Partnerships

God is at work renewing people and places across our city and beyond, and we love to be part of that story. At Gracecity, we lead, resource, and partner with a variety of ministries, believing that together, we can make a greater impact. This page highlights the ministries we run and those we partner with, as well as a few other inspiring initiatives where Gracecity people are involved.

Gracecity Ministries

  • The Alpha course explores the big questions of life and the Christian faith, and is a great space for anyone who is curious and seeking to know more about God. 

    Gracecity runs Alpha courses across all our locations, and online. The 10-week course consists of a series of interactive sessions that explore the big issues of life, faith and meaning. They unpack the basics of Christian belief, addressing questions like “Who is Jesus?”, “Why and how do I pray?” and “How does God guide us?” The Alpha talks are designed to engage people from all walks of life and inspire conversation.

    Alpha creates a space and a culture that is exciting and safe where people can invite their friends into a conversation about Jesus. Through Alpha at Gracecity, many people have put their faith in Jesus and begun a lifelong adventure with Him.

    Prayer is vital to this ministry! We also love to have people serve on the team. 

    Visit gracecity.nz/alpha to learn more.

  • Our conversational English classes are FREE for ANYONE to join.

    The classes aim to provide help to those learning or seeking to improve their English and to gain a deeper understanding of New Zealand culture and lifestyle. They are great places for people to meet new friends and have fun together with others from different cultural backgrounds. Occasionally, the group loves to enjoy a meal together.


    This ministry primarily targets new immigrants whose first language is not English. Through this ministry, we hope to extend the love of Jesus to those who are striving to improve their English, by teaching, connecting with them and making them feel welcome.

    If you have strengths in teaching, connecting or welcoming, sign up to be a helper, an assistant or a teacher. Come and hang out with this community.

    If this interests you, please let us know at https://www.gracecity.nz/serve

  • Through the ministry of Shining Light, a multi-church mission, Loaves and Fishes is sharing love and acceptance with some of the most marginalised in the Central Auckland community – people who are underprivileged and lonely, who have poor living conditions, and are often struggling with drug and alcohol abuse problems. This ministry introduces them to the love and acceptance of Jesus

    A complete meal is served to around 60 to 80 people, once or twice a month, and we have the opportunity to preach a short message. Everyone needs to be heard and maybe even hugged – while they are sitting at tables, while they help set up or as they join in an interactive bible study. Rich conversation occurs in this community and the team engages in wonderful ways. For many, this is their church family.

    There is a great team from Gracecity; they serve, provide baking, help clean up and pick up needed supplies. They are often on the lookout for extra help, financial donations, or goods – bottles of water, new winter socks, men's/women’s underwear, beanies, soap and personal items.

    Please pray for this ministry – that Loaves and Fishes will continue to have access to the spaces needed to serve this community. Pray for the wonderful team that serves.

    There is always room for people on the team who can sit and talk to lonely people.

    https://gracecitynz.churchcenter.com/groups/serve-our-city/loaves-and-fishes

  • Mainly Music (held at Gracecity Greenlane on Friday mornings) is an opportunity for preschool children, along with their parents or caregivers, to come along to a music and movement session, followed by morning tea and play. We celebrate and focus on four main events of the year: Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas.

    Mainly Music is open to the public to come along.

    The team works to build relationships with the families, supporting them and praying with them, or for them, when they can. Ultimately, we would like to see Christian relationships for them.

    Support from our wider church community could be as easy as prayer for the ministry, the relationships that are built, and the families that come along.

    Also, if you want to be part of the team, we are always on the lookout for more help. You can help with serving morning tea, talking to families over cups of tea or coffee, helping with set-up/tidy-up or, if you love to sing, you could lead a session. 

    If this interests you, please let us know at https://www.gracecity.nz/serve

  • Mana Wahine is an initiative between Gracecity East and Willow Park Camp. It is a weekend retreat for single mothers and their kids. It is held in November each year and between 16 and 25 mums and between 18 and 30 children come along to each retreat. Single mothers and their kids are nominated by members of the community and local churches.

