Iron Sharpens Iron 🔨

Above: Nate leads a worship leaders' seminar for Shore Community Church

A highlight of our month in July was the Worship Leaders' seminar that Nate had the opportunity to organize and lead for Shore Community Church. Shore is a church that has been blessed with many volunteer musicians and leaders, so this was a time for them to collaborate, edify one another, and talk about Biblical worship. Nate received quite a bit of positive feedback from the day, and he is already looking for more opportunities to do similar sessions for other church plants around Auckland and conferences around the country.

Another exciting development that happened this month was the start of a weekly Bible study group in our home. So far the group is made up of Christians who live around us and attend Shore, and we look forward to developing a sense of community with them in the months to come. Please pray that this group is a positive environment to talk about faith and learn about the Bible. Please also pray that our kids cooperate by going to bed on time! :)

We've had a fairly mild winter here in Auckland, especially compared to the arctic winds we're used to down south in Christchurch. It has been nice for the kids to spend some extra time playing outside during these short, dark days of winter. That said, we're starting to get excited about Spring as it will be arriving soon!

Family Update.

Nate is continuing his recovery from shoulder surgery and sees a physical therapist every 2 weeks. He is making progress, and we are still praying for a full recovery by the end of this year. The kids have started back at school after their 2-week winter break. It's always a trying time to reestablish those routines after some time off of school. Lane has started taking piano lessons this year, and is progressing steadily. Our dream is that she will someday be able to lead worship alongside her father (though we'll leave that decision up to her, of course). Our family loves music, and it brings us great joy to see the children beginning to take an interest in it as well. In fact, this morning Nate and Lane held a piano workshop at Lane's primary school teaching some beginners a few piano playing basics.

More than anything this month we have been reminded of all that we have to be grateful for - three healthy children, our own health, a God who loves and cares for us, and enough money to pay the bills and even do a few fun things as a family. When we went through the Canterbury earthquakes a few years ago, we very quickly realized that there just a few things in this life that truly matter: food, clean water, heat, shelter, the people you love, and the hope that we're here to share.

Winter Warmers

Above: Nate leads worship at the north island Student Life Conference

While winter technically begins on the first of June here in NZ, the end of June is when the weather changes in Auckland and it really starts to feel like winter. One way to stay warm in the winter is to stay busy, so that's what we're doing...
Nate is currently in Hamilton, New Zealand leading worship for a 5-day conference for Student Life. University students from all over the north island of New Zealand convene at the conference to worship God, and some of them bring their non-Christian friends who may be interested in finding about more about Christianity.

At the end of this month, Nate will be conducting a Worship Leading Seminar for Shore Community Church. This will be an opportunity for him to share some of his knowledge and experience with other worship leaders at the church, as he continues to develop the talent and passions of other leaders. This opportunity is especially exciting as it is giving Nate a chance to trial this type of seminar, which he hopes to be able to do to support churches throughout NZ. We don't just want to plant churches in NZ, we also want to equip other leaders to be able to do ministry and church planting as well.
Also at the end of this month, we are starting a weekly small group in our home. This will be an opportunity for us to build some community with other Christians who live near us, and to possibly develop some core members for a future church plant.

In the meantime, Nate has enrolled for another semester of studying Counseling through Laidlaw College, which starts this month as well. We have just received a donation that will cover the costs of his studies for at least another semester, and we continue to be humbled by the way God provides for our every need. He will also continue to lead worship at Shore CC about once a month, and to mentor and develop some of their other leaders. He is also spending two days a week in Shore's office, restructuring their worship admin process. Like we said...we're staying busy, but our busyness has a mission and a focus that has us excited about the future.

Family Update.

We had an exciting month of birthdays last month, with Lane and Henry turning 8 and 6 years old, respectively.  They're growing up so quickly, and we are regularly reminded that New Zealand is their home country, making them brilliant mini-anthropologists. When we disagree with Lane on matters of philosophy, parenting, or the weather, she'll often respond by saying "Mum, that's because you're from America, but I'm from New Zealand." Touche!
Whitney continues to focus primarily on managing the family and keeping these kids on the straight-and-narrow, which is always an adventure. While we pray that our children will someday be actively involved in ministry, we know the most important thing we can do for them right now is to nurture their personal and spiritual growth. Sometimes it's hard to know how to do this while negotiating the chaos of the everyday, but we are thankful for the people and resources we can call upon to help us figure it out. We've really enjoyed being involved at Shore Community Church, and taking advantage of their parenting resources and seminars. It really does take a village!

