Te Peeti Te Awe Awe
inscription reads:

I have done my duty, do you likewise.

Kua Kaupapa iau te aroha ma koutou e whakaoti.

I have laid the foundation of friendship for your consummation.

Palmerston North is an education centre boasting a number of tertiary training campuses. With an energetic heart of youthful zeal and an easy living lifestyle, it’s a great place to live. The Manawatu has significant spiritual foundations of unity and Christian mission. There are a number of defining stories in our history that have laid a foundation for God’s kingdom work in our city.

Local Maori have a long, Christian, heritage dating back to the early 1800’s when Rangitane made peace with Ngati Raukawa, Te Rauparaha’s tribe from the Otaki area, and an alliance was formed based on Christian values and beliefs. Te Rangimarie marae at Rangiotū was built in 1858 to commemorate peace between the Ngāti Raukawa and Rangitāne peoples. The meeting house was one of the first in New Zealand, built and dedicated as a place of Christian worship.

Te Peeti Te Awe Awe was the key figure who promoted cooperation between Maori and the settlers and Rangitane donated the land known as The Square as a perpetual marae at the centre of Palmerston North. A statue of Te Peeti was erected in 1907 commemorating the support he gave to European settlers in the district.

During the early 1970’s a Summer School at Massey University, hosted by Christian Advance Ministries, was a catalyst for many to be filled with the Holy Spirit as part of the Charismatic renewal sweeping the country. Subsequently a number of church leaders and Christian businessmen hosted trans-denominational conferences at the Awapuni Racecourse, then the Pascal Street Stadium, where thousands would gather at Easter to receive teaching and ministry from a variety of overseas speakers.

Many have been mobilized and launched into ministry from here and it continues today with more than 60 churches cooperating and flowing together with a level of unity that is energized by genuine friendships.

The Christian Leaders Association meets monthly and the Executive leadership team coordinates interchurch activities and initiatives. Palmerston North is a vibrant growing city and the Christians that gather for regular worship account for approximately 17% of the population.

Jono Turner
Pastor – Gateways Christian Fellowship

In 1997, the Christian Leaders’ Association (CLA) of Palmerston North set up a prayer group (City Intercessors) made up of intercessors from a number of different congregations specifically to pray for congregations and parachurch groups and their leaders throughout the city and surrounding towns.

The format was for this group to visit a different fellowship every fortnight, to spend 1.5 – 2 hours praying for the needs of that fellowship and their leaders. Typically, the leaders from that fellowship would be present to share their needs.

We all carry a dream that one day (this side of the Lord’s return) there will be true unity in our city amongst all believers, as prayed for by our Lord the night before He died as recorded in John 17:20-23.

Robert Sanson
Co-ordinator – City Intercessors

City by City exists to help encourage unity, prayer and transformation throughout New Zealand
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Author: Colin Shaw

Colin, with his wife Grace, was commissioned by the City by City team and carry a God-given burden/vision for Christian leaders, in each locality, to gather as one in order to share and pray together. They encourage Christian leaders to focus on what they have in common rather than the things that too often divide and to keep all things Christ-centered. All that Christ be made known and glorified through His Body the church of that locality.