    The aim is for mums and their kids to leave Mana Wahine feeling refreshed, pampered and encouraged. The retreat is where they can create connections with one another and the team can share the love that God has for them. Many activities are provided during the weekend, such as pampering, nails and hair styling, car-washing, crafts and exercise classes. There is a stunning banquet dinner with a fun quiz, prizes and gift bags for all the mums, and fireworks after dark for the kids. Over the weekend, the kids have their own fun programme, giving the mums a break while the kids have a blast.

    Volunteers are needed to bring everything together in the weeks before and to serve at Mana Wahine – including car-washing, make-up, hair, nails, organising and styling the clothes. In the lead-up to the retreat, clean, undamaged second-hand clothing, shoes, handbags, jewellery and other accessories are collected. Donations are always welcome.

    Contacts are needed for massage therapists, beauticians, hairdressers, barbers, nail technicians, etc. – anyone who might be willing to donate some time and their skills. Contacts are also needed for companies who would donate goods and services that would bless the women and children.

    If you would like to donate time or goods, etc. to this weekend, let us know hello@gracecity.nz

  • Manna Meals (Greenlane) and BotanyChefs (East) are our frozen meal ministries. 

    The meals are available to people both within the congregation and in our wider community –  an associate, neighbour, relative, etc. –  who are going through a season or two where a meal may bless them. 

    Providing meals is a wonderful act of care that our church can offer. It can help us reach out, show love and meet needs in our community. There are several situations where a meal might be appreciated or needed – a new mum, a person recovering from surgery/illness, a poor student, someone suffering bereavement, a struggling neighbour, etc. We have seen these ministries prompt curious non-Christians to ask questions about why our church cares in this way.

    In Greenlane, we have a team which cooks meals three or four times a year in the Greenlane kitchen. At East, the members of our team independently cook meals as they are able. If you ever know of someone who would be blessed by a meal or two, you can access these meals from freezers at Greenlane or Kotahi Community Centre (East). Information about ingredients is given on each meal so people can be aware of dietary indicators, e.g. gluten-free or vegan, and the date when made.

    If you enjoy cooking, there are opportunities to be part of the team. Church members who don’t have cooking skills can donate provisions or finance to fund the food.

    If you’d like to be involved or to support this ministry, please let us know at https://www.gracecity.nz/serve

  • The Holy Spirit planted a thought in Eric Hill’s mind as he sat in the bus stop opposite Mount Eden prison. Eric said to Mike Porteous and Rosemary Currie: “it would be good if a GCC group could go and pray with prisoners and take Jesus”. Chaplaincy meetings, held in the church café, led to Eric and Rosemary assisting Chaplain Perema at Auckland prison. 

    Presently, our Gracecity teams minister in various Auckland Prison units every Sunday from 8.30am to 10.30am. Our vision is to see prisons develop into Bible Colleges by being obedient to the Great Commission, sharing about Jesus, encouraging faith and raising up disciples to share with other prisoners. Ministry training is on the job on a monthly roster. Ministry friends go one or two Sundays monthly from 1.00pm to 4.00pm.

    The Holy Spirit opened doors for Gracecity teams to enter Auckland Regional Women's Correctional Facility in Wiri. We minister in the Chapel and in various units where we encourage wāhine serving life sentences in their walk with Jesus. One wāhine has baptised 105 prisoners! 

    We began praying five years ago to go to Auckland South Corrections Facility, a private men’s prison run by Serco. In August 2023, Eric, Rosemary, and Norma completed induction training. We wait upon God to open the doors and need friends based in central and South Auckland for this ministry.  More North Shore-based friends are also required to assist at Auckland Prison as many units are not receiving ministry.

    Gracecity Church prison ministry has prayer intercessors, and we welcome you to pray for this ministry and for the prisoners’ needs. Ask God whether prison ministry could be for you. Contact Rosemary through Chris Porteous - chris.porteous@gracecity.nz

Gracecity Partnerships

  • Barnabas School of Leadership (BSL) exists to develop under-resourced leaders in the developing world. The gospel is flourishing in these countries but, sadly, the training of church leaders is not keeping up – one estimate is that 95% of pastors and church leaders in the developing world have no biblical training. BSL takes groups of 25 to 30 leaders through a two-year training programme, aimed at developing humble servant leaders who lead as Jesus led.

