A very late newsletter …. Best Intentions – Kia Kaha !

This is very late newsletter, I can only apologise and say I had the best intentions…

So to pick up where I left off, I was making this grand commitment to blog regularly and cleverly as I made my way around the US and Europe on my great adventure in March, but the plan stalled on about day 9 and somewhere in the vicinity of new York …. So that where we will pick up.

The Big trip.

The trip was great, I have travelled a great deal , but rarely have I felt so strongly that the Lord’s hand was upon a trip. It was a great time to connect with so many significant people. The time in Hungary was especially significant to me as i was able to share at the speakers week for students at CCBCE. I was able to share so much of what the Lord has been teaching me over the last year from Psalm 23. I also had the opportunity to share about our venture of faith in Hungary , in the UK and also to students at CCBC at the Murrieta’s campus in Southern California.

CCBI

Our small student body has begun to grow and are moving closer to being maxed out at our capacity 20 students for our first semester, which begins in September. It is encouraging to see God moving on hearts and guiding them to come to school here in NZ, yet with so many things to do in preparation for the semester, it often seems truly overwhelming.

Please pray for God’s resources in all these different needs, in His Way, in His timing.
One area of need is transportation, please pray with us that the Lord would provide a van for the school, to facilitate ministry in various locations around New Zealand.

Jake and Tecla Wilmoth have submitted their visa application for missionary workers visa, as they look to serve with us here at CCBI. Please pray this application will be approved and that they will be able to join us in early July.

Church Ministry

I have had the opportunity to speak at several different ministries across New Zealand and it has been a real blessing. I recently completed a three week series on worship at Capenwray Bible school in Cambridge, New Zealand. The messages were well received and allowed us to extend our connection with believers across the Christian community in New Zealand. I had the opportunity to teach at The Street in Wellington , a large church from a brethren heritage, that just love the Lord and His Word, this has been joy to my heart.

Gwyn and I continue to serve here in the Calvary Chapel in Rotorua, I work closely with the worship team and Gwyn serves in the Sunday school ministry and helps in the teaching of the monthly Ladies study. One weekend each month, we travel to the Calvary Chapel in Hamilton and lead worship for the Sunday Service, the Friday night Gwyn teaches the Ladies study along with Julie the pastors wife.

Jordy & Becki, have once again been getting involved in ministry, they have been serving at the Lakes Ranch evangelical Kids camp , which takes place every 12 weeks here on the ranch where we live.

Calvary Chapel In New Zealand

In the second week of May, the Calvary Chapel pastors here in New Zealand had their 6 monthly get together, this time at Hamner Springs, a couple of hours outside Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island. It was a great to see our numbers swell, with David Pham, now pastoring CC Wellington and Miguel Abascal CC Whangarei joining us for the first time.

There is a real awareness of God’s hand being upon the work here in New Zealand and our heart is to see the ministry of the Word reach an increasing number of believers and unbelievers. One of the outcomes of our time together is that I have taken on the responsibility to work with the Calvary ladies to organise a Calvary Chapel Ladies conference and to organise our next pastors get together in which we will extend our time together, so that we can invite key guys who serve in the ministry and invest in them too. Personally, I also have a heart to encourage and develop worship leaders too, so it is on my heart to organise something for worship leaders, probably a day conference during the next year.

As you can imagine the next year will probably be busy one, much prayer, much appreciated Zechariah 4:6

Family

Last but certainly not least, here are a few things that are happening in our family life….

From May 27th Until June 9th, Gwyn will be in the USA attending the wedding of some very dear friends. Please pray for her to be refreshed, encouraged and spoilt rotten. For Grace and anointing as Gwyn will teach several ladies studies whilst in Southern California.

Jordy and Becki continue to keep going forward in school and in church life. It has been a tough year for us all but particularly for them, relocating , moving away from all their significant friendships, this is never easy, and this has been very challenging for two very special teenagers. I find myself continually proud and amazed at their willingness to trust God and go through the hurt of literally starting again.

We are coming up on one year here in New Zealand, that strange anniversary will be June 23rd 2010, for all of us their are good days and bad days, yet the Lord has remained ever present and ever faithful.

He is “Kia Kaha – Forever Strong”, this is our Saviour.

God has called us and we are not our own, we value your love, your prayers and all your care. Please continue to labour with us in prayer for the ministry here in all its facets, asking for an inheritance in many nations for the glory of Messiah- Psalm 2:8

In Him M & G

STOP PRESS – We have just taken possession of the keys to the downstairs property under the church in Rotorua, a step of faith to start a coffee shop and ministry centre central downtown Rotorua. So please pray the Lord would guide and provide, more in the next update.