Welcome Bay
Light House experiences consistent growth
The Light House in Welcome Bay is consistently attracting 30-40 people every Sunday, says minister the Rev Mike Uttley.
It’s a year since the former Welcome Bay Community Church ceased occupying the building, taking most of the fittings and nearly all the congregation with them. The remnant of about 12 people who remained have played a key part in growing the new congregation, which Mike describes as “quite a mixture of people”. There are a handful of families, including one with teenagers and one with a new baby.
“If someone walks in the door, all bases are covered.”
The church has been contacted by ICONZ (previously known as Boys’ Brigade) saying that a local school would like an ICONZ programme.
“We’ve said yes to that.”
The programme will be run at the school during school time, targeting 10 “life-challenged” young boys.
The “strongly Christian” programme starts with a devotion (which the school has okayed). The rest is life skills, such as tying knots, canvas painting, sporting activities and trips.
Mike says the boys are aged 10-11 years old and most have never been to local attraction Mount Maunganui.
Press Go’s funding has allowed the installation of heating and a sound system, as well as supporting Mike’s stipend.
The Light House has put up large signs on its very visible frontage, including a “massive bill board” promoting a marriage seminar being held at St Peter’s, which has an oversight role of the church.
Mike has joined the Welcome Bay Community Centre committee, and has also been going along to their youth activities, which attract 30-40 kids every Friday night. “They have a rapport with the community that’s outside the church.”
Community use of the church’s buildings is increasing, with a Zumba dance-fitness class being held and a weekly art group.
- July 2010
New minister for the Light House
The Light House (previously known as Welcome Bay Presbyterian Church) has called the Rev Mike Uttley, formerly of Dunedin City Baptist, as its minister.
Mike trained as a Presbyterian minister and has previously spent four years at Waiau Pa, a small Presbyterian church in South Auckland.
He says attendance at the Light House is building, with 25 people the first Sunday he preached in February, and about 40 now.
Mike’s found a volunteer to spearhead music for Sunday services, which he says is making a huge difference. The church now has a sound system and mixing desk.
A free breakfast was held at Easter, followed by a simple service with people sharing stories.
Mike says he hopes to work with the youth programmes running at the Welcome Bay Community Centre.
He’s also been out and about in the community, spending about an hour and half each week knocking on doors. “In one street I only managed to do 10 homes, because of the [long] conversations. Not one of them was antagonistic.”
Mike was at Dunedin City Baptist for five years. He was part of the preaching team and also involved in pastoral care, running a men’s group and overseeing youth ministry.
He says he learned from the “positive model” of team ministry used at the church. Being part of a team is a key aspect of his Light House role, with the church functioning as a congregation of St Peter’s Taruanga, Mike attends the session meetings at St Peter’s and meets weekly with minister the Rev Simon McLeay, as well as other local ministers the Rev Jim Wallace and the Rev Neville Harris.
Mike has had a diverse range of ministry experiences, including being a missionary in the Philippines, and involvement in university ministries Youth for Christ and Campus Life.
- April 2010
New name and new vision for Welcome Bay
Welcome Bay Presbyterian Church has turned away from a traumatic past towards a future with huge potential.
The Rev Rhys Pearson says the opportunity is unique in New Zealand, combining a large piece of highly visible land, a very functional building, and a rapidly growing community where people are looking to make social connections.
“This is a unique and unusual opportunity for growth.”
Press Go has granted the church, now known as the “Light House”, $250,000 over three years to establish a self-supporting ministry. A full-time minister will be appointed, in consultation with the presbytery and the Press Go Board, and the church will come under the oversight of a neighbouring large parish. In February, Mike Uttley was employed as stated supply minister, with a view to calling him once his licensing has been completed.
Rhys has been significantly involved in Welcome Bay during 2008, being appointed by the Council of Assembly to negotiate with Welcome Bay Community Church, which had been occupying the church buildings but left in July 2009.
The Rev Iain Dickson, who’s the church’s ministry convenor, says in order to avoid confusion, a new name has been chosen from its history, “Light House – church on the hill”.
