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P4 : WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT MONEY?

P7 : TOY STORY MT ALBERT

MT. ALBERT BAPTIST MAGAZINE

SPRING 2013

MABC.ORG.NZ

free issue

P6 : HANDYMEN TO THE RESCUE

PLUMBING / GAS / DRAINAGE / ROOFING

PLUMBING / GAS / DRAINAGE / ROOFING

PLUMBING / GAS / DRAINAGE / ROOFING

PLUMBING / GAS / DRAINAGE / ROOFING

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FEATURESP6 HELP MATEA team of volunteers is ready to help with odd jobs PLUS the Chat Room, a slot for your funny and heart-warming stories.

P7 TOY STORYMarion Bain manages the Mt Albert Toy Library, we find out what that involves.

P8 & 9 THE GOOD LIFEJulie Craig and her family have ditched their weekly supermarket shop, and still manage to live generously.

P10 THE HUB BUILDING PROJECTProject manager Darryn Alexander fills us in on MAB’s latest building plans.

P11 TRAVELLING WITHOUT MOVINGTake a seat and read about what three young women achieved on a recent trip to Samoa.

REGULARSP4 FIVE MINUTES WITH JDMAB’s lead pastor Jonathan Dove discusses money and how God fits into finance.

P5 LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE MT ALBERTThe latest about our hands-on projects in the community.

P12 & 13 DEBATEWe ask two people to tell us how important it is to give money away.

P14 NOTICEBOARDWhat’s on in the community and at MAB.

P15 COME AND SAY HI!Check out what happens on a Sunday at MAB and who’s on the church pastoral team.

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We want Crossing to inform and inspire you about what’s happening in the community and at Mt Albert Baptist (MAB).

The name Crossing is all about crossing paths in life, faith and community. Each day we meet so many different people yet it’s impossible to know everyone’s story, so this magazine will help to connect you.

In each issue we’ll also cover a topic that’s being talked about at MAB. This Spring we’re looking at money and what God says about it in the Bible. Our lead pastor Jonathan Dove kicks off the topic on page 4.

We have some exciting regular features, including Love Where You Live Mt Albert on page 5, which is all about pitching in to help others in our community with specific projects.

Crossing will be published three times a year, with the next issue coming out in time for Christmas at Rocket Park (Sunday Nov 24th) – a fabulous community event.

We’d love to hear from you so please give us your feedback.

Amy Williamscrossing@mabc.org.nz

WELCOME TO THE NEW-LOOK CROSSING MAGAZINE!

CONTRIBUTORS Editor Amy WilliamsDeputy Editor Elizabeth Kirkby-McLeodPhotographer Victor Carter Design Husk CreativeSales Manager Murray Williams

Contributors Jonathan Dove, Robyn Dove, Kay Lawson, Marion Bain, Chris GralaEditorial Enquiries Amy Williams crossing@mabc.org.nz Advertising Enquiries Murray Williams crossing@mabc.org.nz

WHAT'S INSIDE?

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I ’ve got some great news for you. You’re rich! I’m guessing that you aren’t breaking out the

champagne and celebrating, right?

After all, rich is a comparative thing. Someone who earns $25,000 considers someone who earns twice as much to be rich. In turn, the person who earns $50,000 looks at someone who earns twice as much again as rich, only to find that person comparing themselves to someone who earns a quarter of a million dollars. But even that person doesn’t feel rich! After all, we tend to compare ourselves to people who have more than us. There’s always someone who earns more and has more, right?

But what if we compared our income to people who have less? The median annual income for a kiwi household is in the top 5.5 percent of the world. To see where you rank in the world for income, go online to www.globalrichlist.com. What you’ll find is that more than 85 percent of the world earns LESS than you do. In other words, they look at you and consider you filthy rich!

Now, I’m not saying this to make you feel bad. That’s pointless. After all, you were born with most of the privileges and opportunities you have. Instead, I want you to hear the advice that God gives to rich people. I know what you’re thinking! When a pastor talks about money, you assume that it’s all about giving money to church. But actually it’s

way bigger than that. What we do with money is a spiritual thing. It affects our identity, fears, relationships, and future.

