Chapel Messages

Friday 30/10/2026

Wesley College – Term 4, Week 3

Theme: OPPORTUNITY | Tokelauan Language Week

Talofa lava, Mālo ni, tēnā koutou katoa, and warm greetings
to our Wesley College whānau.

This week, we reflect on our theme “Opportunity”,
alongside our celebration of Tokelauan Language Week. It reminds us that every
opportunity is a gift from God—to learn, grow, make wise choices, celebrate our
cultural identities and strengthen our relationships. As we journey towards our
school-wide theme, “New Horizons,” may we continue to embrace opportunities
with faith, courage and gratitude.

Congratulations to all our Senior students who received
Academic Merit Certificates across their core subjects and option learning
areas. We also celebrate the achievements of students in the REP Programme on this
Thursday and acknowledge everyone who participated in last week's House Speech
Competition.

A special thank you to all our students for your
persistence, perseverance and commitment to learning. Your willingness to keep
trying, overcome challenges and strive for improvement is just as important as
the achievements we celebrate. Every effort and step forward brings you closer
to new opportunities and greater possibilities.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated teachers, coaches,
support staff and whānau for their encouragement, guidance and continued
support of our students.

It is wonderful to see such a positive spirit of learning,
achievement and celebration growing within our Wesley whānau. May we continue
to encourage one another, celebrate our diverse cultures and make the most of
every opportunity God places before us.

By Faith, By Learning, By Hard Work – Together towards New
Horizons.

God bless our Wesley whānau

Friday 30/10/2026

Wesley College – Term 4, Week 2

Weekly Theme: HUMILITY | School-wide Theme: New Horizons

Talofa lava, tēnā koutou katoa, and warm greetings to our
Wesley College whānau.

Our theme for Week 2 is HUMILITY, guided by Philippians 2:3–5, reminding us to value others above ourselves and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Humility is not about thinking less of ourselves, but recognising the worth of others, appreciating their contributions, and serving with love and compassion. As we journey towards New Horizons, we are
reminded that humility is central to our Methodist ethos, Special Character,
and our commitment to growing together in faith, learning and service.

Acknowledgement and Appreciation

A big thank you to Mrs Valelia Koka Te Wao, and our Māori
whānau group of students for their wonderful leadership and participation in our chapel services celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori last week. Special appreciation for the beautiful Māori cultural performance and hākari on Thursday, which were thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by our staff and students. Thank you for sharing and celebrating the richness of te reo Māori, tikanga and Māori culture within our Wesley College whānau, strengthening our school's bicultural journey.

Celebrating Our Students' Achievements

Warm congratulations to our Spoken Word teams,
together with their dedicated teachers and coaches, for their creativity,
commitment and wonderful representation of Wesley College.

We also congratulate our Puatala Leadership Programme
award recipients on successfully completing their kaupapa. We celebrate their growth in confidence, character and leadership, and acknowledge those who have guided and supported them throughout their journey.

A big congratulations also to all our 2026 Sports Award
recipients in Netball, Boys' Rugby and Girls' Rugby. Your hard work,
determination, teamwork and sporting achievements are a source of pride for our
Wesley College community. Special thanks to your coaches, managers, teachers
and whānau for their dedication and encouragement.

As we celebrate these achievements, may we remember that true
greatness is not measured only by our success, but by the humility, gratitude
and respect we show along the way.

May we continue to live our Wesley College motto, "By
Faith, By Learning, By Hard Work," as we journey together towards New
Horizons, guided by God's grace and love.

Ia manuia le
vaiaso. Mā te Atua tātou e manaaki.

Rev. Ieremia Amani Amituana'i
Chaplain – Wesley College

Wednesday 14/10/2026

Wesley College – Term 4, Week 1

Theme: Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2026 : Ake, Ake, Ake – A Forever Language

Focus: Te Reo Towns | School-Wide Theme: New Horizons

Welcome and Introduction

Talofa lava, tēnā koutou katoa, mālō e lelei, kia orana, bula vinaka, and warm greetings to our Wesley College whānau.

Welcome back to Term 4, the final term of our academic year!

A warm welcome to all our teaching and support staff, and especially our students returning from their two-week holiday. I trust you are refreshed and ready for the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Special Acknowledgements

Firstly, sincere thanks to our Tumuaki, Dr Brian Evans, Valelia Koka, Denise and our office staff, Chef Henrick and the kitchen team, and Wayne and the property team for your outstanding service, hospitality and support during the Methodist Church of New Zealand Annual Conference, hosted here at Wesley College during the holidays.

Your dedication reflected our Methodist ethos and Special Character. The Conference provided a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relationships and connections with our wider church family, Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa.

Fa'afetai tele lava for your faithful service.

Secondly, congratulations to our Wesley College Choir for achieving third place overall at the Stand Up Stand Out (SUSO) Finals on Saturday, 26 September 2026.

Special thanks to our talented choir students and Mrs Madeleen du Plessis for your dedication, preparation and commitment. You represented Wesley College with excellence and pride.

We look forward to your performance at our Senior Prize Giving later this term.

Celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

This week, we celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, embracing the 2026 theme:

“Ake, Ake, Ake – A Forever Language”, with a focus on Te Reo Towns, encouraging the everyday use of te reo Māori in our schools, homes and communities.

This connects beautifully with our school-wide theme, New Horizons, challenging us to embrace new opportunities for learning, cultural understanding and stronger relationships.

As a Methodist school, we honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and recognise te reo Māori as a treasured taonga and an important expression of identity, heritage and belonging.

Scripture Reading – Psalm 137:1–3 (NIV)

Verse 1: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.”

Verse 2: “There on the poplars we hung our harps,”

Verse 3: “for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’”

Reflection – Language, Identity and New Horizons

Psalm 137 describes the sorrow of God's people living in exile, separated from their homeland, yet holding firmly to their memories, songs, faith and identity.

Their experience reminds us that language and culture are more than forms of communication; they carry the history, identity and spirit of a people.

Similarly, te reo Māori has endured generations of suppression and challenges. Yet, through the perseverance of tangata whenua and their communities, the language continues to be revitalised.

Ake, Ake, Ake – A Forever Language reminds us that preserving a language is about honouring the past, embracing the present and protecting its future.

For Wesley College, New Horizons challenges us to move beyond celebrating te reo Māori for one week and make it part of our everyday learning, conversations and relationships.

Our Methodist ethos calls us to respect the dignity and identity of others, honour our bicultural commitments and create a community where everyone belongs.

Our challenge this week is simple: Learn a new kupu, speak te reo Māori with confidence, and encourage others to do the same.

Every small effort opens a new horizon of understanding and belonging.

Closing Prayer

Kia īnoi tātou – Let us pray.

Gracious and loving God,

Thank you for bringing us safely together for this final school term.

We give thanks for our staff, students and everyone who serves our Wesley College community.

As we celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, help us to honour the language, culture and identity of tangata whenua, and strengthen our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Guide us towards new horizons of faith, learning and understanding. Bless our students and staff with wisdom, perseverance and love throughout this term.

May Wesley College continue to be a place where everyone is respected, valued and accepted.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Āmine.

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Ake, Ake, Ake – Kia kaha te reo Māori!

New Horizons – By Faith, By Learning, By Hard Work.

Ngā manaakitanga a te Atua ki runga i a tātou katoa.

May God's blessings be upon us all.