Prayer Requests.

Worship Leading Seminar
Please pray for this seminar that Nate is leading at the end of the month for other worship leaders at Shore Community Church. This will be the first seminar of this kind that he has done, and he wants it to be an encouraging time for other leaders.

Small Group
Please pray for the development of a small group that will be meeting in our home, starting at the end of July. We are looking forward to having community with this group.

Church Plant
We're having some crucial conversations. Please pray for people who are considering joining our team, and pray that we will follow God's leading, not our own, as we make plans for the future.

Nate's Shoulder
Nate's shoulder surgery in April went very well, please pray that he continues to get stronger and makes a full recovery.

School
Please pray that the kids make positive friendships at school, and that they are nurtured and supported in a safe environment. Please pray also for Nate to have the opportunity to continue studying counseling as a support to our ministry here.

Financial Provision
Praise God for a recent donation that is allowing Nate to continue taking some Counseling classes. Pray that our financial partnerships remain strong so we can continue to work and live in New Zealand (it's not cheap!). Also pray that we are good stewards of the resources God has generously provided for us.

Our Family
Pray for good health and positive friendships.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support!

Winter is Here!

Celebrating Mother's Day at Auckland's Mission Bay.

Winter Is Here!

It may be hard to imagine, but the first of June marks the first day of Winter in New Zealand, and it has hit us with a bang! Over the past week we've seen temperature drops, hail, torrential rains, and even thunderstorms. We're breaking out our "woollies" and bundling up for the next few months.

June also marks the end of Nate's first semester of Counseling studies at Laidlaw College here in Auckland. He's taken two classes this semester and has done really well in both of them, gaining valuable insight into how to use his gifts of empathy and encouragement to help others. During our time in NZ, we have experienced first-hand how much secularism has worked its way into people's lives, often leading to brokenness. The message of salvation that we share with people gives them the chance to start again as a new creation in Jesus, but we've found that many continue to struggle with the daily effects of past choices and behaviors, or the long-term consequences of the choices of others. In other words, people need help! Abuse and suicide rates in NZ are some of the highest in the world. While continuing to lead worship on Sundays, Nate hopes to also use his God-given gifts and his newfound knowledge of Counseling strategies to help people move out of these patterns of broken behavior and start on a path toward reshaping their identity in Christ. He will continue his studies next semester with one class, and (Lord willing) will continue studying on a part-time basis next year as well.

As for church planting, we've been having a lot of intentional conversations with other church planters in the area to dream and discuss how best to meet the growing needs of this growing region of Auckland (here's a video about that). There are so many thoughts, ideas, and strategies floating around, and we find ourselves praying that God will use us in the best way for His glory, not ours. Please join us in praying specifically this month for potential team members whom God may be prompting to plant a church with us. Pray for God to confirm people to plant a church with us, and pray for our ability to submit to God in this area.

Family Update.

Nate's shoulder surgery in April hit us a bit harder than expected, with his recovery period stretching well into May. But thankfully he's finished with his arm sling and is growing stronger every week thanks to his sessions with a physical therapist. He was even able to get back into the worship leading saddle this past Sunday at Shore Community Church. His shoulder was quite sore afterward, but it was all worth it as he got to do what he loves. He will continue to see the physical therapist for several months and is expected to make a full recovery. 

As any family will tell you, Autumn and Winter are tough times for sickness with little ones, and ours is no exception. Colds and ear infections are working their way through our little family, and we ask you to pray that no serious illnesses hit us this year.

Lane and Henry both have birthdays this month, turning 8 and 6 years old, respectively. We can't believe how quickly the years with them have flown by, and we are so grateful that God has blessed us with this bundles of (noisy, sticky, unpredictable) joy!