    BSL is a leadership development ministry that works with church leaders. Each cohort of leaders is offered four block courses, using biblical teaching and life-on-life mentoring. BSL currently serves in Nepal and Myanmar in Asia, and in DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda and Kenya in Africa. It is about to be launched in Sierra Leone, West Africa, with the first cohort of pastors there.

    We send out a ‘prayer raft’ email most months to our prayer supporters, and are always looking for new team members to support us in prayer or financially. For more information, go to our website: www.bsl.org.nz

  • Christians Against Poverty (CAPNZ) partners with churches to work with families and individuals in Aotearoa, guiding them towards overcoming financial chaos. Through our support, individuals break free from debt and poverty, and this empowers them to cultivate financial resilience. Along this journey, they also strengthen their relationships with money, themselves and others, and their faith in God.

    Unmanageable debt extends beyond mere financial strain, permeating various aspects of individuals’ lives. It strains family relationships (taha whānau), impacts mental and emotional well-being (taha hinengaro), affects physical health (taha tinana) and disturbs spiritual harmony (taha wairua). Recognising this holistic impact, CAP’s comprehensive assistance adopts a whole-of-person approach, offering long-term practical support. Central to our approach is the acknowledgment of a loving and valuing God who embraces each individual.

    For the last 15 years, Gracecity has operated a CAP Centre (second oldest in New Zealand) under an associated Trust called Greenlane Care. This Trust employs Litea Vadiga as our Centre Manager, who supports CAP families over the period until they are debt free. We also partner with various Trusts like Vision West, which provides transitional housing, and work with them to complete Life Skills and CAP Money programmes. We also operate a Job Club programme at Gracecity.

    We welcome support by way of prayer, financial donation and volunteers to assist with home visits and food deliveries to CAP families, and as befrienders.


    For more information, visit: https://www.capnz.org/

  • The Joshua Foundation is a mission organisation located in Arusha, northern Tanzania. Founders, Alan and Lynda Stephenson, came to Arusha in 1988 to set up this mission as a leadership training ministry. In 1992, land for a mission base was acquired and the mission base was built over the following few years.

    Over the years, many leaders have been trained through the two arms of the church – missions leadership and Christian education. The ministry has also taught and demonstrated Farming God’s Way – a biblical approach to agriculture.

    Currently, The Joshua Foundation is focusing on running an English-medium preschool and primary school for local Tanzanian children, with strong biblical values. A Special Education Needs unit has been opened to give children with disabilities the chance they need to be prepared for life. The school targets children from poor families who would otherwise miss out on a quality holistic education.

    Gracecity members are welcome to become part of the Joshua School child-sponsorship programme – $35 per month goes towards ensuring a child receives a high-quality English education, with strong biblical values, and food each day. This sponsorship opportunity is managed in New Zealand by Nicola Thompson. The Joshua Foundation also welcomes short and long-term volunteers to the Arusha base to contribute in any way they can, including giving big hugs to little people! 

    To learn more, email jsaarusha@gmail.com or check out the Joshua School Arusha Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/joshuaschoolarusha

  • Nikki Bray Coaching and Training is a ministry of Tandem. It aims to support people as they discover how to live life in all its fullness. Jesus came for us to experience the abundant life and, yet, many people, both believers and unbelievers, are feeling stuck in unhelpful thought patterns, beliefs and behaviours. Nikki offers various modalities such as life coaching, Enneagram coaching, Lightning Process training and marriage mentoring to help move people from their current struggles to flourishing as God intended. Having worked as a ministry director and speaker for FamilyLife NZ for 30 years, she is well equipped to journey alongside people.

    The ministry targets individuals and couples of all ages, both believers and non-believers.

