Auckland

Basic Demographic Information

Official Name: Auckland Chinese Seventh-day Adventist Church

Church Administrative Unit: North New Zealand Conference, South Pacific Division

Date Officially Formed: June 24, 2014

Founding Minister: James Wong

Church Website: ???

Current Address: Trinity Methodist Church, 474 Pakuranga Road, Highland Park, Auckland, New Zealand

Date on which Current Sanctuary was Established: July 18, 2009

Current Membership: 97.

The Auckland (奧克蘭) Chinese Seventh-day Adventist Church in North Island of New Zealand began as a fellowship group. The Lord’s presence was clearly felt when the Chinese Fellowship Group worshipped for the first time at the Pakuranga (帕庫蘭加) Community Hall on Sabbath of August 4, 2007. It was heartening to see the enthusiasm and excitement of the members as they set up the worship hall and adjoining room for English classes. A total of 65 members and friends attended the morning program with 32 remaining behind for Bible studies. Pastor Philip Ko (柯腓利) delivered the sermon entitled Jehovah Nissi (Ex. 17:15). [Editor’s note: The Group secured the use of the Hall from 9 am to 4 pm every Sabbath. Pastor Ko and his family are missionaries from Taiwan.]

It all began at Glen Innes Church (吉安教會) with 6 Chinese baptized members in the year of 2000. Two of the six were Elder Willie Wu and his wife Cindy (巫秀雲), who migrated from Hong Kong to New Zealand in August 1992. The number of the group members grew to 47 in 2007. Many of them made contact with the church via English language classes run by Church Elder Robin Greenfield. The group started off with one Chinese Hymnal and video sermons sent by the Chinese Union Mission (華安聯合會) in Hong Kong. As the Group grew, they moved from the seminar room to the Sanctuary and their worship service became more formalized. Video sermons were eventually replaced by interpreted sermons with Cindy Wu as interpreter from English to Chinese. [Editor’s note: Willie Wu is elder brother of James Wu (胡子輝). Their grandfather was Pastor Woo Tak Shun (胡德純), a pioneer worker in the South China Union.]

Every year the Group conducted several evangelistic seminars, which were presented by Mandarin-speaking ministers. In September 2006, they initiated the Voice of Hope radio broadcast via the AM93.6 Mandarin Radio Station, bringing health messages, personal testimonies and sermons to Auckland’s Chinese listeners.

The Group prayed for a Mandarin-speaking pastor for several years. Finally God answered their prayers when Pastor Philip Ko and his family arrived in April 2007, where he served as youth pastor of the Thomson Road Chinese Church and also as chaplain of Singapore San Yu Adventist School from December 2003 to March 2007. The Group decided that it was time to make their vision and form the Auckland Chinese Seventh-day Church in the Howick (哈维克) and Pakuranga area. According to the latest statistics, with a number of 100,000, Chinese people constitute 7% of Auckland’s population with the majority living in that area.

On July 26, 2008, the Group with 49 members was granted Company status by the North New Zealand Conference and known as Auckland Chinese Seventh-day Adventist Company.

On July 18, 2009, a permanent venue for worship from 9 am to 4 pm every Sabbath was secured at the Trinity Methodist Church, 474 Pakuranga Road, Highland Park, Auckland.

On June 21, 2014, the Company with 97 members was granted full Church status by the North New Zealand Conference.