As a pastor, my primary role is to encourage and equip people to grow in relationship with God and live life well. I rarely encounter resistance when I talk to people about investing in their relationship with an invisible God who loves them unconditionally. But an orange

caution light begins to glow when the subject of money comes up. Yet contrary to popular thought, money is a spiritual issue. Much is at stake in the way we trade it and treat it.

During our Sunday services in September, I want to give

some helpful and relevant advice from the Bible about money in our series called ‘Making Sense of Money’. My hope is that it will free us from the fears and insecurities we have and enable us to experience a new-found faith, hope and love.

“feeling rich and

being rich are quite

different things.”

JONATHAN DOVE IS THE LEAD PASTOR AT MAB, HE’S BEEN IN THE ROLE SINCE 2006 BUT IS SHOWING NO SIGN OF THAT SEVEN-YEAR-ITCH. HERE HE TALKS DOLLARS AND $ENSE.

SEPTEMBER 9AM + 11AM SERVICES

MUCKING IN

MEET THE CANDIDATES

MAB’S ANNUAL WORK-FEST LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE HAS BEEN A HIT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE CHURCH. IT BEGAN BECAUSE WE LOVE MT ALBERT, WE LOVE GOD AND WE LOVE PEOPLE. ROBYN DOVE REPORTS.

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When church shuts down for a Sunday, it’s got to be an important occasion and here it signals the day we put on our gumboots rather than our Sunday jandals (at MAB we come as we are).

It’s the weekend we pick up our tools and help local community groups, schools and charities with specific projects.

We call it Love Where You Live because that’s what we’re doing in a very practical way.

This year, we suspended our regular contemporary Sunday services and put aside a weekend in April for our inaugural Love Where You Live Mt Albert weekend. Rolling up our sleeves, we served our community and worked alongside other community-minded groups including Friends of Oakley Creek, Wesley Primary School and the group who tend the Old Homestead Community Garden in Pt Chevalier.

Lead pastor Jonathan Dove says Love Where You Live is a real success.

“It’s a weekend to practically put legs on the concept of being neighbourly. It’s great working with other groups who are also devoted to making our community a better place to live.”

WHAT’S AHEAD?

We’re already planning our next Love Where You Live project! It’ll be happening in March next year and we know there are lots of groups we can help.

Jonathan says the team is keen to keep trying new things. “This year we tried free car washes and sausage sizzles, as well as random acts of kindness like returning supermarket trolleys at Pak ‘n Save,” he says.“Next year we’re planning on branching out even further by providing in-home help and odd jobs for the elderly.”

The planning team is already at work exploring new possibilities for projects, so don’t be shy about putting forward your suggestions.

“It really is just a blast to do the simple things that Jesus calls us to do and to love where we live,” says Jonathan.

Love Where You Live Mt Albert will run in March next year. If you know of any groups or schools that could do with a hand, please call the MAB office on 849 2849.

Mt Albert churches are inviting candidates for the upcoming local body elections to have a friendly platform on which to air their views and allow the public to get to know them.

MAB lead pastor Jonathan Dove says the event is bound by positive protocol.

“Unlike most political forums we promote respect for others’ airtime and also allow space to get to know something about the person, not just their policies,” he says.

The evening will be filled with time for each candidate standing for the Owairaka local board to speak about who they are and what it is they represent. Local candidates for the seats on the super city, Auckland Council, will also be invited to introduce themselves and their platform.

This event is being held the week before your voting papers are due to be returned (Saturday October 12).

As in previous years, this community event will end with a gold coin donation for supper and a chance for anyone attending to chat more personally with the candidates.

So come along, get informed and meet your local candidates!

Meet the Candidates at MAB, Sun Oct 6 between 7pm-9pm in the church auditorium (big brick building).

THIS IS ONE FOR YOUR DIARY – LOCAL BODY CANDIDATES WILL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THEIR CAMPAIGNS AT MAB ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 6TH. ROBYN DOVE EXPLAINS.

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Chipping In

You’re sure to have noticed Ian Laird as the man who works like clockwork to open and close the church buildings whenever something’s on.