    Please pray for Nikki’s coachees – many present with anxiety, depression and chronic health issues, resulting from ongoing stress patterns, and mental and emotional issues, and feel hopeless and helpless. Nikki believes it’s a privilege to work with these people and witness them begin to live in freedom and with influence. She has also just written a book entitled From Here to There – please pray for its effectiveness. 

    Also be praying for her personal well-being as it’s a demanding role and she is well aware that she needs to be in a good healthy space herself in order to minister to others.

    There is also an opportunity to become a financial contributor if you feel led.

    https://www.nikkibray.co.nz/

  • Willow Park is a Christian Camp in Eastern Beach, Auckland. It runs Kids Camp during school holidays for children in school Years 4 to 8. Each camp is themed. Past themes have included Wild, Wild West, Fiesta, Mission Possible, Space and Time Machine.

    Willow Park Kids Camp exists to introduce kids to Jesus. Each day, there are teaching sessions which bring the word of God to life and invite each camper into a relationship with Jesus. At every camp, decisions are made – young people putting their trust in Jesus. Children return to camp time and time again, and relationships are formed. Steps of discipleship are taken as leaders come alongside the children and love, serve and guide them.

    For many years, a team of adult helpers and teenage leaders from Gracecity has gone to Kids Camp each holidays to fill roles like Camp Speaker, Camp Nurse, Camp Mum and Dad, Activities Leaders and Cabin Leaders. Many young people go through the leader training programme which runs alongside the camp for Year 9 and 10 leaders.

    If you are interested in serving or sending your children to camp, visit: https://www.willowpk.org.nz/page/Holiday_Camps/

  • 24-7 YouthWork is a collaboration between high schools and local churches (in Aotearoa). For more than 25 years, 24-7YW has facilitated this connection in order to provide trained youth workers to work in schools, with the aim of seeing young people thrive. Gracecity Greenlane has partnered with One Tree Hill College in this way since 2018.

    We know the teenage years are full of challenges, especially as young people seek to find out who they are and establish their place in the world. Schools are formative in this development and our 24-7 youth worker seeks to serve One Tree Hill College in whatever capacity is required. We focus on what we have in common – we want to see young people succeed and flourish in their future. All 24-7 youth workers recognise that there is a huge range of different beliefs in a school context and are respectful of this. Their role is to be there for all young people.

    Gracecity can support this ministry in two ways:

    Financial – 24-7YW is a not-for-profit charitable trust and, as such, is grateful for benefactors who support its future growth. Research has proven that 24-7YWers are making a tangible difference in their communities, so your partnership with us enables us to continue making a positive change in our communities. 

    Prayer – for our youth worker, that God will use them and they will continue to see lives changed. Also pray for One Tree Hill College and that its students would feel welcomed and loved by our youth worker.

    To find out more - https://gracecitynz.churchcenter.com/groups/serve-our-city/24-7-youth-work

Gracecity Spotlight

  • Sandy Tavakehas attended Gracecity for a number of years. She had a calling to establish Agape Branches.

    Agape Branches Ministry is dedicated to promoting Jesus organically through the gift of giving. Its mission transcends traditional boundaries, aiming to revolutionise perspectives by educating individuals about the value and benefits of salvaged food. To amplify this message, it is launching a dynamic one or two-minute cooking show on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook. This innovative approach not only showcases creative culinary solutions using rescued food but also fosters a deeper understanding of the importance of food sustainability and waste reduction. 

    This ministry is committed to building discipleship through social media channels, in collaboration with Gracecity Church. By leveraging these platforms, it aims to cultivate a community of believers who are inspired to live out their faith authentically, sharing the love of Christ in tangible ways. Through these endeavours, Agape Branches Ministry seeks to empower individuals to embrace a lifestyle of generosity and compassion, ultimately transforming lives and communities for the glory of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

    The vision of Agape Branches is to catalyse organic transformation in lives by serving and nurturing communities, utilising the virtues of the Holy Spirit to effect positive change locally and globally.

    Agape Branches is seeking committed individuals who embody Christ-like values and possess culinary skills to transform rescued food into remarkable meals on camera. Additionally, we are looking for individuals who can facilitate the pick-up of rescued food from our food contractors, such as Bakers Delight, Tip Top Ice Cream, and Fair Food.

    As part of its mission to educate and inspire, participants will share their favourite Bible scriptures, explaining their significance. This opportunity allows people to showcase culinary creativity while fostering spiritual growth and connection with our audience. Join in this transformative journey of faith, food, and fellowship, making a positive impact one meal and scripture at a time (John 15:5).

    Contact Sandy Tavake: tavakesandy@gmail.com

  • Jason Mee has been part of our Greenlane community since he was three years old! He has been a full-time staff member for Athletes in Action for five years. He leads the staff team at the University of Auckland and this includes overseeing and leading all on-campus activities. 

    Athletes in Action is a worldwide sports ministry founded in 1996, which seeks to help athletes integrate their faith and their sport. Sport is a universal language that connects people from different cultures and backgrounds. 

    However, for many sportspeople, sport can take an unhealthy place in their lives and become their sole purpose and identity. Athletes in Action seeks to help sportspeople find identity from a relationship with Jesus: something that doesn't change over time and gives true lifelong purpose. 

    Sportspeople are busy people and spend a lot of time training and competing so athletes can reach other athletes. Over the course of a season of sport, relationships can be formed that go beyond the surface and allow Christian athletes to be real and present in the world of sport, and to be Jesus’ hands and feet. 

    Athletes in Action in New Zealand connects with both university students and professional athletes, primarily in Auckland and Christchurch. It is an affiliated club on campus, which means it is recognised in an official capacity; it has a great relationship with the University of Auckland's sport and recreation staff, and has helped run their inter-faculty sports events for a number of years. 

    A big way you can support this ministry is through prayer. Firstly, pray that God would be at work through the Holy Spirit across campuses and sports clubs in this country. The prayer of Athletes in Action is that athletes across the country would turn to find identity and purpose from a life of following Jesus. 

    Another way you can support Jason or his team is through financial partnership. They are blessed to be supported by people who have a heart to see God at work and to empower them to be in ministry full time. To do so, visit: 

    give.athletesinaction.org.nz

  • Juliet McArthur is a long-term member of Gracectiy Greenlane with a love of fine fabrics.This passion, along with a visit to the Solomon Islands in 2018, led to a surprising journey that culminated in the establishment of Gifts for Good.

    Gifts for Good is a registered charity that raises funds to support the fight against extreme abuses – violence, slavery and trafficking – of young women in the Pacific Islands and South East Asia.

    The team is made up of volunteers, mainly from Gracecity, with a wide range of skills, who meet weekly to sort, measure, price and sell fabrics. These are donated by leading international interior design companies and sold at the Gifts for Good container shop on the Gracecity Central site. The team also makes a range of quality homewares and accessory items from these fabrics – scarves, bags, throws, cushion covers, table linen, oven gloves, aprons, cards and more – which are sold at the container shop and at markets.

    As Gifts for Good is a charity with all materials and services donated, no income tax is paid and, therefore, 100% of sale income can be donated.

    Gracecity members can support this ministry by spreading the word about Gifts for Good to friends and family, choosing to buy gifts and homewares from its foyer stalls or from the shop open weekly on Wednesday afternoons and for its regular Saturday sales. Volunteers are welcome to join the team on Wednesday mornings and those with sewing skills are welcome to sew with us.

    Our aim is to draw team members closer to God through our interactions, serving one another and sharing the love of God with all we meet.

    For more information: https://www.giftsforgood.nz/

  • Mike has been involved in ministry at Gracecity for decades, and served as Community Pastor of our Greenlane community for many years. Along with the late Barbara Broom (another Gracecity member, who was part of the Ministry of Health advisory group), he set up Hub of Hope.

    “We are very passionate about doing all we can to equip as many people as possible to walk alongside those diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses.”

    With an acute shortage of medical staff, especially GPs, the work of helping patients face life-limiting illness is failing. Barbara Broome was grappling with this process herself and struggling for answers until God spoke to her: “The spiritual people will be the answer”. Hub of Hope was born to facilitate this solution.

