MLFC 2024

Ministry Leaders' Family Camp is an awesome time of gathering as Movement leaders for fellowship and equipping for the year ahead.

4:00 pm | Registrations Open

Food cooked by the Anglican Chinese Mission will be available for purchase from 5.30pm by Registrations.For those that bought their own dinner to camp feel free to have a picnic or eat in Redwood Dining.

7:00 pm | Family Worship & Main Session | Kauri Hall

Starting with Mihi Whakatau - please make sure you are seated by 6:55 pm at the latest.Children and youth will be released to their programmes after we have worshipped together.Parents, please take your 5-10-yr-olds outside to hand over to the leaders/rope. If you did not register your 5-10-year-old at registration – please come to Upper Redwood with them. Four-year-olds are welcome with an adult to join the children’s programme in Upper Redwood

9:00 pm | Silent Disco | Outside

All are welcome to join in with the silent disco! Please note that children 16 or under will need a parent with them to collect the headset. As we are hiring the equipment you may be charged for any damage or loss to the headsets.

9:00 pm | Supper | Redwood Hall

9:00 pm | Parents collect children

9:30 pm | Night Prayer | Redwood Hall

Please respect this time of contemplative prayer by keeping noise to a minimum in Redwood hall.All are welcome to come for singing practice before worship at 9pm.

7:30 am | Morning Prayer | Redwood Hall

8:00 am | Breakfast | Redwood Dining

8:45 am | Main Session| Kauri Hall

Youth and children will be released to their programmes after a time of worship together

10:30 am | Morning Tea | Redwood Dining/Outside

11:00 am | Workshop #1 | Various

11:55 am | Workshop #2 | Various

12:45 pm | Lunch

2-10 year olds need to be collected from their programme please.Families with young children go first for lunch, everyone else from 1pm

1:30 pm | Workshops #3 | Various

1:30 pm | Free time - Optional Activities

Rock climbing (hosted by El Rancho staff in Kauri Hall) / inflatable football / waterslide / bouncy castles / pool.El Rancho have a range of sporting equipment for use during free time see El Rancho Office to borrow.

1:30 pm | Clothes Swap |

2:00 pm | Paekakariki Pops | Outside

Redeem the voucher in your welcome pack for a yummy ice-block made just down the road

2:30 pm | Candle Making | Elm Fireside

Learn how to decorate candles with Annette Cater - bring your own candle (could be a baptismal candle, or a Paschal candle if you’re feeling ambitious!). Some candles will be available for purchase from the camp office. Everything else you need will be ready and waiting.

4:30 pm | Parish Leaders Meeting with Bishop Justin | Elm Hall

5:30 pm | Dinner | Redwood Dining

7:00 pm | Main Session | Kauri Hall

Children and Youth go directly to their programmes at 7pm

9:00 pm | Bonfire | Outside

Join the youth at the bonfire (access via the Dell) - we'll provide the marshmallows but BYO your own stick

9:00 pm | Supper | Redwood Dining

9:30 pm | Night Prayer | Redwood Hall

Please respect this time of prayer by keeping noise to a minimum in Redwood hall.

7:30 am | Morning Prayer | Redwood Hall

All are welcome to stay on to learn more Ngatiawa songs after morning prayer at 8am.

8:00 am | Breakfast | Redwood Dining

9:00 am | Main Session | Kauri Hall

11:30 am | Morning Tea | Redwood Dining/Outside

12:00 pm | Family Eucharist | Kauri Hall

Preschool parents please collect your preschooler for Eucharist. (Children and youth will come to Kauri with their leaders)

1:00 pm | Lunch | Redwood Dining

1:45 pm | Clean Up

Please sign up to a job to lighten the load together - Bishop Justin isn't able to vacuum the whole camp!Please visit Richard at lost property (in the camp office) before you leave and return any room keys.Safe travels home all!

Under 2s

+ The parents’ room is in Lower Redwood Right, in the Redwood Hall. (External access is next to the ramp leading up to Elm dining)
+ There are comfy chairs, suitable for feeding and getting some chill time.
+ Toddlers are very welcome to join the pre-school programme, as long as there is an adult with them.

