“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”

The first month of 2023 is almost over and our journey for this year has certainly started.

As we reflect on 2022, we celebrate those things that impacted on our lives and, in some cases, pray 2023 will be better. NZMWF started 2022 with a new National Executive and like all new things, it was a little trial and error, learning what needed to be done and forming new relationships with key stakeholders that we would be working alongside during the two-year term.

Last year allowed us to attend face-to-face meetings, although some Districts chose to continue to meet via Zoom with Covid still very much around and as we know, here to stay.

We lost some very dear members who worked tirelessly for NZMWF and the wider church. God had other plans for them, and they gained their wings to join the “Army of Angels”. We will always remember them for their work and continue the great legacy they left behind.

After a two-year hiatus the NZMWF National Council was able to meet in person. Over the weekend 14 – 16 October 2022 42 members came together at the Novotel in Auckland for a great weekend of reconnecting with old friends and connecting with new friends.

We also elected our new President-elect, Lesieli Tiulupe Pope, who will take the reins after this year’s Convention in October.

This year the NZMWF National Executive hope to connect with more Districts, either face-to-face or by Zoom. We look forward to reaching out to our sisters in Christ and lending a helping hand to ensure we all move forward.

I pray as we move forward this year that we are prepared to learn new things as this is the only way we can truly break the cycle of being stagnated and focussed on the past. What worked then may not necessarily work effectively now.

We wish you all great health and continued prayer of wisdom. Whatever we do we do it with our God as only through him will we be able to achieve the goals we set for 2023.