Easter Weekend 
What a busy weekend we had as a church! We had 40 young people away at eCamp and Easter Camp. We had a pass over meal and had our Easter Sunday service. We want to thank everyone who was involved in these amazing events. Read below some of the stories from this weekend: 

eCamp 
Wow – what an amazing eCamp.  It was so good to take a team of intermediates to eCamp over Easter weekend.  We had 13 intermediates join us on Lake Karapiro for a fun weekend of water sports, games and Jesus!  It was so great to see the group interact and engage with each other over the weekend, taking turns to show care and compassion for one another.  A key highlight for me was the one-on-one moments with kids where we could talk about how things were going for them and their relationships with Jesus.  
We could not have done it without an amazing team.  Claire and Richard gave up their long weekend at the end of a busy school term and were amazing with the kids. We had some great pitch hitters in the form of Zac, who came to share the last night, as well as Glenda, Carolyn and Jean-Charles who were our drivers.  The biggest blessing for me (after several low sleep nights) was that when I had a migraine at the end of camp, everyone stepped in to help and I was able to take some time to feel better.  They were an amazing team.
I also cannot say enough how blessed we have been to have had Josh as our eCamp director.  He has looked after us so well and has held the space for intermediates across the motu to come and encounter Jesus every Easter for the last 10 years. We are lucky to have his knowledge, skills and experience with us.
Thank you everyone for your support and prayers.  We are looking forward to eCamp ‘25. 
- Carol.

Easter Camp
Our high school aged youth spent the weekend at Mystery Creek in Hamilton, along side 4000+ other young people at Northern Easter Camp. Here are some of the things our young people got up to over the weekend. 
Main sessions included - musical worship, tribal wars, prizes, and sermons.
Seminars - Heart of Worship, addiction, don't leave God at Camp.
Food! Nachos, pies and hot dogs.
Connection - small groups, catch up with a leader and hang out spaces.
The village. A collective space for all. Hot chips, donuts and more.
Easter Camps got talent.
Sports - volleyball.
A worship night, a reflective space, surprise bands and a silent party all one off events that blessed us over the weekend!

“God is with us in the dark, giving light to us, shining light through us, flooding the world with God’s goodness.” 
Let There Be Light! – Easter Camp 2024
- Josh T.

Passover Meal
Exodus 12: 12-13
"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt." 

Last week, on Maundy Thursday, over 100 of us joined together in a meal remembering the last time Jesus had a meal with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. Up to that time this meal was part of the Passover Festival, when the Jews remembered how God passed over all the homes with the blood of a sacrificial lamb painted on the lintels of their houses. (Read the full story in Exodus 12.)

On this final night before he was handed over to a crowd of angry people, Jesus installed Communion as we know it today, and taught his disciples that his blood would be the last blood to be shed as the price for the forgiveness of our sins. (see Matthew 26: 26-27)

What a wonderful night it was! The different elements were foreign to us all but everything pointed back to what Jesus did for us on the cross and the freedom and forgiveness we now have because of the cross. A great team of people came together to make this night such a success and we want to thank every person who helped make it a night to remember. 
- Sandra.

Giving: Tax Year Ending
The office is working hard to get all the giving receipts processed. Just a reminder receipts will be released at the end of April 2024.

Thank you for reading our Connection Corner. We hope this communication will help to connect us together as a congregation.