August 2025 ~ NEWSLETTER
- Seed 2 Harvest
- Jul 31
- 6 min read
Kia Ora, welcome to our August edition of Seed 2 Harvest (S2H) monthly newsletters!
Bringing to you hot off the press updates from your community centre at 96 Swanson Rd Henderson, Auckland.
Venue Hire
Did you know! that when you hire our building for your functions, meetings, programmes you are supporting the organisation to continue doing good in the community?
Thats right, every dollar raised from facility hire is directed straight back into the organisation to deliver programme such as the Fale kai, Holiday Programmes, Community Connect groups and so much more.
Rooms available:
· Board room
· Kitchen
· Small deck viewing our ma'ara kai and rugby field
· Ample parking
· a NEW TOILET BLOCK!!
For bookings CLICK the tab to complete the form.
What's on this August?
QUIZ Night
Get your team together:
Family
Friends
Neighbours
Sports Club
Work Team
Find someone and book yourselves a table!!
Guarantee a great night, laughter for all, prizes to be won and some amazing things raffled on the night and best of all! is that all funds raised go directly into supporting an amazing organisation!
What are you waiting for?? See you at the quiz!
KOINONIA WOMENS CONNECT
Our Women’s Connect gatherings are designed to be a breath of fresh air - a time to pause, connect deeply, and journey together in faith.
MEN'S BREAKFAST CONNECT
The Men's Breakfast provides a great chance to meet and engage with other men who are passionate about their faith and committed to serving God in our community. Why not come along and check it out for yourself, you will not be disappointed. This is a free event held monthly.
S2H FALE-KAI
A unique service offered here to all families in need of kai (food). Full details are on the attached flyer, or you can head to our website to complete the online form and receive the support you need for you and your whanau (family). Click on the button below to go directly to our website.
Local Body Elections - Have you enrolled?
YES - Yay, NO - in order to vote in the local body elections you will need to enroll. There is helpful information about elections https://vote.nz/local-elections/about/local-elections-2025/.
Did you know that Local boards can influence and make decisions based on:
Local and Regional parks
Rubbish and Recycling
Public transport and local roads
Water distribution
Beaches
Libraries
This impacts you, so make sure you enroll so that you can have a say with regards to who is elected on as your board member.
Seed 2 Harvest Church Services
S2H is a high functioning body of people who are active in the community.
Church services are a time to come together and be encouraged. The make up of the services are set up for notices, worship band, an encouraging word followed by shared refreshments.
We are a small community of friends and family who love the Lord, love being hands and feet in the community and love doing life together.
S2H services are run fortnightly from 10:30am – 1pm, all are welcome. Click on the link below to download the 2025 Schedule
Pledging your support
An opportunity for you to support the repair of our Centre's roof. It is a huge ask - every dollar counts. Pledges are slowly increasing each month which is fantastic! This is a call to all businesses, investors, funders and individuals who would like to support an expanding Centre where our reach is to the wider community where we are making a difference. Why not enquire how you can help, click on the button below to get in touch.
EOI Missions to Bali - Indonesia
Feel like an adventure!
Look no further, S2H is taking expressions of interest for an up and coming missions trip to Bali, Indonesia this year.
CLICK to complete the EOI Form
July Highlights
TOA Ta‘aloga Holiday Programme: A Celebration of Activity, Values & Community Spirit
Seed 2 Harvest proudly hosted its very first Toa Ta‘aloga Holiday Program, designed to encourage our rangatahi to get active through the sport of rugby. While the program’s foundation was rugby-focused, the skills gained—like teamwork, discipline, and communication—are transferable beyond the field into everyday life.
Each day kicked off with energising icebreakers led by our emerging young leaders, followed by lung-pumping drills in the fresh winter air. More than just sport, our sessions wove in core values such as Respect, Humility, the Power of Words, and Actions Speak Louder and much more. Every afternoon ended with a recap of lessons learned, personal reflections, and delicious kai to round off the day.
Over two jam-packed weeks in July, we watched our rangatahi grow in confidence, connection, and joy—so immersed in the moment they forgot all about screens. That’s a win worth celebrating.
Special thanks to Sports Waitakere - Tu Manawa Funding and to Waitemata Rugby Football Club for their collaboration. To our incredible facilitators, dedicated leaders, and selfless volunteer helpers—malo lava le tauivi. Your time and energy shaped this kaupapa into something unforgettable.
