MEGA MAKERS:
Step inside the inventor’s workshop and discover what the mysterious Mega Machine does. Create your own incredible inventions while meeting new friends. Make mega discoveries about God’s mind-blowing love.
WONDER ZONE
Come join our team of science enthusiasts and discover the marvels of this world and beyond. Be prepared to encounter the creative God who designed it to enable us to know him better.
WAY2GO annual conferences and local trainings designed around your needs provide innovative and effective ideas for children’s ministry in New Zealand.
One-day WAY2GO Conferences in the second term of every year provide inspiring, relevant and effective ideas for children’s ministry along with opportunity for fellowship and networking. The workshop-based conference covers topics for preschool, primary, family and all-age ministry. WAY2GO will equip you to help children grow in their faith - whether you work in church, community-based programmes, kids clubs, school settings or camps.
As well as our WAY2GO conferences we hold smaller customised local training events called WAY2GO Focused.
Contact us about customised or upcoming WAY2GO Focused events.
Ask us to run a WAY2GO Focused children and families’ ministry training programme in your own church at a time that suits you. You choose the workshops and provide the venue and morning and afternoon tea. We will do the rest! Talk to us on freephone 0508 423 836 or email us at way2go@sunz.org.nz
The Certificate of Children’s Ministry is quality training focusing on the essential skills that help children grow in their faith, whether they are in church or community-based programmes, kids clubs, school settings or camps.
The Certificate is made up of six workshops. Three of the workshops are offered each year at WAY2GO Conferences, and you can complete the Certificate in any two-year period. We can also run workshops at other times if there is enough interest. Just ask us!
Certificate of Children's Ministry Workshops
Ages and Stages
Learn what to expect from children of different ages and stages of development. This will include some faith development
Connections
Discover ways to build strong relationships with children in order to help them grow in their own relationship with God
Hook Into the Book
Discover creative and innovative ways to engage children with the Bible in ways that will help them meet God through its pages.
Positive Discipline
Explore a range of practical ideas and strategies to help you manage children’s behaviour.
Prayer Zone
Explore what it means for children to develop a deep relationship with God through prayer, including lots of practical advice and ideas to help it happen.
Tell it Like it is
Story telling is a vital tool for anyone working with children. Learn a variety of ways to make this essential part of any Bible programme exciting and memorable.
“Fun, inspiring and excellent. Full of ideas I will be using.”
“Really though-provoking. An absolute highlight.”
“I head up my children’s ministry team and it was so encouraging to be somewhere where I learnt how to lead them well.”
“I had a fantastic day. Very encouraging. It has ignited new passion.”
“Well organized, very relevant and very God-based. It was a privilege to be here.”
Whether you are new to children’s ministry or an experienced leader you will be encouraged by inspirational teaching and practical ideas to help children discover Jesus and grow in faith.
Build your ministry through mentoring or come to an event for children’s ministry leaders in your area. Support for your children’s ministry is available from SUNZ. We can mentor you or connect you with people in your area. We also run events to help you meet other children’s ministry leaders.
Email us at way2go@sunz.org.nz for any information on our networking events.
The New Zealand Children's Ministry Network (NZCMN) is Baptists, Anglicans, Presbyterian Children and Families, Christian Community Churches of New Zealand, Salvation Army and Scripture Union NZ all working together so children's ministry leaders can encourage and learn from each other. Connect with children's ministry workers in your area to support each other and share ideas and resources. Discover training and events for children's ministry workers in your area.
Our workshops will focus on our theme for the year, ‘First Things First’, addressing the key aspects of children’s ministry for 2022. These workshops will draw on regional trainers alongside Scripture Union staff and provide engagement with the local context.
This approach allows us to adapt to changing circumstances as well as provide a localized approach that reaches more regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. We are excited for the possibilities and look forward to bringing our training to you.
We are currently working on venues and dates. We look forward to letting you know more soon.
SUPAkidz camps combine action, games and craft with exploring the Bible together. Leaders are carefully selected and well-trained. Children work in small groups and make friends quickly. A sure way to beat holiday boredom!
Check out our latest camps here
Children are put in small groups of no more than 6 children with a leader who looks after them for the duration of the camp. SUPAkidz camps have no more than 50 children on camp.
Indoor games, outdoor games, games in small groups, games with the whole camp, crafts, Bible stories and exploration, wet games, theme games and so much more.
