New Zealand:
Expanding in a region of diversity and contrasts
New Zealand: Expanding in a region of diversity and contrasts
By GERSON S. NONATO and MARIE F. RUIZ
SPECTACULAR GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES and striking landscapes characterize New Zealand, Aotearoa in Maori, a remote island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It has two main islands—North Island and South Island—and a few small islands some hundreds of miles away.
Wellington, the country’s capital, and Auckland, its largest urban area, are both on North Island where brusque mountain ranges run like a vertebral column all through the middle, softened by the gently sloping farmland on both sides. The Volcanic Plateau, an active volcanic and thermal area, dominates the central North Island. In the South Island, the Southern Alps stand prominent. Impressive in size and beauty, it is a 480-kilometer series of fold mountains—the highest peak, Mount Cook, rising at 3,754 meters. About 20 other peaks rise to more than 3,000 meters. To its east is the undulating farmland of Otago and Southland, and the Canterbury Plains, a lowland area bordering the Pacific Ocean. The Rangitata, Rakaia, and Waimakariri rivers cross the plains from the alps.
With remarkable contrasts, New Zealand’s geological wonders range from active volcanoes to snowcapped peaks, magnificent caves to stunning fjords, lush valleys to sandy beaches stretching far along the coastline, the more than 300 glaciers and deep glacier lakes, and an array of unique animal life and vegetation. It is the lone home of the kiwi, a long-beaked and flightless bird. And New Zealanders are nicknamed “kiwi.” New Zealand is closest to Australia at approximately 1,600 kilometers and is one of the countries nearest to Antarctica—a continent 98% covered by ice.
Although New Zealand has a large majority of nonreligious people, those who have religion are predominantly Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian. Some are affiliated with other Protestant sects, while others are adherents of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The immigration of people from eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia contributed to the country’s diversity of religion, race, and culture.
At the onset of the 1980s, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) started to etch the true faith into this religious landscape through some members who had strong conviction that the one true God they worship would bless the true Church to thrive in this country. Brother Nigel and Sister Flordeliza Spice started the Taupō committee prayer group in 1982. Taupō being strategically at the heart of North Island, with the sparkling Lake Taupō—the country’s largest natural lake—at its center, the first brethren in the area not only propagated God’s words to its locals but also to tourists and immigrants. That same year, the Waiouru group was started by Brother Eduardo and Sister Estrella Javier.
Deeply caring for their spiritual well-being despite their distance, the Church Administration sent Brother Adriano Della Jr. followed by Brother Noel de Leon and Brother Romeo Maglaya to officiate at their worship services. Brother Nolly Esperanza was their first visiting minister, assigned to look after their spiritual welfare and conduct edification and propagation activities, followed by Brother Uziel Bongares.
On November 21, 1985, Brother Dominador Marco settled in Auckland. He had to travel 232 kilometers to Taupō for the worship services. In February 1986, Brother Montiner Capiral and his family likewise settled in Auckland and received tape-recorded sermons from Taupō. In May, they conducted group meetings alternately in their home and in Brother Dominador’s residence. Later on, his home at 3 Cornwall, Te Alatu became the venue for their group’s prayer meetings when it was formed upon his return in December 1987 from a courtesy call to the then Executive Minister, Brother Eraño G. Manalo, at the Iglesia Ni Cristo Central Office in Quezon City, Philippines. Brother Adriano Della Jr. officiated at their first Holy Supper and also their Church Anniversary Thanksgiving worship service.
With God’s help, seven new ecclesiastical districts of the Church were established in different parts of the world in May 1994. New Zealand was placed under the new Ecclesiastical District of Australia, later named Australia-Oceania as the Church reached Fiji and then Tonga. New Zealanders, Europeans, Americans, and Filipinos composed the Church membership in the country as new congregations burgeoned left and right.
On July 9, 2014, Australia-Oceania was reorganized into two districts, Australia West and Australia East. Congregations in the South Pacific were included in the latter.
In the years following the Church’s 100th anniversary celebration, its membership in the country grew even more. On September 22, 2017, the local congregations in New Zealand were established as an ecclesiastical district. Its first supervising minister was Brother Teodorico SP. Samson Jr.
A year earlier, on July 30, 2016, the current Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, dedicated to God through a special worship service the beautiful house of worship in Christchurch. The district’s first involvement in a livestreamed special event officiated by Brother Eduardo Manalo was the KADIWA organization worldwide gathering on November 11, 2017 (main venue: Central Temple, Quezon City, Philippines). The youth in the district gathered in several sites including Metro Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. On March 25, 2018, the district joined the Worldwide Evangelical Mission.
In July, the district rejoiced with the brethren all around the world in celebrating the Church’s 104th anniversary and 50th year in the West followed in September by another meaningful celebration—the district’s first anniversary. Activities included a blood donation drive, “Walk for a Cause” Pasugo: God’s Message and pamphlets distribution, districtwide evangelical mission, and a musical program and an international cuisine event witnessed by brethren outside the Auckland region through weblink.
In 2010 and 2011, earthquakes rocked the city of Christchurch. The brethren’s livelihood was greatly affected, but they held on to what God can do in their lives.
Firmly united with the Church Administration, all the officers in the district gathered in several sites—including Metro Auckland and the Wellington, Christchurch, and Bay of Plenty areas—for the International Officers’ Day special gathering officiated by Brother Eduardo Manalo livestreamed from the Philippine Arena in Ciudad de Victoria, Bulacan on April 9, 2019.
With God’s help and mercy, the district, young as it is, continues to make great strides in all its sacred endeavors, driving its rapid expansion in the country and in neighboring islands.