One night after a meeting, Ian didn’t turn up to lock the church buildings and his friend Jim Russell who’d been attending the meeting became very worried. After all, Ian was so diligent that it was just so

out of character. Worried about his friend, Jim hopped in his car and drove around the block to Ian’s house, only to find Ian’s car outside and no answer at the door.

Jim started to dial the police, when a car drove up Ian’s driveway. It turned out a bunch of Ian’s friends from church had taken him out to dinner to celebrate his birthday!

Crossing wishes Ian a very happy birthday – and be assured we’ll be marking the date in our diaries to give you a night off next year!

Ian works as an horologist so if you have any time pieces you need fixing please call him on 846-4095.

THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOUR SHORT STORIES. WE’D LIKE TO TELL THE FUNNY, HEART-WARMING AND JUST PLAIN INTERESTING STUFF. HERE’S OUR FIRST ITEM!

WHEN MURRAY WILLIAMS GETS AN IDEA WE KNOW IT’S A GOOD ONE! HIS LATEST VENTURE IS MATCHING VOLUNTEER HANDYMEN AND WOMEN WITH PEOPLE WHO NEED A JOB DONE.

There’s no job too small for Help Mate’s team, who volunteer their skills and time to help people with tasks they can’t do themselves.

Murray Williams came up with the idea when an elderly lady at Mt Albert Baptist told him she just can’t do the things she used to be able to and how frustrating it is.

“I thought it wouldn’t be a silly idea for us to set up a little group to pop in and do jobs people can’t do themselves,” Murray says.

He took his idea to the lead pastor Jonathan Dove, who agreed straight away to set it up.

That was 18 months ago and now Help Mate has eight volunteers who are available to help with odd jobs. All people need to do is call Murray, and he organises someone to help them.

Help Mate has helped people get to appointments, fix letterboxes, change lightbulbs, and move heavy appliances.

But they have a conundrum – they like to keep busy and they need more jobs!

“We’ve got far more helpers than needs. Many people are very independent and that’s not a bad thing, it’s wonderful, but they should realise there are people who are willing to do this for them,” says Murray.

He emphasises that Help Mate is available to anybody who needs a hand, and it’s not age-specific. It could be something that just needs an extra pair of hands. If people have an on-going job that needs doing, Murray says he knows of younger folk who need some pocket money.

Help Mate isn’t Murray’s first venture at MAB, he’s been attending the church with his wife Ruth for 58 years! They have four children and are proud great-grandparents.

Murray had an interesting change in career – in the 1990s he switched from working in the building products industry to selling real estate and became one of Harcourts’ top NZ salespeople for many years.

Crossing would like to wish Murray a belated happy 80th birthday!

Call Help Mate if you need an odd job done. * MAB office: 849-2849 * Murray: 846-2335

When you walk into the Mt Albert Toy Library you’ll find a room bursting with more than 1000 games, puzzles and toys, and all of them available for no more than a week’s pocket money. It’s the stuff of children’s dreams.

But it’s something that becomes reality twice a week when Marion, the toy librarian, opens the doors to the community. She’s managed the flow of toys there for two and a half years, and still enjoys the hustle and bustle as people drop in with their children.

The Mt Albert Toy Library was set up by a group of volunteers in 1991 and is among 220 not-for-profits that belong to the Toy Library Federation of New Zealand. The federation helps to provide funding for new toys and has its own ‘Toy Express’ store.

Marion also enjoys a good old fashioned shopping spree at local toy shops! “You do get some funny looks at shops when you are buying so many toys, sometimes needing a shopping trolley or staff assistance to carry them all,” she says. And it’s a world away from her work as a pharmacist and mother of two.

The Toy Library operates out of Mt Albert Baptist Church and is open to any families to join. Marion has worked hard to include people from different cultures, and has had the basic guidelines for the Toy Library translated into five different languages. You might also hear Marion speaking Mandarin to some members – she learned the language while she lived in China for five years as a missionary.