The Cold Shoulder

Nate after shoulder surgery 

We're not giving you the cold shoulder, we've just been a bit preoccupied with life after Nate's shoulder surgery. He's recovering well despite some pain and discomfort, but the pain meds help with that. Nate injured his shoulder while wrestling with the kids last September. After a few months of unsuccessful physical therapy, the sports doctor opted for surgery. He'll be in a sling for 5 more weeks and then should be cleared for worship leading on guitar and a bit of running. After 6 months he can get back to basketball and general exercise. Keep us in your prayers as family, church, and school life continues during recovery.

There are some exciting developments happening as we continue to serve at Shore Community Church and work toward a new church plant. We'll be back in a couple of weeks with more details, but until then, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your outstanding partnership. We're stoked to have you backing us in New Zealand!

All Hands In

We'd like to devote a bit of our update to direct you toward a prayer need that is very near to our hearts. Would you please take a minute right now to pray for a baby named Ginny?

Ginny is the 7-month-old baby of our church planting friends, Tony & Kelsey Collins. They have been working in New Zealand since 2011 but have recently left to move back to the USA to continue their church planting work there. While stopping over for a few days in Australia, their baby girl was rushed into hospital for an emergency surgery on her bowels, which had become twisted, causing her to get very sick. After recovering, she became extremely ill again and had to have a second emergency surgery which resulted in a stoma bag and feeding line. Ginny will require a third surgery possibly very soon.  Could you please pray for wisdom, peace, endurance and healing?  Family members have flown over to help (especially to look after their other 2-year-old daughter), but they will likely need to return to the states on Sunday.  A few of us will be taking turns to fly over to Brisbane and lend a hand this month in their absence.  We've set up this give-a-little page for anyone who would like to help the family with extra expenses.

Oh The Things We Do...

Summer has officially ended, which means relief from the heat is here along with plenty of engagements on the agenda.  

S C H O O L  |  Nate is into his third week of tertiary (university level) schooling.  He's taking two courses in the counselling program at Laidlaw College.  With cross-credits from his KCU days and part-time study he could earn a bachelor's of counselling by 2019.  That said, our church planting goals (which are beginning to take more shape), will take priority when the time comes.  It looks like we'll be able to give more details on that in the next few months. 

S H O R E  |  Both of us are finding creative outlets with our work at Shore Community Church.  Whitney has been designing booklets and handouts while Nate devotes some time each week helping Shore's worship ministry prepare for Sundays, upgrade processes, and in worship leading.  He's enjoying working with the many talented musicians and fellow worship leaders at Shore.  He has the privilege of leading 3 times in a 5-week period including Easter Sunday this year.  It's good that he's able to help so much now because his shoulder surgery (scheduled for 6 April) will take him out of the game for a wee while.  

K  I  D  S  |  As kids grow up they tend to want to spread their wings and try new things.  Laney is giving piano lessons a go along with ballet while Henry is right into his touch rugby and soccer.  We're doing our best to support them and tell them how proud we are.  Finn is also busy being a bossy two-year-old.  His self-directed schedule at home is by far the most demanding :-).  

M U S I C  |  Nate and his worship-leader friend, Phil Rose, have also kept the creative juices flowing on their recording project.  We're particularly proud of the latest song, Even So, because it's lyrics were written by Nate's dad, Jim!  Even So will be uploaded to the Rose n Hutch soundcloud page in the next day or two.

A Treatise On Waiting

Finn turns 2 this month!

The Bible is full of people waiting...
Noah waited for the waters to recede.
Sarah waited for children. Abraham waited for God to fulfill His promise.
Jacob waited for his opportunity.
Joseph waited for redemption, and then he waited to forgive.
All of Israel waited for their Messiah.
The Messiah waited for his destiny.

We find ourselves in familiar territory these days. We want so badly to know what our future holds, in nice, tidy, definite terms. We want to know when and where and how. But God doesn't seem too concerned with those details. Just as in those stories in the Bible, God seems far more concerned with our hearts than He is with our circumstances. He allows us to wait - perhaps He even causes it - because the waiting produces patience. And the patience produces endurance. And the endurance produces a complete, well-rounded faith that "lacks nothing." [James 1:2-4]

So we wait. And in the meantime, we work.