In July, Iain and the Rev Tony Hepburn were appointed by the presbytery to get services up and running. “It’s amazing how far we’ve travelled since then.”
Up to 35 people have been coming along, with a core of five families who were part of WBCC but chose to stay.
Rhys says these people are very positive about wanting to rebuild and have put aside any bitterness about past. “They’re saying, ‘we’ve moved on, we’ve got another communion table now, we’ve built another cross and put it on the wall; we’re ready to go again’.”
Facilities include a kitchen, hall and lounge, and the sanctuary can hold 120 people.
Iain says the church is very clear about wanting to make any changes necessary to attract new people and younger families, and will be supportive of a minister who brings new ideas.
The new minister won’t be left isolated. He will be networked with other ministers in the area and work very closely with one larger church, being based in their offices and part of the ministry team.
“That’s part of the vision for this call.”
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to do the imaginative stuff.”
Iain says the small congregation is ready to get behind its new minister. “They realise that they’re in a church plant.”
At the end of the three years, Rhys says, Welcome Bay will need to stand on its own feet. “We expect to see a dynamic, self-supporting, worshipping community. The potential to achieve that vision is huge.”
The western Bay of Plenty is booming
Every week:
›› 135 people move there
›› 30 new houses are built
›› 51 new jobs are created
The population is predicted to double by 2051.
A complex history
The church at 240 Welcome Bay Road was planted in the 1970s by neighbouring St Enoch’s Presbyterian, whose members saw the area’s potential for growth.
“We talked to some of the older people at St Enoch’s, and they sacrificed to make this possible,” Rhys says. “It was a very significant step for them.”
Early services were held in doctor’s rooms and a school hall before a land swap was completed with the Ministry of Works in 1980 for the current site. The fledgling congregation constructed a building, helped by a grant from the Presbyterian Church. The church, which had adopted the name Welcome Bay Community Church, became a cooperating venture in 1981, as part of the strong contemporary tide towards ecumenism, and flourished for some time. But when a minister was convicted of paedophilia, the parish split. In 1998, the Anglicans and Methodists withdrew, leaving WBCC as a Presbyterian charge once again.
The Presbyterian Church gave significant funding during this difficult period but at the same time the church began to emphasise the “community” part of its name and distance itself from the denomination. Over a number of years, there were many attempts to reach a compromise solution. But eventually the insistence of the WBCC leadership that they were not Presbyterian meant they were asked by Bay of Plenty presbytery to vacate the property.
Rhys says he remains sad that a compromise solution proved impossible. “No matter what we did, there was no way we could get a change.”
WBCC, which has retained a congregation of about 80 people, is meeting in a school hall 1km away.
- Spanz March 2010
Welcome Bay embraces new name and vision
Welcome Bay Presbyterian Church is looking for an innovative minister prepared to take on an “amazing opportunity for growth”.
The Rev Iain Dickson, who’s the ministry convenor for the church, says a traditional minister is not required.
“We need someone with church planting skills and the willingness to do the imaginative stuff.”
Press Go has granted Welcome Bay $250,000 over three years to establish a self-supporting ministry. A full-time minister will be appointed, in consultation with the presbytery and the Press Go Board.
But this person won’t be left isolated. They will be networked with other ministers in the area and work very closely with one larger church, being based in their offices and part of the ministry team.
“That’s part of the vision for this call,” Iain says. “It’s a fantastic opportunity.”
Facilities at the highly visible church include a kitchen, hall and lounge, and the sanctuary can hold 120 people.
The church is on a large piece of land in a rapidly growing suburb of Tauranga.
In July, Iain and the Rev Tony Hepburn were appointed by the presbytery to get services up and running. “It’s amazing how far we’ve travelled since then.”
The church has chosen a new name from its history: “Light House – church on the hill”.
Up to 35 people have been coming along, with a core of five families who were part of WBCC but chose to stay.
Iain says the small congregation is ready to get behind a new minister. “They realise that they’re in a church plant.”
The church is very clear about wanting to make any changes necessary to bring new people and younger families, he says and will be supportive of a minister who brings innovative ideas.
You can read more about Welcome Bay, including its difficult history and its huge potential, in the March issue of Spanz.