Highlight 1: ACTS
Connecting with ACTS kids people in the afternoon before the NZ conference, had an amazing time in God’s presence together before the conference even started. I LOVE being a part of a group of people that are committed to each other as we build kids ministry in our local churches. There is SOMETHING about being in the same room.
Highlight 2: Kidshaper NZ
Just being at the first ever Kidshaper NZ was a beautiful thing! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I believe that Kidshaper is going to unleash something new in kidmin in New Zealand. It already has! We need a kids ministry revolution baby!
Highlight 3: Crazy people on stage
The worship team at KS NZ was flippen fantastic. The team from Life were maniac, they totally owned the stage with so much energy… literally everyone was as nuts as Jo Darby.
Highlight 4: Taste
We tasted. God is GOOD!
Highlight 5:Hillsong Kids
I had the chance to check out Hillsong Kids. I really love what they are doing! The coolest thing EVER that I saw was the Kids Create team before the service – they welcome kids as they come into the rooms with music and bubbles! It totally lifts the atmosphere with fun and excitement. I am totally stealing that idea, it’s genius. PS thanks to Dave, Beci and Kathryn for letting me hang out!
Highlight 6: New Friends
Not meeting any Aussies in Sydney. Apart from the people I already knew, I think I only met about two genuine Aussies. In fact the first night I was there we had a Kiwi Connect, ate Pineapple Lumps, Jet Planes, Hocky Pocky Mellopuffs, and had a BBQ. I absolutely enjoyed meeting so many awesome people. Thanks heaps to Rach + housemates for having me 
Highlight 7: Sydney
Sydney was all round awesomeness, shopping, catching up with old friends, then more shopping… then catching up with more old friends
Highlight 8: Coffee
Melbourne Coffee to be specific… the one thing I was deprived of in Sydney was good coffee, Melbourne made up for that though.
Highlight 9: Tasmania
Random people sitting behind us on the first night of Kidshaper: Where are you from?
Me: New Zealand
Random people: Get out! what are the chances of that! We’re from Tasmania!
And that began a beautiful friendship.
Highlight 10: Apostolic
The Apostolic Church in Australia are kinda like our cousins, so I’ve been wanting to connect with some of their kids people for a while now. Just happens that the first 3 groups of people that I met were from Apostolic Churches! Wow that’s cool! The group from Tasmania also happen to be Apostolic. I like it when God is working behind the scenes…
Highlight 11: Chanley!
Yep that’s right, I met Michael Chanley! For those of you who aren’t in the know (and if your in kidmin that would be suprising, what rock have you been living under?), Mike started CM Connect, a network for kids leaders to connect. Connecting people just happens to be one of my favorite past times, so was really great to meet Mike and hear him talk. He’s quality, that’s what he is!
Highlight 12: Havin a Laugh
I really enjoy laughing. Sometimes I laugh at the stuff in my head but it happens to be the most inappropriate time. Anyways, as usual laughs were not hard to come by at Kidshaper, the highlight of that of course would have to be Funny Man Dan… speaking of FMD, my next highlight is…
Highlight 13: Possibly Platanum
We’re still talking about it now, Dan’s workshop was GOLD… possibly Platinum… some very good stuff on performing/speaking/mcing.
Highlight 14: Friends
Hanging out with kidmin people that connect together through blogs and twitter is seriously cool! Being in God’s presence, worshiping Him with friends that share a passion for kids ministry (and the IT Crowd) is great, probably the thing I enjoyed the most. That’s got to be a taste of heaven right there, standing with friends in God’s presence together.
Highlight 15: Home
ahh Dunedin, the land flowing with milk and coffee. There is nothing like being back at my church, love it.
Huge thanks to Rob Bradbury and his amazing team for following the call of God and running such a ground breaking conference, and even huger thanks for bringing it to New Zealand (the fairer of the Australasian nations…). Your a ledgend!