Marion says there are some really important reasons for children to have access to high quality, age appropriate toys without the barrier of cost or storage. These include the fact that play builds pathways in children’s brains, it develops social skills and problem solving skills, teaches resilience and coping skills.

Marion saw this first-hand after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes. Some families that had moved to Auckland from the quake-ravaged city approached the Toy Library, and Marion offered them free membership and toy hire for a few months.

“They had lost everything in the quake and for the kids to be able to have some toys and just have a bit of normality, it was really nice,” says Marion about this extra special way the Mt Albert Toy Library was able to bring toy-laden joy into children’s lives.

Toy Library Guide

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MARION BAIN DISPENSES TOYS TO MT ALBERT CHILDREN TWO DAYS A WEEK FROM A ROOM RESEMBLING THE BEST KIDS’ SHOP AROUND. ELIZABETH KIRKBY-MCLEOD FINDS OUT HOW IT WORKS.

The Mt Albert Toy Library is very popular, and sometimes has a waiting list. But right now, it has room for new members.

There’s an upfront membership fee of $40 a calendar year ($20 for those with a Community Services Card). If you join later in the year, you pay only for the months remaining.

Once you’ve joined the toy library, you can hire toys, games, puzzles and play equipment for a fee (this ranges from 50 cents to $3).

Here’s how it works:

• Families (depending on number of children) can to hire up to six toys and get one free puzzle for a two-week hire.

• If a toy is very popular in your home you can re-hire it up to three times in a row.

• Toys are suitable for children from newborn up to about 6 years old.

• Members help out for two hours, twice a year. If you cannot commit to do this you can pay an extra fee to excuse yourself from one or both of these duties.

The Mt Albert Toy Library is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9:15-11:15am during the school terms at Mt Albert Baptist Church, 732 New North Rd.

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IT’S NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT IN MT ALBERT, BUT THE CRAIG FAMILY IS GOING WITHOUT SUPERMARKET SHOPPING FOR A WHOLE YEAR. AMY WILLIAMS FINDS OUT HOW THEY’RE FILLING THEIR CUPBOARDS.

theGoodLife

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When the family moved into their Mt Albert rental home they were told they could do anything with the garden, so over time they transformed the lawn into a vegetable patch. They also built a chicken coop at the back of their section and had six chickens (which they recently ate!).

Growing such abundance isn’t just a hobby, it’s also a lifestyle choice because the Craig family eats from their garden. Late last year, Julie decided to forgo the weekly supermarket shop and rely on trading her homemade goodies (preserves, sauces, vanilla essence and dried herbs to name a few) for items they need. Julie says she’s doing it to save money – not spending at the supermarket for a year will make them $7,200 better off.

Julie keeps an inventory of everything in her cupboards, fridge and freezer and has a weekly list of items the family needs. She’ll swap her preserves for whatever’s top of her list and butter, chocolate, tea leaves, yeast and flour are always in high demand.

“We know what we have to give and we just receive what everyone else can manage. Some people can give more and some people can give less. Some people might value lemon honey more than the baked beans they’ve got in their cupboard,” says Julie.

She recently swapped a jar of homemade plum jam for four wedges of blue cheese (Crossing can attest to her plum jam being well worth that trade!).

Over summer, the Craig family (including teenagers David, 17, and Meoghan, 13) processed 85 kilos of tomatoes into bottles. They’d grown nearly half of that in their own garden and received the rest from a friend with a hot house who had a glut.

Julie and Derek make their own cheese, coconut milk, cleaning products and alcohol and Julie often invites friends around when she’s making something. It takes away the feeling of it being a chore.

“The trade-off is it’s a little bit more elbow grease but it’s cheaper,” says Julie, who also works part time teaching children with dyslexia.

A typical weeknight meal for the Craig family could be a lentil or choco curry, vegetarian quiche or potato onion and mustard seed salad. They eat meat when they can swap their preserves for it.

But the family’s decision to forgo the supermarket runs deeper than wanting to save money. They’ve always been generous with what they have, giving away what they don’t need no matter how well-stocked their cupboards are.

“We don’t have money to give away but we always have time and we also have things that we make and we’re always making sure that we’ve got enough to give,” says Julie.

