234 days ago

2025 Auckland Family History Expo

Seonaid from Mount Albert

Auckland Family History Expo 2025
Tāmaki Huinga Tātai Kōrero

New Zealand Society of Genealogists and its interest group the Genealogical Computing Group proudly present a weekend-long event covering a wide range of topics on researching genealogy and family history.

Join us on Friday 8 August to Sunday 10 August 2025 at the Fickling Convention Centre , 546 Mt Albert Rd, Three Kings, Auckland

• Friday 8 August 1pm-4pm: Pre-Expo AI Workshop $40 per person - Ancestors Intelligence - Using AI for Family History with Fiona Brooker
Discover how artificial intelligence can support your family history research. In this hands-on session with genealogist Fiona Brooker, learn how to use AI tools to analyse documents, organise your research, and turn your findings into compelling family stories. Bring your laptop along.

• Friday 8 August 5pm-8.30pm: Opening event $40 per person to cover catering expenses and TWO keynote speakers
5pm: Meet and greet reception. Refreshments and canapes.

6pm: Keynote 1: Welcome address. Topic - The "Getting it Right" photos with Sarah Hewitt, chair of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists
Who are the people in the photos that introduce the NZSG’s Getting It Right videos?

Genealogy without Borders with Chris Paton, Scotland's Greatest Story. Irish born Chris Paton As family historians, we can be tempted to try to tell the stories of our ancestors solely from the resources in the areas where they once lived, but in this talk, genealogist Chris Paton examines why the consideration of the extended family around the world can be particularly fruitful for your family history research also. As part of a wider worldwide diaspora, Chris will show how emigrant family members provided him with clues to their stories overseas, often with records that plugged the missing gaps in research for family members back home, and giving him a much broader understanding of his family at both home and abroad.

Book online with Eventfinda:
www.eventfinda.co.nz...

• Saturday 9 August 2025: $5 door charge
• Sunday 10 August 2025: $5 door charge.
Those booking both Friday events get free entry to the Expo on Saturday and Sunday on presentation of their tickets.

Take advantage of our free seminars, from beginner to advanced, computer-based tutorials, ask-an-expert sessions and research assistance on Saturday 9 August and Sunday 10 August. No booking required. Bring your laptops to take full advantage of the workshops and tutorials.

Speakers and sessions
Awesome international speakers appearing in-person at the Expo.
Fabulous local speakers.
Plus many speakers from our favourite family history Vendors.

Please keep checking the New Zealand Society of Genealogists website for updates. Full programme to come soon.

Venue information
Fickling Convention Centre is adjacent to Three Kings Reserve and has some on-street parking on Mt Albert Rd and in side streets. If you are able-bodied we suggest public transport or street parking in surrounding streets. This multi-functional venue is wheelchair-friendly and has accessible toilets.

Over the weekend there will be a coffee van with snacks onsite. There are a couple of cafes and a supermarket nearby, but you may wish to bring a packed lunch with you.
Raffles: Three tickets for $5 – prizes include subscriptions to your favourite genealogy websites, DNA kits, magazine subscriptions, membership fees, and research tools and services.

Would you like to sponsor or donate raffle prizes?
The Auckland Family History Expo committee is still interested in hearing from potential sponsors and raffle donors.
Please contact us if you want to support our Expo. Email the Auckland Family History Expo committee:

Thanks to this year's sponsors
Platinum sponsor: New Zealand Society of Genealogists
Gold sponsors: FamilyTree Maker (MacKiev)
Silver sponsors: Ancestry, FamilySearch, Genealogical Computing Group (GCG)
Bronze sponsor: MyHeritage

Enquiries to: afhexpo@gmail.com

Image
More messages from your neighbours
18 days ago

Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.

Image
4 days ago

Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑

Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.

We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

Want to read more? The Press has you covered!

Image
🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
  • 51.9% Human-centred experience and communication
    51.9% Complete
  • 15.3% Critical thinking
    15.3% Complete
  • 29.9% Resilience and adaptability
    29.9% