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Kia ora <<First Name>>

School is out for the summer! As the year draws to a close, we give God thanks and praise for all He has done in 2016.

Thank you for your faithful commitment to sharing the gospel with the young people in your churches and community. For your willingness to love them like Jesus does, week after week, and being the light of Christ in a changing and challenging world. What you do for the life of a child, over time, matters! Each week matters, each year matters - and as we reflect on 2016, we entrust it all into God's hands and pray that we will continue to see fruit in years to come. 

May you know God's "never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love" this Christmas. Rest well, play well, laugh, sleep, soak up the summer break, and we'll see you on the other side. 

Meri Kirihimete
The Strandz team 

Kia Kaha Kids

A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported our Kia Kaha Kids packs project. We were overwhelmed by the kind donations - particularly the 600 cards that flooded in from kids across New Zealand.

Check out the Anglican Taonga article to find out more! 


A warm welcome

In the next 2 weeks, you will most likely see more new faces in church than you have done all year. Don't waste such a great opportunity to offer them the warmest of welcomes, particularly the kids and young people. 

Quick welcoming checklist:
  • How inviting is your church for a child? Imagine walking in to church as a kid - what would they see? What shows them that kids are valued and special? 
  • Have information on hand about your children's ministry and youth groups starting up in 2017
  • Print out a Christmas puzzle and activity booklet - like this one. We made it just for you. Just add pens. Or lollies, children's ministry info, christmas on the move nativity... you get our drift.
  • Think about what intergenerational aspects there are in your Christmas services. 
  • Be creative!

Tough Times

Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most wonderful countries in the world, and we're blessed to call it home. However, as we are all too aware, it can be a turbulent and unpredictable land. 

We have set up a 'Kia Kaha' page on our website with links and resources to best support our kids and families affected by earthquakes and sudden traumatic events.

Let us know if you have any other recommendations that we can add to the list.
Check out our YouTube playlists with media clips galore

Summer fun

Check out these summer ideas from the Anglican Diocese of Wellington

Thank you

2016: 36 flights,13 cities, training events in every diocese, and a lot of great yarns - thanks everyone! It has been a pleasure to work with some of the most passionate children's ministry leaders around the country this year, from Auckland down to Dunedin, from New Plymouth across to Gisborne. I can't wait for what 2017 will bring!
Diana 


Photos and stories

We have loved seeing how you are using Christmas on the Move this year! So far we have heard about Mary and Joseph exploring Christmas events, the supermarket, helping preach on a Sunday, and exploring real life nativities! Send in your photos and we'll add them to our Facebook Album



For more Christmas on the Move prayers, resources and ideas, head to our website.

Share your Christmas on the Move photos on our Facebook page!

Christmas media

There have been some great Christmas videos pop up online, including the one above from All Saints Palmerston North, with their version of Nicholas Allan's Jesus Christmas Party.

We have compiled a list of all our favourites on our Youtube Channel and our Advent and Christmas webpage
See how much we love Advent + Christmas

Eco friendly Advent

Colette, from the Anglican Diocese of Wellington, has put together a pinterest board with ideas for how to have an Eco-friendly Christmas.

A prayer for Advent

God of hope, who brought love into this world,
be the love that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.
God of hope, the rock we stand upon,
be the centre, the focus of our lives
always, and particularly this Advent time.

From
faithandworship.com

Training & events

There are so many great opportunities for training next year! Check our website and NCMN.org.nz 
Contact: Strandz Enabler Diana Langdon and Administrator Jess Weichler
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