She admits to caving and visiting the supermarket a few times over the past few months, but even so it was with restraint.

“I never went out and filled my cupboards. I went through my cupboards and took out anything I knew we didn’t need and gave that to the food bank.”

This is the second year the Craig family has lived without supermarket shopping. Three years ago they filled their cupboards with items they traded or were given, because their budget was so tight and they couldn’t squeeze it anywhere else. Julie also says she wanted to try it to get back to the basics of community, and it worked – she made many friends.

Funnily enough, it was through swapping her preserves in 2010 that Julie came to know about Mt Albert Baptist. MAB’s office manager Patricia Sampaio and her husband Gus live on the same street as Julie, and were among the people Julie door-knocked to swap with. Needless to say, a great friendship evolved and Julie started coming to the women’s group The Well (which Crossing is a great fan of).

Fast-forward to 2013, and the family is more intentional in what they swap and how they manage their cupboards.

“I can see really clearly what we have and what we need. Every week I’ll sit down and work out what I need to do for my meals and what I need for that to happen,” says Julie.

“As time goes on you become more canny about what you have.”

And that’s not the only thing the Craigs are switched-on about. Living the good life doesn’t help to pay the bills, so they teach all manner of home and garden skills through their business Oak and Thistle and it’s hard not to be won-over by their enthusiasm for self-sustainable living.

WALKING UP THE PATH TO JULIE AND DEREK CRAIG’S FRONT DOOR IS LIKE DISCOVERING AN ENCHANTED GARDEN. THERE’S A FRUIT TREE WITH TEAPOTS FILLED WITH HERBS HANGING OFF ITS BRANCHES, A VEGETABLE PATCH BRIMMING WITH CABBAGES AND BROCCOLI AND THE REDDEST-STEMMED RHUBARB. THERE’S NOT AN INCH OF GRASS.

Julie and Derek run workshops on gardening, preserving, brewing, chooks, cheese-making and more. For details, see their Facebook page www.facebook.com/oak-andthistle

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Its project manager Darryn Alexander is leading a team of MAB people through the next phase of decision-making. Crossing asked him for the latest.

WHAT’S THE VISION?MAB came up with a concept some years ago and that’s not changed. Something needs to be done with the church buildings because they’re getting old and shabby and are no longer suitable for the business of doing church.

WHAT’S THE BUDGET AND WHERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM?

We’ve done an in-depth financial

analysis of the church budget, and figured out how much fundraising we can realistically hope to get. From that we’ve got a budget of $2 million, and that figure is based on money the church has for this project, plus the unknowns of receiving donations from people who attend MAB, as well as taking out a 20-year mortgage (which is how we’d make up the $800-thousand remainder of the budget).

WHAT CAN WE BUILD WITH THAT MONEY?We’re still trying to work out what that $2 million can get for us and where it would best be spent. At the moment the budget doesn’t allow a clean slate and we want the bulk of the money to go into facilities we

don’t currently have as opposed to replacing facilities we

do have.

We don’t want to demolish anything that’s worthy of being retained. It’s also possible that up to one-third of the budget could go into maintenance that’s been deferred.

One idea the project team has is to expand the existing auditorium. The stage would be relocated to another side of the church. We’d knock out the lounge and kitchen walls and build an atrium that reaches almost to the street (with a new kitchen). There’d be a café on the corner looking out towards Rocket Park. This new atrium would also help to connect the auditorium to the chapel (the wooden building).

WHERE TO FROM HERE?We need to finalise a concept plan and cost it up so we know it’ll meet our $2 million budget. We’ll get a quantity surveyor to do this. Then we’ll present the budget and concept plan to the church.

BUILDING A FUTURETHE HUB IS THE NAME OF MT ALBERT BAPTIST’S BUILDING PROJECT, WHICH IS GETTING DOWN TO DETAIL.

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THREE YOUNG WOMEN FROM MT ALBERT BAPTIST RAISED $7,000 FOR A TRIP TO SAMOA, BUT IT WASN’T ABOUT VISITING THE RESORTS. KAY LAWSON GETS THE LOW-DOWN.