We’re already excited for the next one! Click Toa Taaloga Highlights for more pictures.
Annual General Meeting
We celebrated our 7th Annual General Meeting on the 20th July. Surrounded by friends, families from Seed2Harvest and community members it was an awesome gathering and time to reflect on the year we've had.
With the current funding climate and cost of living, we know first hand that as an organisation it is not an easy time. Navigating through a drop in funding, the impact on staff, hours and the ability to manage operationally is a testament to Gods goodness.
Take a look at the year we have navigated, our report is attached.
Master Chef volunteer, supporting S2H volunteers
Introducing our 'Master Chef' Hein Htet from Myanmar. Every Tuesdays he comes into Seed2Harvest and whips up a 3-course gourmet cuisine for the Fale Kai volunteers who are readying the space for community Fale-Kai throughout the week.
Staff members Misa Janet, Elmma and Litara wanted to surprise Htet by visiting him at the Moe Palae Myanmar Restaurant မိုးပုလဲ for a find dining authentic cuisine.
Hein Htet is literary Myanmar's award winning Master Chef, who has relocated to Aotearoa to build a new life with his family. You should definitely try the food!!!
Men's Breakfast Connect - July
Each month leaves a significant impact, and July was no exception, featuring a powerhouse event with our guest speaker Nick Tuitasi, who inspired, motivated, and challenged the men. It was a fantastic morning, topped off with a buffet breakfast! Make sure you don't miss August!
TOA Rangatahi
While we are very excited to update you on what is to come, we are waiting on one more incremental step in the process of creating space for rangatahi where there wellbeing is supported. Watch this space and keep an eye on our fakebook page for more announcements.
Koinonia's Acts of Kindness - Heart Cushions as gifts to patients at the Waitakere Hospital
Our Women's Koinonia bible study group donated 35 heart cushions to patients at the Waitakere hospital on Wednesday 30 July 2025. Koinonia is an opportunity for women to encourage each other through the word of God while sewing into the needs of the community through acts of kindness.
PRESERVATIVE WORKSHOPS
In the month of July Seed2Harvest provided free Garden and Preserve Workshops to our community where people responded positively, showing strong interest and engagement throughout. We divided this session into 2 groups to experience the full journey to learn, grow and connect with food, nature and each other. Here's how it went:
Garden Series 1&2 - Seeds of love
Participants began a 3-week session in sustainable living practices, taking away garden knowledge with practical application and ongoing support in their garden journey. Everyone gets hands-on experience where participants leave with something planted, created or to take home (like seedlings). The garden is truly a place to grow kai together in learning, sharing and planting.
Preserves Workshop: From Garden-to-Jar - Preserving the Harvest
Seed 2 Harvest has an ongoing relationship with Kelston Community Hub Community Programmes | Auckland | Kelston Hub where we collaborated with Lesina who is very creative and artistic turning an idea into a successful well run experience. She leads chutney and jam workshops which is where the groups go to after the garden workshop. The preserves are held at Te Pae o Kura - Auckland Council. There she teaches participants how to safely and creatively preserve surplus fruits, vegetables using modern methods - so nothing goes to waste and seasonal abundance lasts all year. Thank you Lesina for the delicious pineapple, capsicum and zucchini chutney and blueberry jam. So delicious we need the recipe!
Pressure canning workshop - Preserve with confidence
Sera from PVA Pacific Vision Aotearoa is a very passionate person caring for creation in delivering educated workshops to communities. Her focus is to teach pressure canning safety and science, step by step technique, provide hands - on experience using a pressure canner and send participants home with a sealed jar and clear instructions. Thank for the meal in a jar and the homemade lemonade cordial. Feedback - meal is flavourful and delicious!
Graduation - grow deep, reach high
We want to acknowledge our participants from our second group planting their roots during the program and gaining their wings of growth and confidence taking away the idea that gardening teaches lifelong lessons. Congratulations Benny and Matthew - Geneva Health we appreciate your kind words!
Seed 2 Harvest would love to hear from you, why not send a comment or even better, subscribe to receive our newsletter so you will be informed with upcoming events each month.
We would love for you to be part of our growing community.
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