From Ben’s Desk

Rain, rain, rain and more rain! The upper part of the North Island, including the Coromandel Peninsula, has had more than its quota of rain for the month in the last 3 days. The weather people have estimated that the rain these last few days has been bigger than a 100-year flood event. Sue and…

Have you noticed that the shops are already full of Easter eggs and hot cross buns? It did not take the retailers long to cash in on yet another religious holy time. I have also noticed that there is quite a lot of talk about lent. Lent is an event recognized by the more traditional…

This week we will start on a journey that I have been preparing for and looking forward to for a long time. We will start to study the letter of Colossians in our morning services. This is one of the shortest N.T. letters. It only has 4 chapters, yet it is one of the most…

It saddens me that once again we witness devastation, damage, death and loss in Christchurch. Last time it was the devastating earthquakes, with their heartbreaking damage. This time it is fires consuming over 2000 acres of sensitive forestry and land, sweeping in through long-established neighbourhoods, reducing 11 homes to ashes and displacing 1000 people, and…

Sue and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a blessed and Christ-centred Christmas. For those of you who are travelling internationally or to some remote part of our beautiful country, we wish you safe travels and a wonderful time away. As I reflect on this past year…

This has been a significant week in the political landscape of N.Z. As you know, John Key, who has served as the Prime minister for 8 years, has stepped down. He has been a political leader who has had to navigate the stormy waters of a world economic meltdown and has been at the helm…

One year, those responsible for decorating their church for Christmas decided to use the theme of “Christmas lists”. Instead of decorating with the usual shiny gold and silver ornaments, they gave each person a red or green tag. On one side they were to write down the gift they would like from Jesus, and on…

With just 4 more weeks to Christmas I am sure by now you will have started your preparations. You may not be one of those annoyingly organized people who have already bought gifts and planned the menus. You may be like me, uncertain and unprepared as to what to buy. Someone at Bible study said…

I was surprised to read recently that there are about 245 million surveillance cameras installed worldwide, with the number increasing at about 15% per year. In addition, millions of people now take photos and videos of everything from parties to holidays, from sports events to crimes. Almost all of our lives are being documented and…

The biggest news event by far in recent times has been the USA elections and the unexpected victory of President elect Donald Trump. It has come as a huge shock that such a rank outsider, a man who has no political experience and has never held any political positions at all, has just been elected…