This years GBNZ Conference and Youth Forum is happening at Wellington Airport's Rydges Hotel Conference centre. 10am Sat 14th Aug - 1pm Sun 15th Aug 2021. A decision has been made that the formal uniform or our GB or IFG Polo shirt/Tee shirt with black trousers or a skirt can be worn for travel and the formal part of Conference. The Saturday night dinner will be a special night with a guest speaker. Smart dress is recommended for the occasion. On Sunday morning after the Church service morning tea will be served at 11.30 am and will be prepacked to allow those who need to catch earlier flights to take their morning tea with them. As we are aware that flights are limited to some areas of New Zealand, we have two options for attendees they are: 1) You can book a flight from 12 noon or 2) You can stay on for fellowship. As we have the venue until 1.00pm we are providing additional activities.

I’m reading a book at the moment called “Echoes, The Lord’s Prayer in a Preachers Heart” by Geoff New (Presbyterian minister, Head of Knox College, in Dunedin). I started reading it late last year so you might think I am a slow reader, but it’s actually because there is so much to think about in each chapter, I can only read one chapter at a time and then pray over and mull over it for the next couple of weeks. For instance, the second line of the Lord’s Prayer “Hallowed be your name”. At the heart of everything we say and do we should be asking ourselves ‘does this honour God’s name?’ We are ambassadors for Christ. When people look at us what do we want them to see? Frequently now I ask myself “did my words and actions (my life) honour God’s name. Does my life say in word and in deed ‘Hallowed be your name’?” Luke 18:9-14 is the parable of the two men who went to the temple to pray – a Pharisee and a Tax Collector. If you can’t remember exactly what happened I encourage you to read it. Both men stood by themselves to pray. · The Pharisee thought he was close to God and was proud. The Tax Collector stood at a distance, believing he was far from God. · The Pharisee looked at the Tax Collector while he prayed, while the Tax Collector prays unable to look at anyone. · The Pharisee prays based on how he sees himself, the Tax Collector prays based on how he thinks God sees him. · The Pharisee prays relying on his own greatness, the Tax Collector prays relying on God’s greatness. Two people showing two kinds of spirituality. Only one that could be said to be keeping with “Hallowed by your name”. Only one that prayed in a way that showed an understanding of God’s name and character. Think about the last prayer you prayed. Think about who or what was the focus of your prayer. Based on your last prayer, where would Jesus put you in that parable? If we consider our last prayers as a long version of “Hallowed be your name”, who did we honour? I spent several weeks just on that chapter of the book as I wanted to really pray and reflect on how I was living out God’s name. Was I more like the Pharisee or the more like the Tax Collector – or someone in between - someone that needed to work on how I am as an ambassador for Christ. We are still in the season of Easter, there is no better time to reflect on who we are and how we are. Loving Lord, you have made me into a new creation. You have given me a new birth and you nourish me with Word and Spirit. Jesus, as you are gentle and humble in spirit; renew me by your grace. Amen

We need your help, your voice, time and talents. You are needed to join the GBNZ board in 2021. If you've been waiting till that next stage of life or that next phase, can we encourage you to prayerfully consider putting your name or someone else's name forward to join the GBNZ board in 2021. We'd love to hear from you Nomination forms and terms of appointments are available to download here. 2021 GBNZ Board nominations and elections We are seeking nominations for the following roles to be elected at the 2021 AGM to be held on 14 August 2021: National Commissioner National Chaplain National Youth Representative-Elect 3 Board members (four-year term) 2 Board members (two-year term) Elections to the Board will be held in accordance with the GBNZ Voting Policy. Please consider carefully whether you would like to nominate yourself, or someone else for the Board. The Board needs a diverse mix of members, with different skills and experience. Nominations are to be received by the GBNZ Support Centre by the 16th of April 2021. If your area would like to submit a discussion topic, remit, or constitutional amendment please submit these to the GBNZ Support Centre by the 16th of April 2021.

We’ve just had Transfiguration Sunday. Mark 9:2-9 Think of a mountain top experience you have had. How did you feel? Was it exciting? Was it challenging? How did you keep the memory alive once it was over? Climbing a mountain is challenging. It’s not often you can start at the bottom and just ascend straight up. You may need to clear a path, zig zag up, stop and rest (not just once but many times) and often you may wish you had never started until you get to the top and the journey is forgotten by the holiness around you. The story of the transfiguration of Jesus is one filled with awe and wonder and mystery. It is a story to be experienced rather than explained away. We all encounter God in a variety of ways. This is one of them – on a quiet mountaintop, alone with Jesus. May we savour the time alone. Peter wanted to preserve the moment by building three dwellings. How do we try to confine those holy moments so as to hold on to them? When we try to hold onto them we can miss the experience of just being in the moment. How do we savour the holy moments so we can hear the voice of God? After experiencing that moment, how do we descend the mountain ready to rejoin society? How does it change us, transform us? I encourage you to find a mountain (it doesn’t have to be a big one) and “climb” to the top. Sit a while, treasure the silence, be filled with the holy, and listen. My favourite places are the top of the sand dunes at the beach and the top of the Botanic Gardens, just to sit and be, to sit and listen. Prayer: You take us to the holy place, O God, your inspired presence lifts us up and gives us new life. You bring us down to earth, O God. Through your eyes, we see what needs to be done and find the strength to begin. Bless us, bless our gifts, through which the ordinary shines with holiness. Amen.

