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From Pastor Jacqui Caetano (6Sep2026)

Romans 2 reminds us that God is kind, but he is not soft. His kindness leads us toward repentance, not complacency. That truth has sat with me deeply in recent weeks as I found myself, twice, indirectly judged for being South African. Each time I had to pause, check my spirit, and choose my response carefully. Although I was born in South Africa, I have lived in New Zealand for three decades and spent 24 years in Swaziland and Botswana. Only the first 13 years of my life — and the first three years of our married life — were lived in South Africa. Over the years, my faith has grown, my worldview has widened, and I have deliberately chosen to love people as Jesus loved. I’m a learner by nature. At Carey Baptist College I took every cultural-interrogation course available and pledged to be inclusive as Jesus was. I also learned how closely the histories of New Zealand and South Africa mirror one another in colonialism and segregation. These presenting problems often trace back to deeper historical wounds — colonialism, segregation, and the wars of the past that shape our phenomenology. We are all recovering from colonial systems, even our children to the third and fourth generation. To break that underlying rebellion and what Scripture calls “as witchcraft”, we must see ourselves through Jesus. For millennia, discrimination has been directed toward dark-skinned people. Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat in the 1960s exposed it. The 2021–22 Black Lives Matter movement exposed it again. Do things change? Perhaps on the surface. But the older we get, the harder it becomes to confront our blind spots. We may say, “I’m not racist, but…” Racism, discrimination, and separatism are everywhere; they simply arrive in different packaging. Our worldviews are shaped by upbringing, parents, bias, careers, cultural lenses, blind spots, and judgments — what philosophers call phenomenology. Yet God reshapes us by His Spirit when we bring our whole selves to him. Sometimes he exposes things in us through others. These attitudes still exist around the world, and they exist right here on our doorstep. In a multicultural church, this is something we must work on every day looking at Jesus. Romans 2 is worth reading. And if you want to reflect further, watch the movies Uproar and All Saints starring John Corbett — both explore the courage required to confront division and choose unity. (John 17)

Pastor Jacqui


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From Pastor Jacqui Caetano (30Aug2026)

My school years were truly incredible. I wasn’t the popular kid on the block, but I was blessed with a lovely circle of friends. Some of my closest friendships from primary and high school have stretched across decades, sometimes with lots of contact, sometimes with quiet seasons yet still deeply treasured.
Every day, news flows through our Class of 1980 WhatsApp group: birthdays, highs and lows, losses, celebrations, and stories from classmates scattered across the world, along with those who never left our hometown. This group has been a constant presence since the early days of Facebook and WhatsApp, and even before that, when gatherings were organised simply to welcome someone home.
As we’ve grown older and the body aches a little more, we’ve come to appreciate the heart and mind that have grown wiser. We laugh about our fading eyesight yet marvel at how discernment and insight have become clearer. When old photos appear, memories of youth return — classmates, laughter, bright smiles, and tears for those no longer with us. Our togetherness brings an inner strength that holds us up, perhaps even stronger than when we were young and healthy.
There is something profoundly beautiful about being connected — near and far. Lowveld High brought us together, and somehow, we’re still together. The flood of birthday wishes on the group is deeply special. “I love you all to the moon and back” has become our anthem of belonging.
This week, Sophie shared something beautiful with me. She sees Linda, Dawn, Ian, and Anne sitting up front and admires their longevity in the church. She longs for that kind of constant in her own life. As a young person, she felt included here. She appreciated being given an opportunity to serve in her strength – music. Though an introvert, she found she fits well among us because she is accepted. She chose to settle here as her place of belonging. She has now put herself forward for membership.
Being a member of a church, riding the waves of its ups and downs, ins and outs shapes strength of character. Doing church with people you didn’t choose but who has chosen you to worship alongside is something sacred. Belonging becomes real. Doing life and faith together is belonging.
We will soon gather for our 1 st quarterly members meeting, and I wonder if you have considered membership — perhaps because you’ve been here a long time, or perhaps because you’re longing for a place to belong. Would you like to stand as a deacon or nominate someone you believe would serve well? We are seeking a treasurer, a secretary, and an English representative for the hostel oversight team.

Pastor Jacqui


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From Pastor Jacqui Caetano (23Aug2026)

Editorial from Jacqui
Listening to the Holy Spirit — We Discern the Mind of Christ Together Listening to the Holy Spirit can feel mysterious, yet His is absolutely real. As a church, we are learning to listen and move with Him. As believers, we cannot escape His presence. Psalm 139 reminds us He is with us in every moment. The Spirit never leaves, even when we wander. He calls us back to Jesus, reconciles us to God, and intercedes for us in every circumstance. For a time as this week we need to discern well.
The Holy Spirit is present in spontaneous decisions and unexpected moments. We encounter Him when we sit with God, ask questions, seek guidance, or cry out for help. He is there in restoration, despair, and seasons with no clear answers. He is in our praise and worship — and He is the One who draws us into worship.
Often, we recognise His presence in hindsight. A conversation, devotional, memory, or even a cold late-night wait for the last bus can reveal His work in us. Whether in desperation or thanksgiving, conviction or comfort, the Spirit is in us because we believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour.
Paul asks in Galatians 3:2, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.”
One story illustrates this mystery. William, a successful estate agent and skeptical of Christianity, accepted a friend’s invitation to church. During family time, someone shared a word: “There is a man here expecting a soft-top sports car in the next two days. He has worked all his life for success, but he’s not happy. God wants him to know there is something more important.”
William was stunned. His new car was arriving in two days, BUT he had told no one. Work did consume his life. Well, that night he prayed for the first time. The following week, he encountered Jesus at church and was filled with the Holy Spirit. “Now I know Jesus exists. He loves me, and He is with me.” Read 1 Corinthians 14:24-25. What do you think? Yes — this was the Holy Spirit speaking. This was a Spirit-led word of knowledge, meeting a person exactly where they are. The Spirit does guide us in every one-on-one encounter we have! His voice may be soft but is directed to reach others through us and recognised in the Jesus-shaped outcomes in their lives!
Galatians 3:14 reminds us that through Christ, we receive the promised Holy Spirit by faith. The Old Testament points to Jesus; the New Testament reveals Him — and the Spirit empowers us to live God’s Kingdom today.

Pastor Jacqui


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