On the verge of death six years ago, South Kaipara Presbyterian Church has quadrupled its congregation and developed innovative ministries for those struggling in its community.
The church is about to shift into a larger, more flexible facility, which needs substantial renovations. Press Go has granted $25,000 towards this work.
Minister the Rev Warren Howes says that when he was called to the church in 2005, its Helensville congregation consisted of 12 people with an average age over 70. The parish also has a congregation in nearby Kaukapakapa.
Warren says that part of his appointment was an understanding that the congregation would embrace change, starting with a
shift from a traditional to a contemporary-
style service, as well as being open to the Holy Spirit.
It’s been “a hard slog” at times, but the congregation has grown to 40 adults, with an average age of 40, and 10 children.
They achieved this growth by targeting primary-school-aged children, starting a kids church on Sunday mornings and developing relationships with the local primary school. “They are now the basis of our youth group.”
Many of the children’s families come from difficult backgrounds and struggle with poverty, addictions and unemployment. “We deliberately say that we take anyone at our church.”
“These people are living lives that most of us have only ever seen on TV.”
Many families have experienced several generations on the unemployment benefit or drugs.
Recently one of the youth group’s adult leaders brought along a cake to share. Warren says the teenagers, used to a takeaways diet, were amazed that she could make that kind of food at home. “That just blows me away.”
“It’s really challenging, exciting and scary.”
More than 30 percent of Helensville’s
adult population have no formal qualifications, and the median income is $23,100 (compared to the Auckland
region median of $26,800). One-parent families make up nearly a quarter of Helensville’s families.
Warren says people can belong to the church before they believe; “it’s about getting them involved and building
a relationship”.
The church’s existing three buildings needed significant amounts of repairs and maintenance, and didn’t fit with plans for growth. They managed to sell the buildings at the height of the property boom, and then lease back the church building from the new owner.
An ideal new, larger building was found, resource consent obtained and the church managed to purchase it with the sale funds. The new property is on Helensville’s main road and highly visible. At the moment, a hospice charity shop is a tenant and can be accommodated in the church’s plans, which also allow for function rooms and office space. The site has more than 50 off-road car parks.
The church has identified a range of ministries that target the community’s needs and which its new building will help make possible.
At the moment, the church provides lunch for a handful of children at the local primary school. They plan to extend this to breakfast packs, and make them available at the church so that children don’t feel embarrassed by having to eat at school.
The church has also organised a registered nurse to visit the school weekly and check for head lice, which could be carried out more sensitively offsite.
A homework centre, teaching basic cooking skills and musical instrument tuition are other ways in which they want to reach out to young people. Another idea, suggested by the school, is to provide a laundry facility so that students can wash their uniforms and take more pride in them.
The community’s needs can seem overwhelming, Warren says, but “we just work with what we can do and try
our best”.
He says the church sees itself as an oasis for all those who need help, especially people often ignored by churches.
They took possession of the new building in early July but some alternations and local body consent are needed before they can move in; perhaps October at the earliest. The church also needs to find another $100,000 towards the work’s total cost, in addition to the Press Go grant.
They are holding a special offering on 1 August and will be looking for local grants and other sources of funding.
By Amanda Wells