Nate continues to assist with the worship ministry at Shore Community Church here in Auckland. His goals are many, including improving their worship database, encouraging and mentoring other worship leaders, and encouraging the staff and leadership (as well as leading worship, of course). He has also been writing and recording music with another worship leader. Have a listen. Whitney has also had a few opportunities to assist Shore with graphic design projects, including a booklet that the entire church will be going through together in preparation for Easter.

Nate is also researching an exciting opportunity to continue his counseling training through a local Bible college. He is in the process of transferring credits and determining which prerequisite courses he needs to take. He hopes to begin taking 1 or 2 classes this semester, starting at the end of February!

Thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us. Thank you for your prayers and your support. Thank you for waiting with us.

Family Update

It's our first summer back in Auckland in seven years, and one thing's for sure - it's HOT and HUMID! We've been beating the heat by enjoying homemade ice blocks (popsicles) and hanging out near the heat pump (we don't have central a/c, so we use a wall unit - called a heat pump - in the afternoons when the sun is at it's hottest). Sun safety is also of high importance in New Zealand, where the ozone layer is thinnest and the rate of skin cancer is the highest in the world. Hats and sunscreen are daily necessities, and we avoid the sunshine as much as possible in the middle of the day.

Our baby, Finn, is not such a baby anymore! He turns 2 this month, and he's keeping us all on our toes these days. Talking, running, tickling, wrestling, dancing...he never sits still for long!

Both Lane and Henry will be starting school early this month. (New Zealand does year-round schooling, from February to December each year.) Henry is starting school for the first time, and while we are sad not to have him at home during the day, we know he will have heaps of fun learning new and exciting things! Please keep him in your prayers as he transitions into this new routine.

Prayer Requests.

Gavin
Another local church planter whom we've gotten to know has very recently lost his wife (age 31) to cancer. She leaves behind two young children, Bella (5) and Benji (1). Please pray for Gavin and the children as they grieve their loss and begin to find a way forward as a family.

Nate's Temporary Role At Shore
Pray that Nate can be a positive influence on the worship ministry at Shore Community Church in Auckland, and that he will be able to learn more about ministry with and for Kiwis.

Health
It seems like Nate has been battling one injury after another for the past two years. He's currently undergoing physical therapy on his shoulder, and may eventually need surgery. He is also having difficulty with his knees and back. Please pray that these areas will improve and surgery won't be necessary!

School
A new school year is starting this month, and Henry will be joining Lane at school this year. Please pray that they both make positive and long-lasting friendships, that they feel safe and nurtured, and that they have good relationships with their teachers.

Connections
Pray that we connect well with other church planters (and potential future team members) in the Auckland area. We've been trying to be intentional about making these connections. Pray that God would build our team and a strong network.

Continued Financial Partnership
Praise God for continued and strengthened partnerships. Please pray that our support base remains strong as we continue our work in New Zealand.

Church Plant
Please pray for us as we work toward a new church plant in Auckland, New Zealand. Pray for God to raise up the right team, the right partners, and the funds to bring this church to fruition.

Our Family
Please pray for our family: for good health, a positive marriage, and a sense of security and stability for our children.

Happy Christmas!

Laney (middle) prepares for her ballet performance on the wharf at Hobsonville Point.

Tis the Season to be Busy

The kiwi summer has begun and we are fully immersed in the mad rush to Christmas. New Zealand's laid-back, or "cruisy" summertime culture won't really kick in until after Christmas. At that point, some shops and local cafes will close for several weeks as many families retreat to their favourite holiday destinations. Some stay away well into (or completely through) January. But the impending time away creates a bottle-neck of events and goals to be met in November and December. The school year comes to a close, performances are held, staff Christmas parties are enjoyed, work deadlines are met; all in the days leading up to Christmas!

We've been getting amongst it in many ways. Nate has been quite happy to help the other worship leaders carry the load of leading at Shore as he's led worship three out of the past six Sundays. He's up again this week with some of his favourite Christmas carols on the service plan. We're also looking forward to several baptisms to be held at the beach after church this Sunday.

Later this month we'll be headed back down to Christchurch to spend 12 days of Christmas with friends that we miss dearly. It's good to know that they're always just a plane ride (or a FaceTime) away. 

