Spectacular Church
“This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.”
Isaiah 43:16-21
Presented by Matt and Rachel Renata
Matt & Rach were born and raised in Te Upoko o te Ika (Wellington) and have been married for 6 years. Rach grew up in Kāpiti and is Ngā Puhi, Japanese and Pākehā. She works for the Inzone Education Foundation and is passionate about people discovering their own awesomeness. Matt grew up in Te Awakairangi (Lower Hutt) and is of Māori and Gujarati descent. Matt has been involved in the youth and community development sector for the past 14 years and co-founded “Te Awakairangi Youth Development Network”, and now works as the Kaiāwhina for World Vision Aotearoa.
“We moved to Tāmaki Makaurau in 2019 to study for a Bachelor’s in Theology, a Diploma in Māori Pastoral Leadership, and a Diploma in Te Reo Māori through Carey, Laidlaw, and Takiura. We’ve spent a lot of time seeking God’s redemptive plan for Aotearoa connected to Isaiah 43:16-21, and a large part of that was fuelled by supporting the whānau through the Protect Ihumātao kaupapa in karakia and whakamoemiti.”