BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER 18 JANUARY 2026


Turning a New Leaf in Christ
“New Year” doesn’t stay new forever, unlike turning a new leaf in Christ. When does the year stop being new?
Do you display more outward tradition than inward growth? Are you a source of spiritual nourishment or just ornamental in your faith?
Read the first sermon I delivered at Oamaru Baptist Church on 16 January 2022, as part of the pulpit roster.
Thank you for filling out our Task Roster
We got our Task Rosker up and running last Sunday. Thanks to all who responded to Bevan’s appeal.
Feel free to jot your name down for any tasks that don’t have a volunteer yet. You might want to pair up with someone who serves the Lord’s Supper, welcomes people, or gathers the offering.
We also have a lineup of volunteers who have offered to mow our lawns. Thank you!
Fellowship lunch on 25th January

Join us for a joyful celebration as we honour our students returning to school in February! We’re hosting a fellowship lunch on Sunday, January 25th.
We would love for you to be a part of it. Please bring a dish to share so we can enjoy a delicious meal together. Come, connect, and celebrate our students! Watch out for more details!
TEE Life of Christ Meetings Resume this week
We are back to our TEE (Tools to Equip and Empower) meetings.
- Group 2, composed of Marjorie and Tony, took up Life of Christ Book 2, Unit 1, on Friday.
- Group 1 will take up Unit 9 of the Life of Christ Book 2 on Sunday, 18th January at 1:00 PM.
We invite others to join the Life of Christ Discipleship Course. Feel free to approach the pastor. Thanks!
Invitation for Baptism

We invite those who believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord to publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ through believer’s baptism (immersion). Please see the pastor or any of the elders, Tony or Rodney, for further information.
Jesus commanded his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). Therefore, baptism is a way of obeying Christ’s command, both for the person being baptised and for the minister performing the baptism.
The Baptist Church believes that believer’s immersion is the only scriptural form of baptism.
Opportunity to support
We learned that Juscar and Johanna travelled to the Philippines last December to attend the burial and wake of Juscar’s mum. They arrived safely back in New Zealand on 31st December 2025.
May I invite anyone who wants to participate in the Filipino tradition of giving “abuloy” (donation) to a bereaved family. This is voluntary. It is our token of solidarity with Juscar, Merly and the whole family. Please feel free to donate any amount to Juscar R Alegado’s account: 01-0964-0094574-00
Thank you very much. May God bless you all!
Christmas 2025 in Retrospect
From festive highlights to heartfelt farewells and inspiring faith stories, this update celebrates community, gratitude, and new beginnings!





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