Every so often a rare talented cricketer finds their way into the Blackcaps team. A player who fields and maybe bowls a bit, but who also has the skill, endurance and tenacity to knock up 100 plus runs at critical times. In church youth worker world, Callum is that guy. He’s been an awesome team man, stayed at the crease for way longer than most church workers and made an enormous contribution to our young people and church life. He’s faced down the bowlers, picked his stroke wisely, grown in confidence, beaten the fielders, ignored the sledges, fought off the fatigue, and cracked out an awesome innings.
Peter Hart, who served alongside Callum as Senior Pastor for four+ years, recently offered the following reflections in a letter of support.
“Unfortunately, Carol and I are due to fly to Auckland on Sunday, so won’t be able to be there (for Callum’s farewell) – for which we’re really gutted!!
I would love to have been able to say how much I appreciated and valued Callum as a colleague and member of the team. It was great to work alongside him, with his positivity, his flexibility, his wacky humour, his desire to surround himself with people and noise, his love of coffee – as well as his passionate enthusiasm for the young people and his desire to see them grow in faith and to champion their needs. I loved that he is a ‘can do’ person, and always ready to give things a go. Especially during the Covid years, his positivity and humour were infectious and kept us all going. I remember well the first time I met Callum as he was exploring what God had in store for him. I remember, too, my disappointment that he didn’t apply for the Youth Worker role at Ilam – I had been certain that he was the right person for us!! And yet, as it turned out, Callum’s openness to journey with God, as well as the way circumstances eventuated, led to him taking on the Ilam Youth Worker role -a role which he took and grew and developed into something much bigger than at first conceived. And somehow, he managed to juggle this increasingly demanding role along with study, becoming a husband to the lovely Elsbeth, becoming a homeowner and house renovator, and then becoming a father – twice!! (a ‘puppy dad’ and then a ‘proper dad’ to the awesome Millie!). Impressive stuff!”
Well done Callum. Thanks for giving yourself so freely, faithfully and fully to serving our youth and church community. Thanks for raising the water levels of Christlike faith, hope and love among us. God bless you, Elsbeth and Millie richly as you embrace your new challenging chapter.
Ma te Atua koutou e manaaki.
