We are excited to inform you that we have released a new church app that replaces our old one. It’s called “Church Center”; you can find it in the Apple App Store and Android Google Play Store for free. This new app will be the place to sign up for events, see what groups you’re in and catch up on sermons. You’ll also be able to update your contact details so we can contact you. We’ll continue to add more features over the next few months. For example, you’ll need it to register for the Couplehood during Parenthood seminar that’s coming up. We’ll gradually use it more over the next few months. 

If you don’t have a smartphone, no worries. You can also connect through the Church Center website. Download it and log in today using the email address you have on file at The Street.

If you have any issues logging in, please contact us.

As you listen to Simon and Jenny’s Vision Sunday message, you’ll hear how much we value every person playing their part in our Sunday gatherings. Not just to get things done, but because our church is a richer community when we do.

How could you be more involved in contributing to a Sunday service if you’re not already?

We’d love to welcome you onto one of our serving teams if you’re not already on one. Please get in touch for a chat if you’d like to get more involved!

I love an inspirational quote. Things that encourage me to step up and out. The Bible is full of verses that can inspire us too. Many people share them as memes, write them in journals or even get them as tattoos.

And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with this. All of these things can be really helpful. But living these things out can be a different challenge.

As I read Joshua 1, one of the things that stands out to me the most is that five times God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. Five times! I think God really needed Joshua to remember it.

Strong and courageous is a pretty inspiring phrase but if we’re not careful, it can easily stay as just a phrase and little more. The reason is because of what it takes to actually live it out.

I don’t need strength and courage to eat ice-cream and watch Netflix. Instead, I really need strength and courage when there is every reason to be weak and afraid.

We need strength and courage to stand out as followers of Jesus. We need it to allow God to challenge an area of our lives. We need it as a church right now to step into the opportunities that God is opening up to us.

Joshua needed it because he was to lead God’s people into a land of giants. But what I also find interesting is that God wasn’t commanding Joshua to find it in himself and he isn’t asking us to either.

The secret is found in the other phrase that’s repeated in chapter 1 - “I will be with you.” God could ask Joshua to be strong and courageous because of the promise of His presence.

If this could be true of Joshua, how much more for us who have believed Jesus? The one who not only rose from the dead but has given us the Holy Spirit - the very power, presence and person of God in our lives.

We can be strong because we believe in the power of God. We can dare to do courageous things because we believe God is faithful. We can step out even when there’s every reason to be afraid because God has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

So what is the step you need to take today that is strong and courageous?

Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

I love optical illusions. Like the sketch of the duck that is also a rabbit. Two people can look at exactly the same set of lines and come to different conclusions about what is there.

In Numbers 13, twelve spies are sent out to scope the land that God has promised His people. They all see huge bunches of grapes and they all see giants. Joshua and Caleb see the opportunity God is giving them while the other ten see the scary giants that made them feel like grasshoppers. The ten spies have the louder voice and Israel stays in the desert. They saw the same set of facts and came to wildly different conclusions.

We all face situations like this every day. Do we focus on an awkward conversation or the opportunity to reconcile a relationship? Do we focus on the sacrifice of obedience or the freedom that results? Do we see a sickness or the opportunity to pray for healing?

It’s also true for us as a church right now. We’ve spent the past few months making incredible progress towards potential new locations. It’s like we’ve been scoping out the land. We see obstacles like buildings, leaders and discomfort. We see huge opportunities like reaching people in our city and deeper discipleship relationships. So where should we focus?

The interesting thing is that the next generation was led by Joshua. He sent out spies again who would have seen similar fruit and similar giants. But those spies discovered that God was already at work in unseen ways, preparing the way for His people. The people of the land had already heard about God’s power and knew nothing could stop His people.

The truth is that all of us are engaged in a work of God that is bigger than us. None of us has the power to open a single person’s eyes to Jesus or help anyone become more like Jesus. The challenges will always be too big for us. The only way we can ever make any progress is to step out in faith and trust God to work by grace in us and through us.

So what will we choose? Let’s choose faith.

Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

As a country we are currently at COVID level orange. This is what it means for us:

• There is no limit for indoor or outdoor gatherings.

• You do not need to wear a face mask at a gathering, but it is encouraged.

• Workers and volunteers at gatherings must wear face masks 

We will continue to ensure the hall at Hobart Street is well ventilated when we gather and there will be plenty of hand sanitiser available.

Simon and Jenny give an update on some opportunities The Street will explore this year.
We have learnt to do church differently due to the pandemic. How can we retain the best things from our new experience going forward?

With the number limits increased, we will now go back to one gathering on a Sunday evening at 5pm! You may wonder, why not 6pm as it has always been? WELL, we feel this is an awesome opportunity for hospitality. With an earlier gathering it gives everyone time and space to make dinner plans afterwards. This time change will happen for the next Large Gathering on Sunday 24th April. There will also be no need to register from that gathering either. 

This Easter we are going to do something a little bit different. We want to help each one of us journey through the few days of Easter right through to resurrection Sunday.

Starting Thursday we will be sharing a short devotion video each day for you to engage with as an individual, family or friend group so that we can really push into all that Easter means for us.

