Have a great Christmas!
Karen and I will spend Christmas in Auckland with family in our youngest son’s Ben and Chelseas new home.
We do enjoy this season, the beach, surf, BBQ’s and sun. Also, the long evenings with friends and family. It’s always a great catch-up time.
I’ve had the privilege of speaking in various churches from different denominations in the North and South Island. I find it enjoyable and it seems to be one of the sweet spots in this season of life. Salvations and healings take place. It’s great to catch up with church leaders every week to encourage and serve them. I’m on 3 trusts plus advisor to a few churches, which keeps me out of trouble … sort of!! It was great to host a church planter’s meeting in Tauranga as well as Multiplication Network forums.
This year we have travelled quite extensively. A cruise around NZ with friends, finishing in Sydney. Biking with friends in Wanaka. Travelling to UK, Holland and France for ministry activity and Henley on Thames to see our niece row.
Karen and I were home in time from Europe to say goodbye to my mum, five days shy of her 96th birthday. We had a celebration of her life with family and close friends from far and wide, in my brother’s home in Christchurch. She was a wonderful mum, mother-in-law and amazing Oma. It was a sad but good day.
We have been to Coolum to visit our son, Josh and Amberley and the four grandies. They immigrated to Oz 4 months ago. They are so enjoying the Sunshine Coast and are very happy there. We are very happy for them but miss those grandies a lot!
Karen and I are Elders at C3 City Church Tauranga, which is new for us but it’s good to be involved. Karen continues her volunteer hospital chaplaincy role, and I enjoy the Police chaplain’s role. We do have some great talks.
2026 is fast approaching and I have a significant birthday coming up! I really don’t know how it happened so fast.
On that note Karen and I want to say have a great Christmas! Throughout our celebrations, let’s remember Jesus, God with us…Emmanuel, who came and moved into our neighborhood.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.John 1:14. MSG
May you have faith to meet the challenges, demands, the good and the difficult times in 2026.
Our love and blessings to you all.
Nick & Karen.
