MEOLA TO SPRINGS
Westmere Sun 3 Nov
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A group of 16 people including one small child with their dad met outside the former entrance to Auckland
Zoo on Old Mill Rd at 1:45pm. After our in-circle intros and prayer, we set out along Old Mill Rd and
in to West View Rd which has a unique aspect of history. Nearly all the houses on this loop street were
built in the 1920s of brick and stucco, and have the original front door with a curved top, and a window
on either side, even when most of them had been renovated. From there we went down a track giving views
of Auckland Zoo and coming out at Western Springs Lake. We went around the lake, with much to see. There
were all sorts of birds, ducks with ducklings, and eels, and we came across a surprise - under a cypress
tree was a cluster of aerial roots worth seeing. We went on and came across a Japanese garden, which
we were able to walk around albeit return the same way to the gate. From there we carried on to Motions
Rd outside the zoo entrance, then along the road to a walkway going through bush following a stream to
Meola Rd. We crossed the road and carried on through Lexington Reserve to come out to Westmere Park Ave,
and on to Westmere Park overlooking Waitemata Harbour for our afternoon tea break.
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John gave the devotions about the festive season, which was now beginning. A birthday is normally
celebrated over one day, but because Jesus Christ the Son of God was the greatest person of all time,
we celebrate his birthday over 7-8 weeks of festivities. Unlike Halloween which had just passed with
its negatives such as ghosts and spookiness, the Christmas festive season is full of positivity such
as joy, happiness and excitement. These emotions persist in the secular Xmas festivities, but God uses
the CHRISTmas events such as carols, church walkthrus and Advent services, to reach out to the unsaved.
The tradition of presents comes from the Three Wise Men giving gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Christ-child.
Salvation through Jesus is the greatest present of all, and God loves us so much He treats us with His
amazing grace every day without exception. We can pray that during this festive season that God will
touch the hearts of our friends, acquaintances and strangers who don't know Jesus, that they will come
to Him and receive the Greatest Present of all. Jesus is the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father and Prince of Peace. The festive season leads up to the summer holidays and activities such as
the Summer Tramps. We can care for God's creation. God imbued creation with diversity, calling us to
be more responsible in looking after it. So let us come into the Festive Season with joy, thanksgiving
and excitement - all because God so loved the world He gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
We carried on to the Westmere shops
for icecreams, and they were crowded with a small fair going on. From there we went up Garnet Rd back
to Old Mill Rd, finishing at 4:20pm. Distance 5.9km.
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