When you first hear about the Word of Life Youth Reachout it sounds a bit like a Christian boot camp! In a way it is, but with loads of fun and set in paradise.

MAB’s youth leader Jess Lovatt joined high school students Ellyse Johnson and Zoe Pegman on a three week trip to Samoa in July, to take part in the Word of Life Youth Reachout.

That’s a programme that helps teenagers grow deeper in their relationship with God by encouraging them to share their faith with others in a cross cultural setting.

Jess, Ellyse and Zoe joined 20 other high school students from New Zealand on this trip and spent the first week at a training camp at Fao Fao village, learning about the foundations of the Christian faith. From there, they were invited into schools, churches and villages around Apia to share their faith with the local people.

Ellyse says it was a powerful and intense experience and that she learnt a lot from the seminars and talks that she can apply to her life. She says she feels a real desire to be more open about her faith at school.

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We asked two people to tell us

"WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING AWAY MONEY. IS IT IMPORTANT?"

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Class Levels: Beginner // Elementary // Pre-Intermediate // Intermediate

For more information phone the office on 849 2849 or refer to page 14.

ENGLISH CLASSESWED MORNINGS AT MT ALBERT BAPTIST

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SHE SAYS I am not the most generous person I know and I’m not trying to set myself up as a shining example. But I’ve been giving away money regularly since I had my first paper run and I can’t imagine a life where giving away some money was not part of how I spent my income.

This is not just a Christian issue – a study by Harvard’s Michael Norton found that giving away money makes you feel both wealthier and happier. I certainly find this is true for me – money equals either generosity or greed for me, so I practise generosity even as I struggle with greed. Through giving away money, what I have suddenly rushes back into perspective – and I have plenty!

That’s the other reason generosity is so important, because I do have much more than I ought. I was born in the poor, oppressed north of Nigeria, an especially bad place to be born a female. Why have I been gifted such a rich life compared to all other girls born in Sokoto on New Years Eve that year?

Back in the fourth century, land was what made you rich and so preacher John Chrysostom challenged those with more than their fair share to prove that they had acquired it justly. He argued that the root and origin of all inequality is injustice: “Because God in the beginning did not make one person rich and another poor. He left the earth free to all alike.”

Today it’s resources that make us rich; money, education, opportunity. I was born to parents with more resources - that was my luck but in a way it caused another’s lack. There are many great organisations working with those without resources – the homeless, the poor, the widowed, the orphans, the sick, the majority of females

in our world, the oppressed. They are in their unique ways working to fight the injustice of inequality. God and my own conscience ask me to love justice; giving to these organisations is one way I can.

John Wesley said, “When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.” I want my heart to be full of love, joy, peace, mercy - the qualities of God’s reality. I have the discipline of giving to keep greed out, to bring justice in and to keep my heart free for God.

Elizabeth Kirkby-McLeod is Crossing's deputy editor. She's been attending MAB for more than five years and goes to the Classic Service on Sundays.

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HE SAYSOne of my favourite internet memes of the past year is called “First World Problems” (a meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture). First World Problems are the annoyances of rich Westerners.

These include: “The microwave is faster but the oven makes it taste better,” and “I can’t hear the TV because my cereal is so crunchy,” and “our house is so big that we need two Wifi routers.”

The fact that so many of us understand and share these problems makes this meme funny.

But it also demonstrates the most important insight I believe we can have about our current culture and time: that we’re living in a society of unprecedented abundance, and we must forcefully remind ourselves that the rest of the world doesn’t share in this.

Yes, poverty is decreasing in the world, but any rational person must accept that basically all New Zealand citizens are vastly more wealthy than the majority of the world’s population.

‘Should we do anything about it?’ is the first question to address.

For Christians, I believe debate on this point is redundant. It would be pretty safe to say that there’s never been a Christian that was not aware of Jesus’ love for the poor.

If you are not a Christian, imagine that before the start of the world, everyone is assembled in heaven to discuss what life on Earth will be like – what rules, laws, and structure the future human society

will have. No one knows when or where they’ll be born, they don’t know if they’ll be rich or poor, a New Zealander or a Mexican, male or female, disabled or able bodied.

