Meet the people behind our church
Joanne Wyman-Macer
“Jo” is available at the Church Office on Wednesdays between 9am and 1pm.
Tangi Joseph
Tangi is available at the Church Office on Fridays between 9am and 1pm.
Parish Council
The Parish Council for our church is the governing body responsible to the Congregation for what is happening.
Our Parish Council has 13 members who are appointed by the Congregation at its Annual Meeting. The term of appointment is 3 years with the ability for reappointment. The Church has committees to deal with matters concerning Worship; Christian Education; Church and Community; Property and Finance; Pastoral and Fellowship.
These are all responsible to Parish Council and ensure that there is wide knowledge about what is happening as well as the ability for involvement.
Stewart Milne
Stewart Milne the Parish Clerk started his working life as a seafarer and then joined the public service and worked in the Marine Department and Ministry of Transport in various positions before being employed by the Board of Airline Representatives as its Executive Director.
Stewart chaired Presbyterian Support Northern for 8 years.
Stewart has 4 adult children and eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Ian Watson
Ian has been a member of the Mairangi and Castor Bays Parish Council since August of 1998. He currently is the Convenor of the Worship Committee and Editor of the Newsletter.
Patsy, his wife is a member of the Church and Community group and both are part of the door duty team.
They have three adult married children and three grandchildren. Ian is also involved in a range of community activities.
Karel Lorier
I am a “retired” Minister. I came to New Zealand from Rotterdam, Holland as a ten-year-old. After working as a teacher for some years I trained as a Minister serving in the Coromandel Parish and Henderson Parish.
After training as a counsellor, I moved to part time in Ministry and started Phoenix House Counselling. Hearing loss forced me to choose another career and I worked for some years as a photographer. A cochlear implant has in some measure addressed my hearing loss.
I enjoy keeping up with current Biblical scholarship, theology, church history and the history of ideas. I write a monthly article for the Parish Newsletter.
Norma Baker
Norma Baker is the Convenor of Pastoral Care which is responsible for the care of our members and maintaining communication with them. This is accomplished through a system of Pastoral Visitors keeping in contact with members and newcomers either by a friendly visit or phone call. Our Special Communion Service are also by the PV committee. Another facet of Pastoral Care is the variety of fellowship and social activities planned by our Fellowship Team which help to further enhance our church life.
Norma is also the Parish Roll Clerk and one of the leaders of Mainly Music. She is often found guiding visitors on TiriTiri Matangi or cycling with her husband Cliff around the North Shore.
I have lived in Mairangi Bay with my husband Gerry for the past 43 years. I attended All Hallows Methodist church and then 7 years ago I joined Mairangi Bay Presbyterian church.
I have found this church very welcoming and with a great community involvement. I enjoy helping with Mainly Music, and I am on the Fellowship committee. I also assist as needed with the children’s program and belong to a house group.
I am a retired Practice Nurse and Grandmother with 7 grandchildren, a son and daughter living locally and a daughter and her family living in Christchurch.
With my husband we enjoy trying to play golf and caring for our grandchildren on a regular basis and being involved in our community.
Grace Liu
I was an accountant in most of my working life in China, helping my family business (a Titanium factory) before I immigrated in New Zealand.
As a new immigrant, Mairangi & Castor Bay Presbyterian Church gave me support in difficult times.
My English had noticeable improvement after joining the English Conversation Group in our church. I am still learning English and some vocational courses. My Husband Tiger and I have been running a Chinese cuisine food shop.
It is my first term on the Parish Council. I am a member of Fellowship committee, a part of the Welcoming Team as well as on the Tea Roster.
Raewyn Henderson
Raewyn Henderson is a retired Primary School Teacher. She is married with 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
Raewyn has been a member of this church for 54 years, and previously worshiped at the Castor Bay site until the premises were sold in 2012.
She is involved with Fellowship activities, Dees Group and English Conversations.
Alastair Emerson
Alistair is a retired tertiary academic, amateur astronomer and amateur radio operator with a strong interest in science and Christianity as well as volunteer work in the community.
He convenes the church and community committee
Sue Bowden
Sue is a Companion Driver for Driving Miss Daisy. She is active in participating in services, fellowship and choir activities. She joined Parish Council in 2014.
Sue enjoys watching cricket (not surprising given her brother Billy’s occupation !!) and loves going for walks and visiting Op Shops and other sources of old floral china and lace.
John Shadbolt
John has spent the majority of his life working in UK and Southern Africa having relocated from Zimbabwe to NZ in 2001 with his wife, Dorille. During his time in Africa, he worked in Training and Human Resources in Zambia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Since moving to NZ, he has been working in Human Resources spending 10 years with Bridgestone before retiring. He has also been involved with Rotary over the years. John was on the initiating Board for Adult Literacy in Zimbabwe.
John joined Parish Council a number of years ago, having been a member of the Church since 2002 and has been actively involved in many Church activities, as well as being part of the audio visual group. John has been our Presbytery representative on Council for many years and is Co-convenor of the Coastal Region presbytery, and convenor of the Mission Fund Committee.
Dorille Shadbolt
Dorille is originally a Zimbabwean, who moved to NZ in 2001 with her husband, John. She trained in Social Work and Human Resources in South Africa and then went on to work in Human Resources, including having her own Human Resources Consultancy business for 14 years. She has undertaken work in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya and Swaziland. Dorille has worked in Human Resources since arriving in NZ and has now decided to retire. Dorille is a long term member of the Parish Council and has been a member of the Church since 2002.
Dorille has been Convenor of the Fellowship Committee and is Convenor of the Worship Committee (she also runs a House Group and our Young Peoples group). She is a past member and co-convenor of the National Assessment Work (NAW) which is responsible for assessing ministerial candidates for the Presbyterian Church.
Dorille is now Co-convenor of the Northern Presbytery Candidate Work Group.
Rev Raju George
Reverend Raju George is the Minister responsible for the Hindi language Christian services conducted on a Saturday evening at our church.
The Indian congregation services are held on the first and third Saturdays of the month and those assisting include his wife Roopali and their daughter Angelika along with other Indian church members.
Raju was ordained in Delhi and has held positions of Priest in Delhi. He is Secretary of the Delhi Brotherhood.
Roopali Dayal
Roopali Dayal is a support worker for those needing personal care. Roopali qualified as a nurse in Delhi and is currently in the process of being registered as a nurse in New Zealand.
Roopali joined our church in 2015 and is an active member. She, together with her husband Raju George and daughter Angelika run the Hindi speaking services of worship at the church as a family reaching out to the Indian community.
These Indian services run on the first and third Saturdays of the month at 6pm followed by a shared meal.