The local churches are described by the apostle John in his Revelation as golden lampstands. They are described in such a way to indicate their golden, divine nature, and their bright shining testimony in the earth.

In December 1998 approximately forty trainees from the New Zealand Training Centre in Hamilton visited Rotorua for two weeks to preach the gospel door to door in this city. As a result of that time a good number of people responded to the Lord's Word and were willing to be contacted on an ongoing basis.

In January 1999 six of those graduating trainees moved to Rotorua together with a few families from other parts of the country. They joined with a small number of believers already meeting together. They continued to contact and shepherd people and to begin regular meetings.

On the Lord's Day 25 April 1999 we celebrated our first Lord's table meeting in this city as the church in Rotorua, meeting on the ground of the oneness of the unique body of Christ.

Currently around 32 believers meet on the Lord's Day morning. We gather together, firstly to enjoy the Lord's table, and then to meet in the principle of 1 Corinthians 14 where each member is free to speak and prophesy, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

We are also exercised to bring to the people in our community the knowledge of the gospel of God's full salvation that they could become sons of God and members of the Body of Christ. We realise too, that not only is Christ our life, but the church is our living. Our church life therefore is very full with meetings of mutual cherishing and nourishing during the week in various homes for the perfecting of the saints.

We are presently enjoying that the ultimate purpose of God's salvation is that all whom He has chosen may become wholly like Him in His divine life and nature to express His glorious image for his eternal enlargement and expression. Today, as a golden lampstand here in Rotorua, we aspire to be such an expression of our wonderful God and Saviour.