Dunedin
VCF
VCF is finishing up the semester with a photo scavenger hunt. We have developed into a smaller, close-knit group this year.
We hope to kick off with a combined groups camp next year to get on the same page and get people excited. We had a cook-off in early October to raise the last of our pledge and there was lots of good food involved.
– Amy Archer
Wellington
TSCF Wellington
The Mark Drama performed 9-10 October was a success, and it was great to see a range of Christian communities coming together to share the gospel in an interactive way.
We also enjoyed a prayer day with Palmerston North students 23 September. Massive props to the Palmy team for organising it and for such a warm welcome. We were encouraged that some students were keen to attend and came back excitedly talking about it.
On 20 October we were involved with Breathe, a combined worship service, along with Vic Unite and other Christian groups on campus. Pray for those who were invited by their Christians friends, and most importantly that our worship will honour God.
– Victoria-Anne Webber
Waikato
TSCF Hamilton
We began a joint worship event bringing TSCF, Student Life, and the Catholic club together. This was well attended and we have plans to repeat this in the future. We also had a great final event to close up the year, farewelling students who are leaving and introducing some students to TSCF. TSCF Vice President Frank Scrimgeour spoke about being intentional in having a summer that is productive and formative, not just regarding studies but also in spiritual and personal growth.
– David Billing
Auckland
University of Auckland City Campus
During the last week in September, several Christian groups at the University of Auckland’s city campus (including EU, OCF, KYCF and STOC) collaborated to put on the campus’ annual Jesus Week. This year’s theme was “Story.” We served hundreds of hot beverages to students through our free café in the University Quad.
We also hosted seven talks, exploring how the story of Jesus relates to topics ranging from music to cosmology, with an emphasis on personal testimonies. While many students simply came for free food and drinks, both the café and the talks spawned dozens of deep conversations with interested students, some of whom were introduced to the gospel for the first time.
– Annelise Chan
University of Auckland Grafton Campus
Jesus Week at Grafton Campus, called Crossroads, ran the week after Jesus Week at City Campus. We had an amazing turnout and were so excited to see so many of our Christian friends bring their friends who weren’t Christian with them. Actually, we found out that sometimes, it was the friend who wasn’t Christian who dragged their Christian friend to hear that evening’s talk! We had four evenings of expert panellists who spoke and answered questions on the subjects of Euthanasia, Evidence for Christianity, Science + Faith, and Suffering.
We also had a bookstall outside each event stacked up with books kindly donated for free, which we gave away to anyone interested. Most excitingly, the Bible Society gave us eleven gospels of Mark and five Bibles. These almost all disappeared by the end of the week, along with a good chunk of our remaining gospels of Luke. One agnostic girl, emerging from the Science + Faith talk, saw the Bibles sitting there and exclaimed delightedly, “Oh, a Bible! I’ve been looking for one!” She went away with her very own Bible in a readable translation, along with a Christian friend to read it with.
– Callum and Thealyssa
STOC
This year’s main event was a debate in May, “Atheism or Christianity: Which best accounts for reality?” It was run in conjunction with Thinking Matters and New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists. About 400 students attended, with an overflow room for watching on the livestream. Dr Zachary Ardern and Tom Yates spoke for Christianity, and defending atheism was Prof Robert Nola from the University of Auckland and Peter Harrison, president of the NZARH. Students really engaged in the Q&A time and the Christian speakers presented a compelling case for the explanatory power of Christianity.
In our weekly STOC discussions, we have been discussing Protestantism, and ethics from Christian and non-Christian perspectives.
– Joy Britten