Pre-Schoolers 2-4 years

Preschool is in Lower Redwood
Access to preschool is through the side door of Lower Redwood Right, the door opposite the ramp up to the dining rooms.No evening sessions for the preschool group
We thought a session beginning at 7.00pm for this age group might be a bit unrealistic! So sweet dreams to the little people in the evenings. If you need a quiet space to play outside preschool session times, you are welcome to play with the toys in the preschool room (if the toys can just stay in the room please).Morning Starts
Saturday Morning - We all start together in Kauri hall for family worship. The MC will ‘realease us’ from there at about 9.10am.
Sunday Morning—Please bring your pre-schoolers to the pre-school at 9am before going to the main session.
Both mornings, please sign your child in & stay with them until they are settled.Venue and Access
The pre-school programme will be in Lower Redwood, & one of our team will be at the door to greet and direct you. Please enter through Lower Redwood right, by the outside ramp to the dining rooms. Parents are always welcome to stay and join in with our fun and learning if you wish.Name Tags
Could you please pin your child’s name tag, with your name at the bottom, to their back so we can know who they are, and who they belong to!Toileting
We are very happy to walk children who are toilet trained over to the toilets when they need them, Please let me (Kate) know if you are happy for us to do this. However we will not be able to change nappies. So if you would please check your child’s nappy – or take them to the toilet during the morning tea breaks between 10 – 10:30am. We will have a change mat in the preschool room.Morning tea/ food
Feel free to leave a named water bottle for your child, we have cups for those who don’t. As part of our programme on Saturday and Sunday morning, we will be sharing morning tea together. This will consist of a plain biscuit and fresh fruit. Please let us know if your children have any allergies and provide morning tea for them.Upset children
Please let us know what you would like to happen if your children are upset – in general, we will try to settle children, but if they are upset for 5-10 mins, we’ll text/phone you and ask you to pop back. If you are taking children out of the programme during session times please make sure you let me (Kate) know before you do.Outdoor activities and Messy play
Please ensure your child has sun-screen on, and dress them in suitable clothing and shoes, such as raincoats, sports shoes, and clothing you don’t mind your child getting dirty. We will have a variety of messy activities such as playdough, slime, paint and a couple of other exciting things, we also have a bouncy castle to play on!!Finish times
Preschool finishes at 12.30pm on Saturday, please collect your children on the way to lunch
On Sunday, you will be asked by the MC to come and collect your child before the camp Eucharist starts (about 11.45ish), please come to the preschool room, collect, and sign out your child.Ngā mihi, Kate and her team!

Primary schoolers 5-10 years old

Sessions timesFriday PM 7 pm – 9pm
(children will start in with parents and be released from the main gathering at 7:45ish)Saturday AM 8:45am – 12:30pm
(children will start in with parents and be released from the main gathering)Saturday PM 7pm – 9pm
(Children to go direct to Kids Programme for a movie)Sunday AM 9am - 12pm
(Children to go direct to Kids Programme, at the end we will join adults for the camp Eucharist)Initial Programme sign in
On registration for your family, please also register your 5-10 year olds at the Kids Ministry table. This is where we will check we have the correct information; ensure we have a shared understanding on releasing children at end of session; and cover any other individual information we need to know.What to bring
Much of our programme is outside so children need to wear wear sports shoes/sandals for the morning sessions. We will be doing some water activities in the morning session on the Sunday for the 8-10 year olds; we encourage kids to wear their togs under their clothes, and to bring a towel. Water activities will go ahead rain or shine, unless it is dangerous. Please send your children with a raincoat, sun hat, and a named water bottle (we will have cups for those who don’t have a water bottle with them). They also need to be sunscreened before they arrive please.Morning tea
The Kids Programme will have morning tea provided during both the morning sessions. If your child has particular dietary needs, please provide a morning tea snack for them.Collection after sessions
Due to team leaders’ own family needs, we are unable to continue to wait with your children indefinitely at the end of sessions. Please be prompt in collecting your children within 10 minutes of official session end time.If you have particular collection needs (e.g. if you are on prayer ministry etc) please liaise re a suitable collection scenario before camp or at registration.Movie Night
On Saturday night, we’ll be having ‘movie night’. The kids will be encouraged to come in their PJ’s and bring a pillow if they’d like. Younger children are welcome with a parent.We are keen to release some of our teen leaders to be involved in activities on Saturday night, so if you are able to stay for the movie, this will help us meet our ratios. Please let us know at registration.The movie we have chosen is ‘Wall-E’. This is a G-rated movie (general audience). You may like to check out this review on Common Sense Media so you can decide if this movie will be suitable for your child.Afternoon Free Time
In the afternoon there will activities for you to supervise your children engaging in, including:
Rock Climbing
Bouncy Castle
Water Slide
Swimming Pool
Lots of general activities around the camp grounds.
All these activities will require parental supervision. More details about their times will be in the camp booklet when you arrive at camp.Contact
If you have any questions, please feel free to text Ella Brown on 027 370 1331.