Family Update

Lane (7)
This girl continues to capture our hearts with her love for dance. If music is playing she just can't help herself. Last Sunday evening she performed in a ballet performance in front of several hundred people at Massey High School in Auckland. When she's not dancing she's reading books or jumping on the trampoline with her brother and best mate, Henry.

Henry (5)
He must be ready to hit another growth spurt because we can't seem to keep him satisfied when it comes to food. It's handy that Finn doesn't seem to be interested in eating heaps, though. Henry's happy to finish any of his left-overs :-).  He will start school at the beginning of the school year in February. He seems ready. Much of his time is spent figuring out how to spell words these days.

Finn (22 months)
Our baby is turning into a little boy before our eyes. He's still a handful, of course, getting into trouble any time we turn our backs. Plus we'll be on to toilet training before we know it. One more to go and we're done with nappies! Finn brings us so much joy. We're not sure we want him to grow up. We're so lucky to be called mum and dad by each of these wee beauties.

Waiting On The Lord

It's reassuring when you read something in God's Word that you sense is giving direction to your current life circumstances...even when it's not necessarily what you want to hear. The dust is now settling from a very busy year of transition. This year we've sensed God's direction and promise that He has something planned for us around church planting in Auckland, but we haven't known many of the details. So now we're slowing down, finding our footing while we plug into Shore Community Church, and straining to hear what God is saying to us about the timing of our next church planting season. Over the past week or so, we've come up to a bit of a crossroads in our church planting plans and this is the message we've clearly heard from God: 

Just wait.

Our current circumstances, godly counsel, and these two scriptures in particular have led us to this conclusion:

"We're in no hurry, God. We're content to linger in the path sign-posted with your decisions. Who you are and what you've done are all we'll ever want."  Isaiah 26:8 (MSG)

"But those who wait upon the Lord get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles. They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind."  Isaiah 40:31 (MSG)

While we're eager to know the details of our next church plant like...yesterday, it seems that God is stepping in and asking us to rest in Him first. At the end of the day, if God is asking you to wait, you wait. If He wants you to rest in Him, you rest. It's good to be reminded that God is the one who has always been in control of our plans and that He cares for us deeply.

In the meantime, our first couple of months of ministry at Shore Community Church have been good. Nate's role in the worship ministry is beginning to take shape and he's been getting a lot of positive feedback from the staff and the church members at Shore.

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A Bit About the Kiwis (New Zealanders)

Much like the USA, New Zealand is a multi-cultural, post-modern, post-Christian, first-world nation. The intensity of these elements in New Zealand society are perhaps much greater in this island nation due to it’s small size and close proximity of people groups. The city of Auckland is an extreme example of such concentration. There are more people groups in this city of 1.5 million than there are countries in the entire world. The city is now more diverse than London. 

The post-modern way of thinking (i.e., “what’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me;” the assumption that there is no absolute truth) makes it very tricky territory for church planters. Our goal is to plant churches that focus on creating laid-back and non-threatening environments where post-modern thinkers can explore a biblical faith in Jesus Christ. Quick conversions and fast church growth are rare in such a society. It takes a long-term commitment to relationship building to see disciple-making fruit in New Zealand, but when it comes, true disciples are born. Other barriers to faith include the busyness and materialism that comes with the culture of most first-world western nations, and Auckland is no exception. Pray for us as we work to plant culturally relevant and biblically faithful churches in New Zealand.

VIDEO: Looking Up

UPDATE :: Since creating this video, our timeline has shifted to a potential church plant launch in 2019 or 2020. Read more about it here.

G'day. Pour yourself a cuppa, click play, and join us in Auckland for a wee catch-up...
Watch Looking Up: Video Update 2015

House Hunters International

Sunrise in Auckland. This photo was snapped on the way back across the Harbour Bridge on the day we arrived.