Under these circumstances, what society would the veiled humans choose? The point of the exercise is that when the subjectivity of our personal circumstances is removed, humans choose social and economic equality.

Obviously things are different in the real world. Societal experiments with massive transfer payments from the rich to the poor haven’t gone particularly well in the past 20th Century and European communism is a prime example.

I’m also the first to admit much of the aid given to poor countries has been wasted and pointless. Robert Guest’s book “The Shackled Continent” shows how aid to Africa hasn’t really improved the country’s situation.

However I do believe that it’s important for us to give money away. Not just because it is a clear and incontestable instruction from Jesus to his followers. And not just to help the people we’re giving the money to. I personally see giving away money as the best way to help ourselves. Giving money to charities helps give us perspective to overcome our own First World Problems.

The next time you experience an irritation in your life in New Zealand, think about the countries aid agencies operate in. The people in these countries have legitimate worries: will I have enough food to survive? Will a militia exterminate my family? Will I die of a preventable disease this year?

It really puts not having a Wifi signal in perspective.

Chris Grala works at a commercial door company during the week and has been coming to MAB for four years.

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FUN FOR FAMILIES JUST FOR YOU CULTURAL BEYOND CHURCH LOOKING AHEAD

Noticeboard

TRACTION YOUTH

Each Friday night (during the school term) students in years 9 to 13 gather for Traction. Starts with a $3 dinner at 6.30pm, the programme ends at 8.45pm. Downstairs in the wooden building at Mt Albert Baptist.

TOY LIBRARYTuesdays and Wednesdays from 9.15-11.15am during the school term. See story on page 7 for full details. Street level in the wooden building at Mt Albert Baptist.

MAINLY MUSICA music and dance programme for pre-schoolers, two sessions at 9.15am and 10.45am on Monday mornings during the school term. Newcomers are welcome to attend a session before going on the waiting list. Held in the large, brick building at Mt Albert Baptist.

WIGGLE AND RHYMEA fun, free programme that provides positive movement experiences to stimulate development of both the brain and body for babies zero to two years. Mt Albert Library, Monday, 11.30am, during the school term. Pt Chevalier Library, Monday 10.30am during the school term.

STORYTIMEStories and songs led by librarians (and occasionally by authors or other guests). These are ideal for kids aged 3 - 5 years. Mt Albert Library, Friday and Saturday, 11am during the school term. Pt Chevalier Library, Tuesday and Friday, 10am during the school term.

KIDS FOREVER PRESCHOOLOur Christian preschool is held during the week for 3 and 4 year-olds with morning and afternoon sessions. For more information call Kids Forever on 846 8081

THE WELLA praise, prayer and study group for women of all ages with childcare provided. Thursdays from 9.30-11.30am. Held in the large, brick building at Mt Albert Baptist.

QUIET MORNINGAn organised time for reflection and prayer on Saturday September 21, led by a trained spiritual director and held on the beautiful, historic grounds of the St Francis Retreat Centre. For more information contact Jackie or Janferie Wise on 630-4929.

ESOL Conversational English classes, Wednesday mornings from 9.30am to 11.30am (during Primary School terms). Start any week, at any level (beginner to intermediate). Costs $3 per lesson or $20 per term (9-10 weeks), childcare is also available at a cost of $3 per session. Held in the large, brick building at Mt Albert Baptist.

CHINESE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

Celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, a major Chinese festival, on Saturday September 21 from 6.30pm to 9.00pm. Celebrations include potluck, singing, games, and eating Moon-cake. You don’t have to be Chinese to help celebrate! Held in the large, brick building at Mt Albert Baptist.

CHRISTIANITY EXPLORED

Investigate Christianity in a relaxed open environment during this seven week course. You don’t have to know anything about the Bible, you won’t be asked to read aloud, pray or sing and you can ask any questions you like! To find out about the next course, call the MAB office on 849-2849 or email office@mabc.org.nz

DISCOVER MT ALBERT BAPTIST MORNING TEALearn more about Mt Albert Baptist by joining us for morning tea. Held every six weeks on a Sunday at 10.30am, street level in the wooden building at MAB. For the next event call the office on 849-2849.

