Wilberforce Community News
Kia ora e te whānau Wilberforce,
As we head towards December, we still have plenty of opportunities, courses and events coming up. Together, let’s finish the year strong and look forward to an even brighter one ahead for our community.
🔹 Join us for this month’s Lunch & Learn webinar!
James Beck will be chatting with Murray Shearer from Praxis in an insightful session you won’t want to miss.
🔹 You’re invited: One Heart Auckland – Prayer and Collaboration Forum
We have all the information and how to register for this forum on Thursday 20 November.
🔹 Bringing Jesus back to the Santa Parade
Can you help bring Jesus back to the Santa Parade?
🔹 Check out the Venn Foundation job opportunity
Venn is seeking a Director of the Residential Fellowship and Senior Teaching Fellow.
🔹 Sign up for the Otago University Women in the New Testament and Early Church block course.
Register for Professor Lynn Cohick 2026 semester 1 course now.
🔹 Job opportunity at Youth Alive
Making a lasting impact as a Youth Development Team Lead .
Find out more about each of these below.
If you have content you'd like us to include in a future edition of the Wilberforce Community News, you can email news@wilberforce.org.nz. Please note that requests must be submitted by the first Friday of the month to be included in that month's newsletter.
Ngā mihi,
The Wilberforce Foundation Team
P.S. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others you think may be interested in the content. The best way to do this is by using the 'FORWARD' button at the bottom of this page. This will ensure all the links work correctly. Look for the envelope symbol below.
Lunch and Learn:
Discussion with Praxis about how they have woven Care of Creation into their organisation
In this Wilberforce Foundation webinar, James Beck will interview Murray Shearer from Praxis, exploring the journey Praxis has taken to integrate creation care into their organisational policy and everyday practice.
You’re invited: One Heart Auckland – Prayer and Collaboration Forum
The One Heart Auckland Prayer and Collaboration Forum is about honouring the incredible mahi already happening across our city through churches, Christian community organisations, and businesses that are bringing hope and healing into places of struggle. More than that, it's about having a focused space to pray, listen, and plan together, identifying ways we can strengthen what’s already in motion and respond collectively to the needs of our city.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is a city beautiful yet broken. Many are struggling with homelessness, food insecurity, family violence, social isolation, and youth distress. We believe God is calling his people to respond together with compassion, courage and faith. This gathering is a first step in that journey. Everyone has a role to play, each person, organisation, and church contributing to something greater than we could achieve alone. Come and be part of something special:
Thursday, 20 November 2025
7am-9am (light breakfast provided)
Gracecity Church, 17 Marewa Road, Greenlane
Bringing Jesus back to the Santa Parade
The Auckland Santa Parade is a popular event, drawing up to 180,000 people into the CBD in one of the country’s largest annual gatherings. For many years, it's been a Christmas parade without Christ. This year, churches are working together to enter a nativity float into the 30 November parade. The float will include a 50-person choir and provide nativity giveaways to families at the Aotea Square After Party. The heart is to share the true gift of Jesus this Christmas.
Can you help? There is a need to raise $40,000 to build and enter the float this year, and $140,000 to ensure a nativity float every year to 2030.
If you'd like to share this opportunity with your church or organisation, a promo pack is available here.
Venn Job Opportunity
Venn Foundation is an educational institution. We help people embrace the riches of Scripture and the Christian tradition for the good of their homes, workplaces, universities, churches, and communities in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Venn is seeking a Director of the Residential Fellowship and Senior Teaching Fellow. This senior, full-time role involves overseeing the Residential Fellowship programme, teaching, and contributing to Venn’s mission of forming Christian leaders. More information about the role can be found below.
If you or someone you know might be interested in this, inquiries and recommendations are welcome.
New block course for 2026: Women in the New Testament and Early Church
A block course on ‘Women in the New Testament and Early Church’ from the Theology Programme, University of Otago.
Professor Lynn Cohick, Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Director of the Houston Theological Seminary at Houston Christian University will teach this intensive course at the University of Otago, Dunedin. It is a Semester 1 paper (BIBS 324/423), with all the teaching in this intensive week from 1pm Monday 26th January 2026 to 1pm Friday 30th, January. Assessment follows in the Semester.
Topics covered in the course include: Women in the Greco-Roman World; Women in the Synoptic Gospels; Women in the Gospel of John and Acts; Women and Marriage in the Pauline texts and 1 Peter; Women Martyrs. The course is jointly offered by the Theology Programme, University of Otago, and the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership (KCML), who also offer an audit option.
Job opportunity: Youth Development Team Lead – Make a Lasting Impact!
Youth Alive Trust (Christchurch) is seeking a Youth Development Team Lead to oversee programmes, coach a talented team, and help shape a Christ-centred culture for tamariki and rangatahi.
We’re looking for an active Christian leader with strong youth work experience, great people skills, and solid programme oversight.
- Role: Youth Development Team Lead (full-time)
- Organisation: Youth Alive Trust (Grace Vineyard Church community partner)
- Location: New Brighton, Christchurch
- What: Lead team & programmes; model Christian leadership; engage schools/whānau
Apply by: 27 November 2025
Contact: David du Preez
PH: 03 388 1001
P.S Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others you think may be interested in the content. The best way to do this is by using the 'FORWARD' button at the bottom of this page. This will ensure all the links work correctly. Look for the envelope symbol below.