After four and a half months on furlough in the USA, we're finally back in New Zealand. Since arriving in Auckland we've been focusing on finding our next home, which we hope will be one we stay in for a long, long time. We can't afford to buy a home in Auckland, so we'll continue to live the life of a tenant (no equity, inspections every 3 months, and praying that the kids don't decide to draw pictures on the wall with permanent marker, etc.). Renting in Auckland is more expensive than in Christchurch (where we helped to start rechurch from 2009-2014), so our organisation suggested that we raise additional funding to cover the cost. Thanks to our AMAZING supporters, we've reached that fundraising goal over furlough. Thank you! Now we can find a suitable home to rent for our family. Pray that we find the right one for our family in the best location for our current and future projects in Auckland.
 

Getting Geared Up For Ministry in Auckland
As we set the stage for a new church plant to be launched in 2017 or 2018, we'll first be working with an existing congregation on Auckland's north shore...read more.

Next Stop: Auckland

(Above) On your feet! Finn said goodbye to crawling during our hot, hot week at Disney World in July. Good effort, big fella!

Up, Up And Away!

Baby Finn-Finn decided to start walking just in time for all of us to hit the ground running in New Zealand later this month. The next couple of weeks will be filled with goodbyes, organising, worship leading, and packing before we soar over the Pacific and set our sights on a new city and a new project in Auckland, NZ's largest city.

What IS The Next Project?

As we set the stage for a new church plant to be launched in 2017 or 2018, we'll first be working with an existing congregation on Auckland's north shore...Read more... 

World-Class Partners

(Above) Nate & Finn praying with the team backstage before a worship service at Northview CC. 
Photo by Andy Janning.

We often tell people how blessed we are to have such generous and faithful backers. We can't express to you enough how vital this is to a lasting overseas ministry. Last month we highlighted a few of our amazing supporting churches that we visited in the month of May. We created fond memories with more of our churches in June.

Northview Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN is so special to us. After we graduated from university in 2002, Nate was hired as their worship minister and Whitney was later hired as Communications Director. Our experience at Northview gave us vital ministry experience for planting churches in New Zealand. This church sent us out to New Zealand in 2007 and they have been backing us ever since. It was so nice to spend a week in Indy catching up with old friends and leading worship at Northview. On June 14th our paths crossed at NCC with Jonathan and Sarah McCallum (missionaries in Spain), so lead pastor, Nathan Rector, interviewed both couples and inspired the congregation with stories and insights from what God is doing through Northview overseas. We had such a great stay.

Our next stop was Worthington Christian Church in Columbus, OH where all of Whitney's siblings attend. Worthington feels like a second home church to both of us due to the family connection and many other relationships that go back to our time at Kentucky Christian University and beyond. Worthington has been supporting us faithfully since 2007. Each time we visit Worthington, we feel a closer connection. As Nate led worship there on Father's Day this year, it was so nice to look out in the audience and see all of the Meaige family worshiping with us. We look forward to continuing and deepening our relationship with all of you at Worthington Christian Church. You're making a huge impact in Columbus and New Zealand!

We have several more events on the calendar before we return to Auckland on August 18th. In addition to a couple of return visits, we'll be leading worship at Stanton Christian Church in Kentucky, at Summer in the Son at KCU, and MeadowView Church of Christ (see events for details). We are so grateful for the love, encouragement and financial support from all of these organizations, not to mention so many individuals within them. We can't express how important each of you are to us. We will always cherish you, pray for you, and look forward to our visits in the future. 

Family Update

June was a big month for our family. Lane turned seven years old on the 16th and Henry turned five on the 25th. It was so nice to share their birthdays with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents this year. We are so lucky to be parents to all three of our kids.

Travelling over several months takes it's toll on a young family as you might expect, but we are managing and enjoying moments like these with extended family along the way.

Outstanding Partners

Outstanding Partners

Our first full month of worship leading and church-updating is complete. It was a busy and encouraging time for our family. Our relationships with each church grew stronger and we were reminded once again that we have truly outstanding missions partners.

We spent two weeks in Indianapolis at Greenwood Christian Church. We were thrilled to get the news that GCC would continue to support us after narrowing their missions focus over the past couple of years. Our continued partnership with them is significant as we look toward the future and our next church plant in Auckland. The church was very encouraging and many there have become close friends of ours. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, Greenwood!

