Church Highlights

January 26, 2021

The Sunday School for the middle class held a day camp activity. The children played games together, listened to God's word, and enjoyed fellowship, which deepened their friendships and enhanced their teamwork skills. We pray that our children will follow the Lord's path throughout their lives. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

February 6, 2021

The brothers and sisters from Jiaen Church formed a short-term mission team to travel to Taupo. On that day, Pastor Fangling Ai shared a message about peace in the New Year. Additionally, optometrist Han Shuo gave a professional talk on eye care, and the sisters presented wonderful dances while the children participated in musical performances.

February 14, 2021

During Jiaen Church's New Year Sunday service, brothers and sisters gathered to worship God, dance, and enjoy the children's musical performances as they celebrated the New Year together. After the service, we shared a reunion meal.

February 28, 2021

The opening ceremony for the Discipleship Red Book program took place, with a total of ten brothers and sisters participating in the nine-month study. We pray that the Lord will strengthen their faith and guide them to successfully complete their learning.

April 4, 2021

Easter Sunday worship is a day to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of humanity. The choir presented the song "My Soul is Heavy to the Skull."

May 9, 2021

We celebrated Parents' Day Sunday. The children presented songs and dances, along with a painting they created as gifts for their fathers and mothers.

We thank the Lord for His guidance! It is once again the annual Youth Sunday. The leaders are mostly young people, including the chairperson, worship team, and ushers.

May God lead and guide the youth fellowship in the steps ahead, and may the young people shine as light and salt for the Lord.

On Mother's Day, the children prepared gifts and a dance.

August 15, 2021

It was the annual Mission Sunday, with Pastor Fang as the speaker. The message was titled: "Are You Ready?" The scripture was Romans 13:11-12.

On that day, four brothers and sisters decided to believe in Jesus.

Eighteen brothers and sisters committed to dedicating themselves more to Christ in the new year.

August 2021

The pandemic continues to fluctuate, and once again we find ourselves in lockdown, yet this has not stopped us from worshiping God. We have begun online services.

Online gathering for the children's Sunday school class

Online gathering for the Cantonese group

Online gathering for the Bethany group

October 1-2, 2021

The TCMC Deacons' Family Retreat. During this two-day, one-night event at Stepping Stone, the deacon families shared, encouraged, and enjoyed fellowship with one another. They also discussed the church's ministries for the upcoming year.

Sunday School activities

Craft class for the children's Sunday school

Birthday celebration for the little class in March

Chinese New Year Calligraphy Exhibition

The Children's Sunday School aims to bring children to the source of wisdom, the living God, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform their lives. ... Such children have their faith rooted in the rock of Jesus Christ, developing Christ-like character, so that as they grow and enter society, they can glorify God and benefit others. The ministry of Children's Sunday School is an essential part of the Great Commission and serves as a significant testimony of the church's revival.

Children's Craft Class

Sunday School Teachers

Group Gatherings

Cantonese Group Gathering

Taupo Group Gathering

The Cantonese group meets monthly, where everyone brings a signature dish, listens to the Word of the Lord together, enjoys fellowship, and prays for one another.

Sharing from Brothers and Sisters

Baptism Testimonies

Witness: Dai Wei

First of all, I want to express my gratitude to Sister Tina and Aunt Suhua for bringing me to the church, allowing me to meet many brothers and sisters. More importantly, I have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, for which I am truly thankful.

On Sunday, July 14th of last year, Brother Yizhou explained the gospel to me and led me in a prayer of commitment. That day, I decided to accept Jesus as my lifelong Savior. I realized that I am a sinner and cannot save myself. Therefore, I chose to follow the Lord Jesus, asking Him to forgive my sins and rescue me from my wrongdoing.

Before knowing the Lord, I was a restless person, filled with jealousy, complaints, and hatred. When I worked in Japan, I experienced a lot of stress and had poor sleep. Thank the Lord, my life has slowly changed because of Jesus; my heart is now filled with joy, peace, and hope.

After the pastor taught me the baptism class, I came to know the Lord Jesus more deeply. I thank God for bringing this lost child back into the embrace of the Heavenly Father, giving me a home from now on. The Bible also teaches me to learn to be thankful in all things and how to be a Christian who pleases God, serving the Lord Jesus. Now, my heart is filled with the love of the Lord Jesus, and I live with a more positive outlook. Each day, I face life and work with the strength that the Lord Jesus provides.

Believing in the Lord Jesus is not about receiving material needs, but about finding true rest for the soul, being freed from sin, and gaining eternal life. I thank the Lord Jesus for giving me a brand new life, and I give all the glory to the Lord Jesus. Amen!