Intermediate and College Students 11-17 year olds

+ On Friday night and Saturday morning after worship (the MCs will tell you when), youth will be released, please bring your young people to Pinewood Hall and sign them in if not already done so at the registration
+ Once signed in the first time, they are welcome to come straight to Pinewood for subsequent sessions.
+ Young people need to be in the session for the whole session. If you are happy for them to be out of the session, they are your responsibility.
+ Please wear active wear or clothes you don’t care about getting dirty or wet for outdoor activities, there will be water activities. So please also bring togs and a towel.
+ Morning tea is provided - if your young person has allergies, please provide alternative snacks.
Contact: Jesse Duckworth: 028 405 4840

Camp Office

Located in Lower Redwood Left. Richard, our Events Manager, will often be found here, or can be contacted on 021 0200 7113. The office will be closed during main sessions. Note: For all site queries head to El Rancho Main Office

Meals

Please give priority at mealtimes to families with small children. For those with special dietary requirements – your meals are being provided in Elm Dining – the entrance to this is before you enter Redwood Hall on the right-hand side. You can either eat there or collect your meal and join family/friends in Redwood Dining.

Night-time Noise

Please be aware of cabin spaces and keep noise around cabins to a minimum after 9 pm, as children and adults will be sleeping. After 10 pm, please keep noise to a minimum everywhere.

Duties

You have been assigned duties! Please do your bit, and include your family. If you are unable to carry out your duty, please find another to swap with. Some duties may run into the start of session times or start before a session ends, so we thank you in advance for completing your duties.

First Aid

First Aid kits and support can be found at the Diocesan Camp Office. For emergencies dial 111 and give the address "El Rancho Christian Camp, 58 Weggery Drive, Waikanae Beach."

Camp Clean-Up

Everyone:
There are lists up on the walls in the Redwood Hall that have various jobs to be done at the end of the camp. Please sign up to a job to lighten the load together. Also please check lost property at the Diocesan camp office before you leave in case you misplace anything and return any room keys you have taken.
Those staying on-site:
You will also have been given your room clean-up instructions on arrival. Thank you for working together with those in your space to complete these, as well as the overall camp cleanup.

Prayer Rhythms and Overnight Vigil

Morning and evening prayers each day: 7:30 am and 9:30 pm in Redwood lounge.We're running a prayer vigil from 9pm on Friday night until 12pm on Sunday - you can either pray in the chapel using the resources there, or pray wherever and however you'd like. Sign up here (No need to create an account or login - just click 'proceed as guest')

Camp Office

Located in Lower Redwood Left. Richard, our Events Manager, will often be found here, or can be contacted on 021 0200 7113. The office will be closed during main sessions. Note: For all site queries head to El Rancho Main Office

Workshop #1 - Wānanga Ata Tuatahi | Saturday 11 am

Leading Through Change | Davene Vroon | Founders Lounge

Change is hard. For those initiating change, and those impacted by change. It requires courage and grace, but also sometimes a different way of leading. As leaders, we don't always know what path to take when the heat comes on and we're faced with resistance, obstacles and opposition on the journey toward the vision. Bringing practical examples from the workplace, this will be a chance for us to explore some of these concepts and share insights with each other on leading through change toward transformation.

Debate - The day of long-term global mission has finished | Anglican Missions and NZCMS | Redwood Fireside

A fun filled debate considering the role of long term global missions in 2024

Discipleship 101 | Gendy Thomson | Chapel

Me, a discipler? Yes! What does it mean to disciple - especially to be a disciple that disciples others who go on to disciple others in the way of Jesus

Discipling Across Difference | Ana Fletcher and Jimmy Luey | Elm Fireside

Each of us is unique - and so we are always in discipling relationships with people who are different than us. Sometimes our differences are easy to spot, sometimes not so much. This workshop is designed to help us all be more effective in our discipleship by being attentive to ourselves, the 'other' and the Spirit.

Ministry resilience: burnout and having a fun life | Nigel Dixon | Elm Hall

I have a concern that ministry is done as a sprint rather than a marathon. I burned out for the most well meaning reasons and it took a long time to recover. I want to explore how we go to the dark place and how to make our way to an approach to ministry that is calling centred rather than guilt inspired…

Prophetic listening for leaders – hearing God for ourselves and for those we serve | Cath Livesey | Kauri Hall

God invites each of us into an ever-deepening relationship where we can recognise, discern and respond to God’s voice. But how do we authentically engage with the “still small voice” in the busyness of ministry? In this workshop we will be looking at how we can grow our capacity to hear God both for ourselves and the people we lead. We will explore how a “tuned-in” lifestyle and ministry can deeply impact our churches’ discipleship and mission, and how we can be leaders who closely follow the heartbeat of God, wherever the Spirit leads us.