Our second stop was Paris, Kentucky at Bedford Acres Christian Church. This church is special to us because it's where Nate began his worship leading journey in 1998 and it's where Nate's father, Jim Hutchison, was the Senior Minister for many years. It's always a joy to spend time with these special people. With bluegrass music being a part of the history and culture of that area, we thought it would be fun to treat BACC to a good ol' hoedown worship time. The Graham Family, who travel all over the state pickin' and grinnin', joined Nate and the band that morning. It was so much fun. Thanks for a great memory, guys!

Our final stop in May was Zanesville, OH at North Terrace Church of Christ. NT has been a huge blessing to us from the beginning of our time in New Zealand when they made us their living link missionaries, meaning they provide a significant portion of our financial needs and connect with us on a personal level as much as possible. They take such good care of us. Bill Meaige, Whitney's father, was the Senior Minister at NT for more than 30 years and remains on staff as the Senior Adults Minister. We spent Sunday evening updating the congregation on our work and future plans in New Zealand. This church is always so encouraging and thoughtful. NT, we are blessed to be your living link missionaries. We really couldn't do this without you!

Hitting the Road

Nate leading worship at Kentucky Christian University.

Road trips have commenced! After spending some much needed time catching up with family, we hit the road first with a visit to our alma mater, Kentucky Christian University, on April 23. We were given the whole hour for chapel, so Nate led worship with the help of a few KCU students, did some speaking, and showed this updated video from the kids, which is always a crowd pleaser. Later that day he was asked to speak to a class of future worship leaders on campus. It was a very encouraging time for us.  Our next stop is Greenwood Christian Church in Indianapolis on May 2nd and 3rd. We'd love to see you there if you're in the area! If not, you'll be able to view the service live online at live.greenwoodchristian.com. Technology...it truly boggles the mind.

Answered Prayer.
For about two years we've been praying that God would lead one of our supporting churches (who was in the process of focusing support on a select few missions) to choose to continue and strengthen their partnership with us. We have recently received the good news that they are fully backing us going forward! This is a HUGE answer to prayer and another confirmation that our plans for a new church in Auckland is truly a call from our great God. Thanks to those of you who have been praying.

Coming to a Church Near You?
On our website, you can view our calendar for while we're on furlough and see where we'll be and when we'll be there. Nate will be leading worship on each of the listed weekends. We'd love to see you there!

Greenwood Christian Church
Indianapolis, IN
Saturday, May 2nd | 6:00 pm
Sunday, May 3rd | 9:30 am & 11:00 am

Worthington Christian Church
Columbus, OH
Sunday, June 21st
8:30 am, 9:45 am & 11:00 am

Bedford Acres Christian Church
Paris, KY
Sunday, May 10th
9:00 am & 10:30 am

North Terrace Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH
Sunday, July 12th
8:15 am, 9:30 am & 11:00 am

Bedford Acres Christian Church
Paris, KY
Sunday, May 17th
9:00 am & 10:30 am

Worthington Christian Church
Columbus, OH
Sunday, July 26th
8:30 am, 9:45 am & 11:00 am

North Terrace Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH
Sunday, May 31st
8:15 am, 9:30 am & 11:00 am

MeadowView Church of Christ
Frazeysburg, OH
Sunday, August 2nd
8:30 am & 10:45 am

Northview Christian Church
Danville, IN
Sunday, June 14th
10:15 am

North Terrace Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH
Sunday, August 9th
8:15 am, 9:30 am & 11:00 am

New Address for Donations

Our forwarding agent has a new address.  
Any donations can now be sent to:

SPCF
c/o Alison Morrow
50 Winding Valley Drive
Delaware, OH  43015

Family Matters

After traveling from Auckland to Cincinnati in record time (3 flights and 2 layovers that were so short we were literally running through airports...so clichè), we are officially stateside! We've spent the first few days here catching up with family and catching up on sleep. The jet lag should wear off just in time to watch the Final Four in Kentucky with Nate's family. And in case you're wondering, yes. Yes we did choose to travel this week for that very purpose. Go Cats!

Coming to a Church Near You?
You can view our calendar for while we're on furlough and see where we'll be and when we'll be there. Nate will be leading worship on each of the listed weekends. We'd love to see you there!