WOMEN’S WALKING & TALKING GROUPThe first Tuesday of every month during school terms from 9am-11am at McDonald’s, Pt Chevalier (1159 Great North Rd). Park on the roadside please. The walk starts at 9.05am, and returns to McDonald’s by 10:30am for a chat. This is open to all age groups. No problem if it’s raining, we’ll still enjoy a chat at McDonald’s. Enquiries to Hazel Jackson - 021 217 6305.

EQUIP SEMINARSIf you want to grow your faith or consider reasons for the Christian faith Equip is the place for you. The next Equip seminars will run on Sundays from Sept 29 - Oct 13, at 6.30pm at the church.

CHRISTMAS AT ROCKET PARKChristmas at Rocket Park will be held on Sunday November 24! The annual event starts at 4pm with family time, and the show runs from 6pm-9pm. More details to come but we can confirm Late 80’s Mercedes and Petra Bagust will be there!

&Women’s Walking Talking GroupWHEN: The first Tuesday of every month

during school terms from 9am – 11am.

WHERE: Meet at McDonald’s, Pt Chevalier

1159 -1161 Great North Rd,

Pt Chevalier (park on the roadside please).

We leave on our walk at 9.05am,

and return to McDonald’s by 10.30am for a chat.

This is open to all age groups...

from Mum’s with pushchairs, to Grandma’s who want to stay fit.

No problem if it’s raining, we’ll still enjoy a chat at McDonald’s.

I hope you can join us... it will be fun!

Enquiries to: Hazel Jackson – 021 217 6305

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WHAT HAPPENS ON SUNDAYS?WE HAVE SERVICES AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND IN DIFFERENT STYLES. AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR AUDITORIUM YOU’LL BE WELCOMED AND OFFERED ONE OF OUR MONTHLY BULLETINS. TAKE A SEAT. WE START A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE SERVICE WITH OUR BAND OR A VIDEO PRESENTATION.

09:00/11:00 KIDZCHURCH We have a variety of age-related kids programmes running at the same time as our 09:00 and 11:00 Contemporary services. Children begin with adults in the main auditorium and leave around 15 minutes into the service.

09:00 CLASSIC (CHAPEL)Our Classic service meets in the middle building at 9am. It’s a quieter service which features a mixture of traditional and modern hymns and songs, with the organ and piano. The service then joins the live message from the contemporary service via video feed.

Our services are different each week but the one constant is that we want our lives affected and changed by God. We believe that God – Father, Son and Spirit – is our supreme audience. We praise Him in song. We listen to teaching from the Bible designed to nourish and challenge our lives. We draw near to Him as individuals and as a community.

09:00/11:00 CONTEMPORARYThis is a contemporary service with a band leading the worship. We seek to combine God’s word with music (both modern and hymns) to motivate and encourage each other. This is a more upbeat and varied service that features biblical life-related teaching supported by a variety of creative arts and multimedia. It’s an informal time so come as you are – no need to dress up.

11:00 GRAVITY This is the Year 7-9 youth group who get together every Sunday in school terms during the 11:00 Contemporary service.

NEWCOMERSWe have a barista at your service! After church, roll on up to the coffee machine and place your order – your first coffee’s free. Here are a few ways you can connect: • Sign up for the next Discover MAB morning tea.• Fill out an info form to receive our weekly e-news at the welcome desk in the foyer.

LIFEGROUPSThese are small groups of MAB people that meet during the week to study the Bible and share a meal or cuppa. Pick up a booklet in the church foyer, or call the office on 849-2849 to find out where and when they meet.

COME SAY HI!

ALBERT NGChinese Ministries Pastoralbert.ng@mabc.org.nz021 659 501

JONATHAN DOVELead Pastorjonathan@ mabc.org.nz021 449 237

JEFF ORRYouth & Young Adults and Community Pastorjeff.orr@ mabc.org.nz021 929 921

KAREN FOUNTAINChildren, Families Pastorkaren.fountain@mabc.org.nz021 067 8178

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