You’ll be able to find the devotions on social media, and also right here on the website at www.thestreet.org.nz/sermons . (They are in the series called “Easter”)

Then, on Easter Sunday, we’ll CELEBRATE that Jesus is risen! You’ll be able to do that in person at Hobart Street, or online!

Let’s adore Jesus together this Easter.

If you missed our in-person and online services on Sunday (10th), Simon and Jenny gave a Senior Pastor update that it would be awesome for you to see.

Although we are now back to one service on Sundays, our serving teams have taken a big hit - for many reasons, not just COVID. Can we ask you to consider getting involved if you don’t already have a Sunday serving role? This season more than ever we all need to play our part. 

We are working hard with ministry leaders to streamline things where we can, but we do require a bare minimum of about 11 people just to make things happen on a Sunday.

Please get in touch for a chat if you think you can help!

Even though the COVID restrictions are beginning to ease, we know that COVID is still very much around. If you find yourself catching COVID please don’t struggle on alone. These are moments when the Church comes into its own and we are able to support one another. So, if you catch COVID and need help with anything please reach out to your Life Group or to us.

Life Groups really are the heart of our church. They are small groups of people who can encourage one another as we all seek to follow Jesus together. They are spaces where you have the opportunity to get to know people on a deeper level than will ever be possible at a Sunday service. They are places where you can dig into the Bible together and pray for one another. If you are not in a Life Group and you’d like to be, please get in touch and we would love to help you find one.

The Street is set to run the Kairos course over 9 weeks from 2 May - 27 June. The Kairos course lays out God's biblical plan for His people, to see all people of every nation, tribe and tongue having access to His truth and redemption. This video is Bryce sharing his experience of a Kairos course. If you'd like to know more send us an email or you can register for the course here .

For many years, our mission statement (as an expression of Christ’s church locally) has been “Helping People Become Total Followers of Jesus Christ.” It means we’ve been sent into the world like Jesus on a mission to help people discover Jesus and follow Jesus. It’s not something ‘the church’ does for us but something we as the church help one another pursue together. And if we are about becoming more like Jesus, it makes sense that we will need to spend time watching him at work and imitating his ways.

This series is a statement of intent. A first step into observing the life of Jesus together. And as they say, the beginning is a very good place to start. So here we go, let’s gaze at Jesus together in his very earliest years.

In case you missed the Missions Update in the online service last Sunday, here’s a video from Rachel, who serves with YWAM in Mazatlan, Mexico. Let’s keep uplifting her in prayer as she serves the Lord in this way. Also, let her update be a reminder to each of us that we are missionaries in our own neighbourhoods and workplaces. As we pray for Rachel, let’s pray that God would use each of us to share the message of Jesus with the people in our lives.

Here’s the latest update from Rach Duff. Check out what she’s been up to!

Strathmore Community Centre finally have their renovations starting at the start of April which is super exciting. They are currently moving everything out of the centre and have asked whether we have 3 or 4 strong people who would be willing to help on Saturday 26th March for 2-3 hours. There are some big items (including under the building) that need loading into a truck and taking to the tip. The truck will be provided. If you’re available to help please get in touch. east@thestreet.org.nz

Gateway Baptist has launched a new outreach initiative to encourage people to engage more with their neighbours through blessing them daily, praying for them weekly and serving them in a different way each month. Their congregation represents about 20 streets in the community. We would love to know if any of you live on these streets and would be open to meeting up to pray for your street. The streets are:

a.       On Peninsula: Ropa Lane, Wharekauri St, Darlington Rd, Darlington Rd North, Nuku St, Booth St, Seatoun Heights Rd, Calabar Rd, Miramar Ave, Weka St, Breaker Bay Rd, Moa Point Rd, Rahui St, Byron St, Arohanga Gr, Aramoana Pl, Totara Rd, Kekerenga St

b.      Outside Peninsula: Rongotai Rd, Rintoul St, Owhiro Bay Rd

If your street isn’t listed here but you’d still be interested in doing something like this please get in touch. The other churches on the peninsula are also getting involved and it may be that there are people from those churches that live on your street and are also interested in connecting.

Email east@thestreet.org.nz

Would you love to go a bit deeper in your knowledge and understanding of God and the Bible!? The Street is about to start two new Systematic Theology courses going through the book: Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology". 

The 2 courses are:

1. All-women group: Monday evenings (starting March 7) 7-830pm at 21 Hania St, Mt Victoria (or Zoom) - led by our very own Gemma Wills!

2. All-men or mixed: Thursday mornings (starting March 10) 645am-8am at 21 Hania St, Mt Victoria (or Zoom)

The courses are 7 weeks long and both kick off in the second week of March. There is a cost as you will need to purchase the book which is available from The Street at the discounted price of $50.

If you'd like to know more or to register please email city@thestreet.org.nz. If you're interested but can't make either of these groups please also get in touch in case we're able to put together another group.

See a course overview here.

We gather every Sunday evening at 5pm.

We meet to worship together and encourage one another, to hear from God’s word, to share communion & to have fellowship. Everyone is welcome!

We meet in Life Groups throughout the week.

Life Groups meet to learn from the Bible together, encourage one another and pray for each other.

Life Groups are a place you can know others and be known. Fill in the form below and Tom or Anna Field will be in touch.