Back in New Zealand
One final note to share with you. We're so proud of the church we'll be working with in Auckland while preparing to plant another church there (Shore Community Church). We spent the month of March getting reacquainted with the church, the city, and catching up with some friends there. On our final Sunday at Shore before we left for the USA, we witnessed seven people accept Jesus as Saviour and get baptised in a tiny pool. It was the perfect reminder of why we're called to bring the gospel to New Zealand.

Ready Or Not...

Here We Come!

We've been hard at work over the past few weeks nailing down the details of our upcoming furlough. Nate will be leading worship at least one weekend at each of our supporting churches this time around. We'd love to see you when we're in your neck of the woods. Here are the whens and wheres...

Greenwood Christian Church
Indianapolis, IN
Saturday, May 2nd | 6:00 pm
Sunday, May 3rd | 9:30 am & 11:00 am

Bedford Acres Christian Church
Paris, KY
Sunday, May 10th
9:00 am & 10:30 am

Bedford Acres Christian Church
Paris, KY
Sunday, May 17th
9:00 am & 10:30 am

North Terrace Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH
Sunday, May 31st
8:15 am, 9:30 am & 11:00 am

Northview Christian Church
Danville, IN
Sunday, June 14th
10:15 am

Worthington Christian Church
Columbus, OH
Sunday, June 21st
8:30 am, 9:45 am & 11:00 am

North Terrace Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH
Sunday, July 12th
8:15 am, 9:30 am & 11:00 am

Worthington Christian Church
Columbus, OH
Sunday, July 26th
8:30 am, 9:45 am & 11:00 am

MeadowView Church of Christ
Frazeysburg, OH
Sunday, August 2nd
8:30 am & 10:45 am

North Terrace Church of Christ
Zanesville, OH
Sunday, August 9th
8:15 am, 9:30 am & 11:00 am

The Shift to Auckland

In addition to getting our furlough plans in place last month, we were also hard at work getting our belongings ready for the big move to Auckland. There was plenty to be done: packing, sorting, cleaning, a garage sale, finding a dog-sitter, and about a trillion other little details all whilst looking after three kids, continuing to say goodbye to friends, and undergoing two surgeries (see family update below). Whew! We are now safely in Auckland, getting reacquainted with the area and with Shore Community Church. When we return from furlough in August, Nate will be looking after the worship and creative arts at Shore while preparing for a new church to be launched in Auckland in 2017 or 2018.

Family Update

Both Henry and Whitney had minor outpatient surgeries in the month of February. Henry had an operation on both of his eyes to correct vision problems. Whitney had an ovarian cyst removed. We are happy to report that so far both have come through without any complications. Thank you so much to those of you who prayed. Please keep praying for good health as we travel.

Turning a New Page

The month of January has been a special one for us. We wrapped up our ministry at Rechurch in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand where we've been since 2009. We've been focusing on leaving well, spending time with friends and preparing ourselves for good-byes. We've also been working through the many tasks required for our next steps: a move to Auckland and a furlough in the USA this summer. 

If you have a minute, watch this short video which highlights our time at Rechurch and includes a timeline for the steps leading up to our next church plant in Auckland.
 

USA Furlough: April - July 2015

We're looking forward to our upcoming visit to the USA this summer. We'll be spending time with family, friends, and supporting churches, leading worship, updating missions teams, and raising funds for our next project. We're currently working on our furlough schedule, so watch this space for more updates. We hope to see you in the summer!

Family Update

While we're loving the extra time we have together as a family in Christchurch this month, we're faced with the reality of more health issues. The silver lining is that what's coming will be improvement. The down side is that minor surgery will have to be the remedy for both Whitney and Henry. Whitney will have an ovarian cyst removed and Henry will have an operation to correct muscle issues in his eyes. Both should recover quickly with little complication. Please pray for this outcome.

On a brighter note, our little Finn is having his first birthday on the 3rd of February. He is a source of so much joy for our little family. We're so grateful for the little guy.

We're Moving To Auckland

2015 brings with it big changes for our family. Take a few minutes and see what we're up to next in New Zealand...

over the rainbow...

I went to a rainbow baby shower last weekend for my beautiful friend Claire. It was a lovely and long-awaited celebration; I felt so lucky to be able to be there. What a fun theme for a gender-unknown party!