Witness: Wen Juling

I arrived in Tauranga from Chongqing on February 27, 2019, to reunite with my husband, Steve. During the year before our reunion, Steve often shared his experiences and thoughts about going to church with me, as well as his daily insights and revelations from God. Many times, I found the messages Steve shared to be profound and philosophical, but at that time, I had no awareness that they came from God's wisdom.

It wasn't until I stepped onto New Zealand soil and visited the Chinese Methodist Church for the first time that the warm care and greetings from the enthusiastic brothers and sisters made me feel the warmth of family in a foreign land. Sister Qiuyou kindly drove me to English classes and the Alpha course run by English speakers for several months. On March 17th, Pastor Lingai invited me to dinner, and Pastor Xiao shared the gospel with me that day. That evening, I prayed the prayer of commitment, and I am grateful that God chose me to be a child of His kingdom. On November 17, 2019, my husband and I were baptized in this church.

Throughout this journey, my husband and I have experienced a smooth, peaceful, and joyful life in New Zealand. There have been a few setbacks along the way, but after praying to God for help, everything turned around. I thank God for listening to our cries and prayers. Steve's work visa was extended; he faced severe challenges at work; I struggled to adapt to being unemployed in New Zealand; we moved and settled into a new home; and there were many instances of God's goodness and grace in the buying and selling of our house.

I am a person who tends to see the world through a lens of melancholy. Back in my home country, I worked as a cutting-edge creative designer at the Automotive Research Institute. Researching trends and conducting frontier analysis were fundamental skills in my profession. My previous job was filled with both challenges and joys, as well as moments of heartache. God led my wife and me to New Zealand, but my language skills were poor, and I found myself without work. After a month of novelty, I fell into a deep sense of disorientation. I wanted to return home, feeling that all the beautiful things in New Zealand had nothing to do with me. I lost my original circle of friends, my job, and my sense of worth. I arrived in New Zealand on February 27, and I remember feeling particularly negative on March 27. I didn’t want to go out or see anyone. On that day, Sister Qiu Qiu unexpectedly visited my home, spent some time talking with me, and took me to Dairen's house for an Alpha course. While at Dairen's, I felt like I was on the verge of a breakdown and ended up crying while chatting with them. They saw my sadness and didn’t know why I was crying, but they embraced me and prayed for me, calling upon God. An hour after the prayer, I received an email from the immigration office, and on that very day, March 27, my work visa for three years in New Zealand was approved. In that moment, I seemed to understand God's intention: He wanted me to stay, assuring me that everything would be taken care of in the future. Over the past year, I have adapted to life in New Zealand and to living without a job. Now, I truly enjoy the present moment. I have found genuine peace and assurance from God.

Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds

My name is Kelly. When I was nine years old, I came to New Zealand with my parents. My first encounter with God was when my parents and I attended Sunday service at church. It was in the children's Sunday school class that I first heard the stories from the Bible and the words of God. At that time, I had no understanding of Christianity and had never heard about who Jesus Christ is or the miracles He performed. So, I only remember that the message I heard that day was completely different from anything I had experienced before. Looking back, it seems that God had already planted a seed in my heart at that time. Soon after, I began my educational journey at Bethlehem College, a Christian school. It was here that my daily learning and life allowed me to connect with many classmates and teachers who shared the Christian faith. They provided me with much help and care in both my studies and daily life. I prayed, worshiped, and learned God's words alongside them every day. Over time, I became very envious of those who could be so joyful every day. They shared with me that their happiness came from God working in their hearts, so I decided I wanted to become one of those 'happy' people as well. Thus, I made a commitment in prayer, accepting Jesus as my Savior and pledging to follow Him for the rest of my life. From that moment on, I felt that I was no longer facing life's challenges alone; I could sense that someone was beside me, guiding me. When I sometimes felt misunderstood by my parents or classmates, I prayed to God, knowing that He would understand me and hear my prayers to help and support me. After I decided to follow Jesus, my perspective on life and the world changed significantly. Before knowing Jesus, I believed that if someone hit me, I had to hit back to be fair. But after coming to know Jesus, the Bible taught me: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”

To my friends who are about to enter or are currently in their teenage years, I have a small sharing. Each of us in this stage may experience moments of feeling misunderstood. If we react impulsively to argue or explain, it may not only fail to resolve the issue but could also lead to more misunderstandings and conflicts. In such times, what we need to do is simple: pray to God, asking Him to comfort our hearts and guide us in resolving the problem. You will find that God will greatly reveal His power in this situation. What we cannot change in people and circumstances, God can, for He is sovereign. Thank you all!