Workshop #2 - Wānanga Ata Tuarua | Saturday 11:55 am

Being a Family on Mission | Pete and Anna Hull | Chapel

Sharing our journey as a family on mission, particularly on how we involve our children and integrate this more fully into our everyday lives. We will share the joys, the challenges and the unexpected.

Celebrating Cultural Identity | Bishop Justin Duckworth | Founders Lounge

Using some familiar cultural symbols, we'll deep-dive into some questions of bicultural identity, focusing particularly on what it means to be 'ngā hau e whā' - people of the four winds - in this land. Last year I gave this presentation to Anglican Centre staff and it was reviewed as "one of the best you've ever given, Bishop.”

Discipleship on the Edge | Te Mahi Whakaako | Ngatiawa River Monastery | Elm Fireside

Matua Rangi (Ngāti Raukawa), Courtney (Ngāti Toa), Stu and others from Ngatiawa share stories and reflections on formation and discipleship at Ngatiawa in Urban Vision. This reflection focuses on what has worked for our team, and what has worked for those our team journeys with (those on the 'edge' who are in the midst of struggles). We will offer some reflections on the implications of Te Tiriti o Waitangi regarding formation and discipleship.

Listening and releasing prophetic ministry in a liturgical setting | Chris Wanstall | Kauri Hall

In this workshop we will look at the opportunities to create space within a liturgical setting to hear and respond to God's voice.

Reclaiming the Village | Paul Fletcher | Elm Hall

To be and do authenic relationships and missional community - we need to proactively critique and pursue the costly call to reclaim a 'village life' particularly in urban settings. This workshop will look at the historic dimishment of village life and offer space to ask how we and our communities have been impacted by this.

Workshop #3 - Wānanga Ahiahi | Saturday 1:30 pm

Being Pākehā Disciples: Where to Start | Mark Barnard | Founders Lounge

In this workshop, we'll consider how pākehā Christians might take some steps to a fuller embodiment of te rongopai in our time and place.

Prophetic listening for leaders – hearing God for ourselves and for those we serve | Cath Livesey | Pinewood Dining

(this is a repeat of the morning workshop)God invites each of us into an ever-deepening relationship where we can recognise, discern and respond to God’s voice. But how do we authentically engage with the “still small voice” in the busyness of ministry? In this workshop we will be looking at how we can grow our capacity to hear God both for ourselves and the people we lead. We will explore how a “tuned-in” lifestyle and ministry can deeply impact our churches’ discipleship and mission, and how we can be leaders who closely follow the heartbeat of God, wherever the Spirit leads us.

Holding Fast to God: Exploring the Spiritual Practice of Fasting | John Crawshaw | Elm Hall

Fasting receives quite a bit of attention in celebrity and health circles, but very little among contemporary Christians despite the witness of the Bible and Christian history. So how is fasting a spiritual practice, and why would we do it? This is an opportunity to explore this spiritual practice and whether it is important for us in the Wellington diocese at this time in history. (This is largely a repeat of the workshop offered at the Dio training day in Wellington last August.) Please note that this workshop will run for 75 minutes.

The aroma of Christ and creative homiletics | Carl Tinnion | Marquee (weather permitting)

A live cookery demo exploring chaos and order, a contextualised passover meal, Jesus the bread of life and cooking breakfast on the beach with Peter.

Packing List

Pack right with this essential list of what to bring to camp.

Do not bring:

Mihi Whakatau

Our time together starts with a Mihi Whakatau on Friday at 7pm in Kauri Hall. Please make sure you are seated by 6.55pm.As part of this we will sing a waiata tautoko (a song following our speaker) - this will be 'E te Ariki'.If we need a second waiata tautoko we will sing the Ngatiawa version of Tuhia.See below for the words, music, and an audio recording to help you get ready.E te Ariki
E te Ariki a Ihu
ka manaaki koe
ki a mātou e, ki a mātou e.
Lord Jesus, you care for us.Listen to a recording here.

Tuhia
Tuhia ki te rangi
Tuhia ki te whenua
Tuhia ki te ngākau ō ngā tangata
Ko te mea nui Ko te AronaWrite it in the sky.
Write it in the land.
Write it in the heart of the people.
The greatest thing is love.

(Scores are published with permission from Ngatiawa River Monastery)