WELCOME TO THE FRUITFUL & OVERFLOWING: BE FAITHFUL RESOURCE 2021 Message from The GBI International President The International President’s Committee, made up of representatives from the Five GBI Fellowships across the world, are delighted to launch the new 2021 publication ‘FRUITFUL & OVERFLOWING…BE FAITHFUL’. As with past resources on the ‘Fruitful and overflowing’ theme, these are designed to equip you and your groups wherever you are. Looking back over the last few years, in 2018 Girls’ Brigade Worldwide celebrated its 125th Anniversary and many years of Mission & Ministry, seeking to transform the lives of girls and young women across the globe. You may recall, in the same year, we launched the theme ‘FRUITFUL & OVERFLOWING’ – based on John 15:1- 7. In 2019 we looked at the theme ‘BEING FRUITFUL AND OVERFLOWING’ – based on Galatians 5:22. Our aim was to prayerfully seek to be overflowing with the fruits of the Spirit, starting with Being Joyful. In 2020 we ran with the theme, ‘FRUITFUL AND OVERFLOWING…SHOW KINDNESS’ and explored how we could show kindness and carry out acts of kindness throughout the year. (You will have read great stories about what the girls and groups have done, through our social media and website stories during the year.) In a year when the world was hit by the Covid19 pandemic, it proved to be very appropriate theme for the year 2020. #ShowKindness… We were called upon to do just that and show acts of kindness as we faced lockdowns and saw the virus cause havoc across the world and in our own communities. Our theme for this year, 2021, is ‘FRUITFUL AND OVERFLOWING… BE FAITHFUL.’ As you will remember one of the fruits of the Spirit is FAITHFULNESS. As we look back into 2020, as GB we were challenged wherever we are, we were even then seeking to remain relevant and effective to our girls and groups. Who would have thought this time last year, we would not have been able to meet and play games with our girls! The whole world went into lockdown and we all had to deal with some kind of loss due to COVID 19, throughout the year 2020. Sadly, some lost their loved ones, some lost their jobs, their homes, support systems through the negative effect of being isolated. But in this I am sure we all agree that GB rose to the challenge, especially with online resources and ways to connect. We thank God for being able to speak to & connect with so many of our GB leaders and volunteers around the world, as we stepped up in God’s strength and ‘kept the fire burning for GB’. So as we enter 2021, with that backdrop of all the challenges of 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic, we look ahead knowing this still impacts our lives but ALWAYS knowing GOD IS IN CONTROL. So how do we remain Faithful to God when the light at the end of the tunnel seems a little way off as we await vaccinations? Even with the injections, and vaccinations programmes now being launched, it is going to be a long time before we feel the relief and life ‘gets back to normal’. So, The Presidents Committee is delighted to launch this publication & programme ‘FRUITFUL & OVERFLOWING…BE FAITHFUL RESOURCE’ and new material for 2021. The resource can be adapted and used for older or younger girls. It is full of games, discussion starters, A Devotional Booklet and Bible Reflections, that can be shared online with the girls. We hope that in using this your girls will enjoy and engage with the resources in 2021. Together across the GB family in our Fellowships, we are going to reflect on: How we can remain faithful in the middle of a crisis How to Build and maintain our Relationships How to Manage our Emotions How to Deal with Loss How to Serve others How to take care of our Physical Health May God bless you and protect you as you seek to serve and follow Him faithfully, Priscilla GB International President P.S. Please feel free to use the Resource any way relevant to you! BE FAITHFUL! These resources are designed to help Girls’ Brigade members worldwide, make a positive impact as they work with girls and young women all around the world as together we explore our theme and see our amazing vision unfold. This year our programme resource has been divided into 4 sub-themes. 2021 Theme: Fruitful and Overflowing: Be Faithful Focus:- Serving others Managing your emotions Physical health Building relationships Click Here to open the Fruitful & Overflowing: Be Faithful Programme Resource Our Prayer Resource is based on GB International’s 2021 theme: ‘Fruitful and Overflowing… Be Faithful’. This resource is designed to be used over a one month period but can be adapted to suit your circumstances. ‘God is Faithful’ has been designed and written by GB Asia, this prayer resource is based on the story of Noah. There are so many similarities between our current pandemic and the time of Noah staying inside the Ark. Below you can download the full prayer resource, five weeks of short devotions, accompanying PowerPoint and a workbook which can be given to your young people. Click here to open the 2021 Prayer Resource Click here to open the Five Weeks of Short Devotions Click here to open the Prayer Resource PowerPoint Click here to open the Prayer Workbook

