Maternity Hospital over the last 12 months with 203 bags, including 12 Christmas and 10 Easter bags. As an average we are providing 20 bags a month.
The Midwives monitor which mothers have the most needs for the bags and it is very encouraging to hear how gratefully received they are. We have also had some Mothers fill out a ‘feedback’ form and it’s heartwarming to hear their story and to know they truly appreciate our gifts.
Through the year we have made two short presentations to Barfoot & Thompson Real Estate and from this we have received over $600 from their agents, for which we are extremely grateful.
We have also had donations of wool from Michelle Ann Wool Shop in Pukekohe and Spotlight donates their end of line balls to us throughout the year. These very generous contributions are extremely useful towards the high output of knitting our ladies produce.
We so appreciate donations for this important ministry as there are so many Mothers with babies who cannot afford essentials so this enables us to help where we can.
Thank you so much to the Church Family for supporting this worthy Ministry.
heartfelt catering ministry
Lynda Wilde
This ministry helps our church family in times of loss. We want to help to relieve the stress of organising the farewell of our loved ones. We have provided this ministry for 6 years now and we have an amazing team of ladies and gentlemen who all come together when needed for this important ministry.
This year we have had two funerals, both have been from our church family.
We cater for large and small funerals and try to give a wide variety of food. We have 2 menus so family can choose which one they would prefer.
Over the period of years we have tried to organise our teams into two, one for preparation and one for serving. We also have a couple who clean and tidy up after the funeral. This enables the pressure to be spread evenly over the team.
If anyone would like more information regarding this ministry, please contact the church office.
Blessings from the team
He aha te kopu
Erin Temu
Kia ora FBC whanau,
This year we started a new initiative within our community and it is called He Aha Te Kupu?
Our Vision
To create a welcoming and supportive space within the Franklin community for learners of Te Reo Māori at all levels to come together, practice, and learn from each other.
Our Mission
To foster a community-based language learning environment that is enjoyable, inclusive, and respectful.
Achievements for the Year
This year has been a slow but steady journey for He Aha Te Kupu? We are thrilled to share our accomplishments:
- Community Hub: We have successfully established a regular space at Franklin Baptist Church, welcoming learners of all levels to join us on the first and third Fridays of each month.
- Engaging Activities: Our group has enjoyed a variety of activities including games nights, shared meals, and celebrating Matariki with the wider community.
- Language Development: We have focused on enhancing language skills through pronunciation lessons, Koroneihana discussions, games, and waiata practice.
- Digital Engagement: Our Facebook group has grown to 42 members in our first year, creating an online community for sharing resources and connecting with other learners.
Looking Ahead
We are thankful for small beginnings and the potential impact we can have on our community. Our goal for the coming year is to understand what we can do to grow in this space:
- Increasing our membership and expanding our reach within the Franklin area.
- Offering a wider range of activities and learning opportunities.
A Word of Thanks
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Franklin Baptist Church leadership team and staff for providing us with a welcoming space to meet. We are also grateful to all our members for their enthusiasm and commitment to learning Te Reo Māori together.
Join Us!
If you are interested in joining our Roopu (Group), please join our Facebook page: He Aha Te Kupu? @FBC or contact Erin Temu on 027 233 2530 or Kirsty Couper by email couper.kirsty@gmail.com
He Aha Te Kupu? Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month 7pm Franklin Baptist Church
Nau Mai Haere Mai
Prison Ministry
Ian Moorhouse
It has been a significant answer to prayer that from April this year we have been able to recommence taking teams into Springhill Correction Facility to conduct Sunday Church services for the prisoners in the various units.
Our team, which is slowly growing, have all been blessed as they respond to God’s calling on their lives to carry the Gospel into the prison.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5 that as believers, we can no longer regard anyone from a worldly point of view. Christ died for all, regardless of how the world may view them.
Christ’s love compels us to carry the truth of the Gospel to all people and so we go in God’s strength.
The teams see the effect of God’s light in a dark place. We see emotionally shut down people come alive when they experience God’s love and acceptance, often for the first time. We see those who have come to faith in prison become freer inside than many we encounter in the community.
