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Queen’s Service Medal recipient and youth justice advocate Nick Tuitasi will be the guest speaker at a special Kowhai Combined Churches Service on Sunday, October 20.
In 2000, Nick was voted one of the top 100 New Zealanders of the century by North & South magazine, and was presented with a Living Legend Award by Auckland City in 2007.
For the past 25 years he has worked with offenders on the edge and also with youth wanting to break away from the influence of their peers.
He has travelled extensively throughout Australasia speaking about his story, which includes setting up the Juvenile Justice System in the Republic of Palau.
A spokesperson says that when Nick talks about “stories from the street”, he knows what he’s talking about.
“Nick is a New Zealand-born Samoan who grew up on the streets of West Auckland,” the spokesperson says. “He did not keep good company and eventually found himself on the wrong side of the law. Even he can’t quite understand why he never ended up in a cell, or worse. But through a series of events and mentors, he eventually joined the police force.”
The Kowhai Combined Churches Service will be held in the Mahurangi College Auditorium, on Sunday October 20, starting at 10am.
The service will also include worship, recognition of the work of the combined churches’ foodbank in the community and a shared morning tea.
Peter Meafou will introduce the service, with contributions from members of the Mahurangi churches – Anglican, Vineyard (who are leading the music this year), Ablaze, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic and Methodist.
Presbyterian senior pastor Nick McLennan says the event will be a time to celebrate the year together as the Warkworth church family. Everyone is welcome.