The camp is fully catered. Children receive three healthy meals each day as well as a morning and an afternoon tea and supper. Our cooks are able to cater for most special diet in consultation with parents/caregivers.
All Scripture Union camps adhere to the standards set out by the SafeHere programme, an online safety management system. SafeHere shapes the leaders, the programme and the procedures of our camps.
Leaders come from various churches of various denominations. All leaders at camp have been police checked and vetted for leadership. They have also been trained to care for the children and to give them a fun and safe holiday as they engage in the various activities together. Leaders have themselves paid to be at camp and come with an attitude of service. They will do the craziest things to make camp a fun time for the children in their care.
Scripture Union is not able to provide transport to and from camp for campers. It is the responsibility of the parents/caregivers to get their children to camp. Camp starts late morning of the first day and ends around the same time the morning of the last day, for a five-day camp, the afternoon for a four-day camp.
For more information about SUPAkidz camps email us at supakidzcamps@sunz.org.nz or call us on 0508 423 836
Email us at way2go@sunz.org.nz for personalised advice from our experienced children’s workers
Kids Clubs are faith based clubs that are especially good for kids who have little or no church background. They are a great way for your church to grow connections with the kids and families in your community. You could start one as a stand-alone club or follow on from your holiday programme. SUNZ has a wide variety of quality programme material available. We also offer leadership training and support and help with safety procedures.
Our in-school clubs - SUPAkidz Clubs for primary school children and SURGE clubs for intermediate school children, are held at lunchtime or after school on school grounds. SUNZ provides programme material that is only available for these clubs and will help young people think about life from a Christian perspective. It is especially designed to suit the New Zealand school environment. We also help you with training and support, safety procedures and leadership applications so that you can assure schools and parents you are running safely. We recommend an opt-in programme which allows parents to choose whether their children attend.
Email way2go@sunz.org.nz for more info
Holiday programmes are an effective way for your church to connect with the local community. You can build relationships and help parents with quality child care at the same time. SUNZ staff can set you on the right path with experience and ideas to help you run your own holiday programme. Resources are also available from the SUNZ online store or call into our Wellington store at 9A Oxford Terrace, Mt Cook.
What is happening in children's ministry in NZ?
This is the third time we have undertaken this major research project to learn more about Children's Ministry across New Zealand. We conducted the latest Children's Ministry Survey in 2018. We gathered responses from a cross section of churches around the country, different regions, different sizes and different denominations.
Click the 'View online' button to open an amazing digital publication of 'He waka eke noa', the overview of the survey, which you can also download. When you open this online publication look for the download button on the top right corner of the browser window. For more details on each section you can contact us on 0508 423 836 and way2go@sunz.org.nz
(Click here to download previous editions of He waka eke noa)
We also publish the summary of this research as a beautiful professionally printed booklet in a convenient form factor for you to be able to take anywhere and use as you need. To receive this publication absolutely free please complete the form below.
The WAY2GO Magazine is our children's ministry magazine which we publish and mail out every quarter. It is four pages of fresh ideas for your children's ministry. View the latest edition of our magazine below.
We also mail a printed version of this magazine to our subscribers. See below for more details.
We print and send the WAY2GO Magazine to our subscribers absolutely free. It is part of our Adventure Magazine, our FREE quarterly Christian magazine.
More info about the Adventure Magazine >
The WAY2GO Magazine is designed so that you can pull it out of our Adventure Magazine to keep with you or to pass around. You can to this magazine by filling out the form below.
A gift to SUNZ helps bring Jesus’ love to hundreds of young New Zealanders each year. Your donation, staff support, bequest or tax rebate enables more young people to learn about God, grow as leaders and influence our world for good.
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National Office (Wellington)
Postal Address:
PO BOX 760
Wellington 6140
Physical Address:
9A Oxford Terrace
Mount Cook
Wellington 6021
Northern Regional Office (Auckland)
Postal Address:
PO Box 112123
Penrose Central
Auckland 1642
Physical Address:
60 Rockfield Road,
Penrose,
Auckland 1061
Southern Regional Office (Invercargill)
Postal Address:
PO Box 7
Invercargill 9840
Physical Address:
137 Yarrow Street
Invercargill 9810
National Office (Wellington)
Freephone: 0508 423 836
Telephone: (04) 385 0485
Northern Regional Office (Auckland)
Telephone: (09) 379 9363
Southern Regional Office (Invercargill)
Telephone: (03) 214 1834