We welcome those who feel God is calling you to this ministry to talk to myself or Grant Buchanan. We welcome as many as possible to pray regularly for our enabling and protection both physically and spiritually.
Isaiah 61 says that Jesus came to bind up the broken- hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Our team see this happen before our eyes. Thanks be to our risen Savior!
Ian Moorhouse
financial report
Jan Day and Den Camacho
The search for a senior pastor has continued this year and it has meant that we have again had changes to our staffing which obviously effects finances. Steve Clark and Josh van de Worp have both come in as Interim Senior Pastors over the last year. Currently our staff team are functioning without a senior or interim pastor and have all had to increase hours at times to cover the work that is needed to be done. Jayden Temu has been employed for 6 hours a week to help Den in the office. These changes really flexed, stretched and adjusted the financial situation of the church. By God’s grace, the staff works well together and are united in getting the job done.
We are on track in achieving our goal to pay all our interest-free loans to members in 5 years. The balance as of this date is $212K and we still have around $30K in the bank to pay more this financial year. That means at the early onset of this financial year, balance will be around $180K. We are forecasting that with the $48K that is budgeted for this financial year, the balance of the interest free loans will of $132K at the end of the current financial year.
Our Actual v Budget figures are shown below. In coordination with CATAS, we have made a change in the format to better help us identify accounts. (i.e. those with tax elements and those without). Our budget for 23/24 and 24/25 are both in the shortfall. Again, our rental income is a big help in augmenting our givings/offerings.
We are still mindful of the condition of the roof, which has been patched for quite some time now and will eventually require expensive repairs.
Again, we are pleased to go into the new financial year in a positive position. Thank you, God.
Den Camacho for Jan Day (Treasurer)
mortgage repayment scheme
Alan Calvert
A brief note for people new to the church.
Less than 3 years ago the church had a mortgage of over $460k. It had over 14 years to run and was costing about $5k per month … interest rates were set to rise.
A small group came up with 3 objectives.
1/ To pay off all interest bearing debt within 4 months. This was achieved by fundraising which was matched dollar for dollar up to $100k thus providing $200k.
This reduced the debt to $260k which was paid off by members of the congregation providing interest free loans for up to 5 years.
2/ To pay off the interest free loans within 5 years. We are on track to achieve that goal.
The present balance owing is $212k but we have funds in hand to make a repayment of $30 k leaving a balance of $180 k.
We anticipate announcing several fundraising events shortly and hope we will all participate and support these initiatives to get this balance paid off as soon as possible.
3/ Both of the above initiatives having been dealing with debt that arose because the church stepped out in faith to build these wonderful facilities that we all enjoy.
The third objective is to create a legacy fund that will provide resources for the next generation.
More details will be provided and feedback sought as we move closer to the final payment of the balance owing.
Alan Calvert.
ADMIN & membership report
Den Camacho
This year, we have focused on moving our office systems more towards digital platforms. These are working well and continuously developing. It is being utilised by the leadership, staff, management, volunteers and some members of the church. Microsoft Teams is being utilised for video meetings, notes and agenda. The Franklin Baptist Church Facebook page and the Franklin Baptist Community Facebook Page has also been actively supported. Communication platforms such as WhatsApp, Messenger and Viber are also being used.
Again, a significant boost to our church’s income comes from our well-organized booking system, facilitated through the PCO calendar platform. From last year’s report, we have upgraded our rooms to have video capabilities. But behind the increase in rentals, the work behind it is demanding. This year we will be organising teams to help in our rental needs and requirements.
In terms of financial management, as per last year’s plan, we have coordinated with our accounting firm CATAS to revise the format of our budget reporting. This will help us identify and manage areas of ministry that needs attention. Designated giving will also be identified whether tax incurring or not. This year, more tailor-made in-house reports will be produced, and this will cater more to our specific ministry requirements. By doing so, we can swiftly access crucial financial data, thereby facilitating more informed financial decisions for the leadership and the church.
Our database has seen an increase of 139 individuals connecting with FBC in some shape or form, rising from 872 last year to 1,011 this year. Majority of the attendance falls on the Ages 4-11; 12-18 and the 65+. The breakdown of these figures is outlined below for your reference.
