Glyn Carpenter on 2012
(and some books you
might find useful)
 Greetings at the start of another year. We pray God’s blessing on all who love the Lord and are working and praying to see His kingdom come here in Aotearoa New Zealand. 2012 is shaping up to be a big year for NZ Christian Network. Three strategic forums in February on key public issues (secularisation, marriage, and sacred life-abortion) will be followed by road trips around the North and South Islands in March and April. These will offer the chance to update and hear from local ministers’ groups around the country on these topics, as well as make progress on planning for the Gospel bicentenary (2014). Read more…
National forums to focus
on critical issues
 National forums on Secularism, Marriage, and Sacred Life/Abortion will be held at Carey Baptist College in Auckland over 15-17 February. Attendance at the forums is by invitation only, however attendance at subsequent road trip meetings is open to all. The road trips will also include planning for the 2014 Bicentenary of the Gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand. Read more…
Religious diversity in
the workplace
 The Human Rights Commission has finally published the religious diversity in the workplace guidelines. NZ Christian Network National Director Glyn Carpenter has been involved as a member of the reference group commenting on the various draft documents. Read more…
Marsden cross excavation
 As part of the preparations for celebrations to mark the 2014 bicentennial of the arrival of Rev. Samuel Marsden in New Zealand, the University of Otago and the Department of Conservation are combining on a joint project, the Marsden Cross Excavation. A website charting progress can be found at www.doc.govt.nz/marsdencrossdig, and there is a related Facebook page. There will also be a public open day on Saturday 18 February, starting at 10 am.
Pope speaks to NZ bishops
about secularism
 In light of the increasing secularisation occurring in New Zealand, NZCN National Director Glyn Carpenter was pleased to read that Pope Benedict has told the bishops of New Zealand and the Pacific that the Christian faith provides the best foundation for society, and that promoting the New Evangelisation is the best way to build a Christian culture. Read more…
Marriage Week in Tauranga
 Local churches and organisations in Tauranga and the western Bay of Plenty have taken out a double page spread in local paper The Weekend Sun to promote Marriage Week events and resources. The initiative also carries an endorsement from Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, who writes: “Marriage is an important building block in the structure of New Zealand society. Strong marriages help build strong relationships and families which make for good communities and country.” |
The need for virtue
 "Democracy and the market are not machines that can run themselves," according to public intellectual, George Weigel, from the Ethics and Public Policy Centre in Washington DC. "It takes a certain kind of people, who are living a certain set of virtues, to make democracy work. As we have seen in Europe recently, a deficit of democratic culture can be as dangerous to the future of societies as fiscal deficits." Read more…
Has Europe lost its soul?
 “The task ahead of us is not between Jews and Catholics, or even Jews and Christians in general, but between Jews and Christians on the one hand, and the increasingly, even aggressively secularising forces at work in Europe today on the other, challenging and even ridiculing our faith,” writes the Commonwealth Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks. Read more…
Christians active in the public square
 NZ Christian Network’s sister network in the UK, the Evangelical Alliance, has released research showing that Christians are not only web-savvy but using social media tools to help influence public debate, and to a far greater degree than the average British citizen, new research shows. Read more…
Research reveals barriers to faith
 New research into the reasons why Australians don’t accept Christian faith has been released by Olive Tree Media. Olive Tree Media produces a range of Christian media resources including television series, daily radio spots, e-mail devotions and devotional books. Read more…
World Prayer Assembly – Pacific
 New Zealand and Pacific representatives will join the World Prayer Assembly, to be held in Jakarta on 14-18 May 2012. Read more…
 Maori phrase of the month
We will be building up a short karakia over the next few months, one line at a time. The first line of the karakia follows. The whole karakia can be found on our website. Please join us as we learn together some simple prayers in Maori in preparation for the Gospel bicentenary in 2014.
Whakakotahi tatou kei raro i te korowai o Karaiti
Unite us under Christ’s cloak
|
Seminar on church, state and war
The Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, in conjunction with NZ Christian Network, are planning a seminar on the theme “Church, state and war” in Auckland on Saturday 28 April from 9 am to 5 pm. The aim is to encourage Christians of every denomination to reappraise their attitudes in this area in the light of the Gospel. Speakers so far confirmed are Paul Oestreicher and Richard Jackson. Venue yet to be confirmed. For more information, contact Chris Barfoot, phone 09 575-6142 or email [email protected]
Prayer at Parliament
Hon Chester Borrows, MP for Whanganui, invites members of all church denominations to participate in the first "Prayer @ Parliament" for 2012. The event will be at 7:20 pm on Thursday 22 March in the Grand Hall, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, and is in association with Prayer @ Parliament Gathering, Convener Pastor Rasik Ranchord. It is essential to register for this event for security purposes. For more information, email [email protected], or visit www.prayeratparliament.org.nz
New postgrad approvals for Carey Baptist College
For some years Carey Baptist College has been offering undergraduate theological degrees in applied theology. More recently it has wanted to teach its own postgraduate qualifications as well and on 23 November the New Zealand Qualifications Authority gave approval for two new qualifications, and accredited Carey to teach these. The two qualifications are a one-year full-time equivalent Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Theology and a two-year Master of Applied Theology.
|
Fundraising for faith-based groups
A workshop on fundraising for faith-based groups will be presented by Wayne McKenzie, a consultant at Global Philanthropic, during the Fundraising Institute of NZ 2012 conference, in Auckland 10-12 May. For more information, contact Ashley Gatewood, email [email protected]
Mark Holmen return visit
 Mark Holmen is a national and international consultant and speaker for the "Faith At Home" movement that equips congregations to make the home the primary place where faith is nurtured. His visit to New Zealand in November last year was truly incredible. There would seem little doubt that the Faith@Home message is a message whose time has come. Mark will visit Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington, Lower Hutt, and Christchurch between 5-15 May 2012. For more information, email [email protected], or ph (07) 825 8330.
|
Stay Connected