    Hub of Hope aims to equip the Christian community to journey sensitively alongside anyone who is dying, regardless of their beliefs, nationality, etc.

    Seeing limitations in conducting live training sessions, we have worked to develop a comprehensive eLearning course, which will become available to anyone in New Zealand from June 2024.

    For more information, visit HUB OF HOPE NZ: https://www.hubofhope.nz/

  • Williams Adesina has been attending Gracecity for 20 years and his family came to join him in 2009 and serve to the glory of God. God is the founder of the Light of Life Children’s Bible ministry and, by His grace, Williams and his wife, Grace, serve as coordinators.

    Light of Life Children’s Bible Ministry was founded with a vision to provide a nurturing environment where children from all backgrounds can explore and grow in their faith and learn about Jesus Christ in a way that is engaging, relatable and age appropriate. The ministry works with children and young people aged one to 15 years old. By the grace of God, this ministry has covered six countries in West Africa. 

    Children love to hear stories. It is critically important that we build this natural response and fill their minds with truth about Christ that will give them a solid foundation upon which to build their lives. The stories of Jesus include: His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection,  His ascension and His promise to take us to heaven. Light of LIfe also aims to support the children with moral instruction.

    Other people at Gracecity Church can financially support this ministry. Donations fund Bible teaching materials for the teachers, food for the children and young people, and transport to different places.

    For more information, visit: https://lightoflifebcm.com/

  • Taz is an entrepreneur with a heart for the community. God has opened his eyes to many needs. He set up NZBA to respond to some of those needs. 

    New Zealand Business Association (NZBA) works with migrants, refugees, young people and ethnic small business owners. It provides support for income-creation, job search and career development skills whilst enabling, including through advocacy and training, the successful settlement of migrants and refugees into the country.

    More recently, NZBA has been embarking on expanding its work to include prisoner rehabilitation and integration support through employment. Taz has learned in his ministry work, and as a trustee on another charity called Second Chance Ministry and through his company, which does commercial painting.

    There are a number of ways people can volunteer to support this work:

    • teaching a refugee to drive, as a driver mentor 

    • participating in our events, such as the Walk a Mile With a Refugee event 

    • administration, accounting and other such skilled work. 

    We are also looking to establish a permanent market in Mount Roskill where other ministries can be involved to sell goods and fund-raise. You can register online for any of NZBA’s programmes at: https://nzba.org/volunteer/

  • Red Frogs recognises the culture of young people is dominated by alcohol and that excessive consumption of alcohol and other substances can lead to dangerous and life-altering behaviours. Therefore, Red Frogs has made it their mission to: provide a positive peer presence in alcohol-fuelled environments where young people gather; educate young people on safe partying behaviours; and promote alcohol-free and/or diversionary activities that engage young people in these environments.

    Red Frogs is a support program for young people, with a mission to be a positive peer presence. The Red Frogs team provides students with study and stress relief by visiting a university residential hall throughout the semester to share food and play games with students. We find these visits create a friendly atmosphere, build community, and provides pastoral care to those feeling overwhelmed, lonely, or just needing someone to talk to.

    The Red Frogs team goes into a local university residential hall fortnightly on a Wednesday evening. You don't need to be an extrovert to be involved, though this is a people-focused ministry. The heart is to connect ongoingly with students in this space. All volunteers must provide a current pastoral reference, police check, and complete a Red Frogs training before they're able to join the team.

    Volunteering as a Frogger allows you to safeguard young people as they navigate the challenges of tertiary student life. It also provides an awesome opportunity to connect with other like-minded people at Gracecity who have a passion for serving the next generation.

    More info about Red Frogs can be found here: https://redfrogs.co.nz/

    Or sign up to be part of the team here https://gracecitynz.churchcenter.com/groups/serve-our-city/red-frogs

One Days Wages

Are you thinking about giving as part of the One Days Wages Campaign? You can give via the methods below. In any transaction put ‘One Day’ as the reference. 

  • Automatic payment

  • Online 

  • Giving dropboxes

  • EFTPOS