GBNZ is committed to the safety of all it's people and all the children we work with. We are really excited to announce that we have a great training day lined up for all leaders to attend. We have partnered with Safe Here Trust to deliver Child Protection and Health & Safety training. We ask that at least two people from each area (typically Area Commissioner and Area Training Coordinator) attend to ensure that the training can be taken back and delivered to leaders locally that weren't able to attend. You'll also get to hear about the overall leaders training package that has been updated. You won't want to miss this training day! When: Saturday 10th April, 9:30am - 4:00pm Where: Silverstream Retreat, Lower Hutt, Wellington As part of updating our training around Health & Safety and Child Protection, GBNZ has updated the requirements for leader and helpers registration. All leaders and helpers, regardless of their position, will be required to renew their registration on a 3-yearly basis, along with Police Vetting. For current leaders, this will become mandatory the next time your Police Vetting expires. Check out the Leaders Registration Process below. You'll find the the relevant registration form here. Registration Process

FONOMARAE 2022 We know you've been waiting for them so here they are - the new registration forms for Fonomarae 2022! Ever wanted to try paddleboarding, jazz dancing, abseiling or make a miniature house? There's an abundance of fun and challenging activities at Fonomarae in 2022. And we can't wait to see you there! Registration form for GIRLS. Registration form for LEADERS.

Awesome Leadership is happening in 2021. GBNZ's Awesome Leadership is a dynamic training programme equipping young leaders with skills and qualities for life-long leadership. ​Three modules across three levels are presented in camps and training sessions with follow-up practical activities back in girls' home Company or Unit. With a minimum of three years to complete the full programme, there is no time-limit and girls work at their own pace. Find out more here Our next camp is on from the 28th of April to 2nd of May at Campbell Park Christian Camp, Mangawhai Heads. To register click on the link below and complete the registration form. Registration form: Here is the Leaders sign off form:

Mark 1:21-22, 28 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law…. … News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. A grandmother told her granddaughter, “Tomorrow, we’re going to Sunday school” “I don’t like Sunday school,” said the granddaughter. “We need to learn more about God,” replied the grandmother. The granddaughter said, “I learned about Him last week.” “I’ve been going to church all my life, and I haven’t learned enough,” said the grandmother. The granddaughter replied, “Well, maybe you weren’t paying attention!” What would it be like to spend a day with Jesus? Have you ever thought about what it would have been like to be one of his disciples and to be with him day in and day out? Listening to Jesus. I am sure we all have people who we could listen to for hours, and then there are the others where after 10 minutes we’ve had enough. Jesus would have been one of those speakers we could listen to for hours. The usual teachers in the synagogue each time they spoke would have sought to apply the prescription of the law right down to the letter. And possibly that would mean that the people attending the synagogue would have found it was the same things being said each week. Hard to be amazed about that! Law comes from the head. Love comes from the heart. The emphasis in Mark’s reading is not on what Jesus said, but on the authority he displayed as he spoke (as Jesus speaks he reveals who he is, he is God) and on the people’s reaction to it. When were we last amazed at the words of Jesus? Are we like the granddaughter – I learnt about Jesus last week – there’s nothing more to learn? Or are we like the grandmother – I’ve been coming all my life and there’s still so much to learn? Do we go to church expecting, or hoping, to be amazed? How about we set ourselves a challenge that in the coming days and weeks we seek to be amazed by the word of God. Like we are reading the stories and verses for the very first time. Expect to be amazed, not “ho-hum”. Let us not be complacent. Let the ordinary become extraordinary to us. Jesus spoke to en-able people, to em-power them. To enable them (us) to grow as a person, to be more effective in the development and use of their (our) gifts. Gracious God, no matter how complacent we might get, keep on challenging us to look for you in the ordinary things and to hear your words where we’d least expect them. Keep on surprising us, God of the everyday. In Christ Jesus we pray, Amen.

Memorandum To: Area Fonomarae Co-ordinators + Leaders From: The Fonomarae Team Date: 11 June 2020 Re: Fonomarae Postponed to 2022 Greetings to you all, As mentioned in the previous update, we are working through some issues that have arisen due to Covid-19. We can confirm that we are postponing Fonomarae until January 2022, therefore will not be requiring registration forms or deposits from attendees for now. We will continue to work through the remaining challenges, as we move to our ‘new normal’ and will keep Area Contacts updated. We look forward to being able to offer Fonomarae to more girls in 2022. Regards Fonomarae Committee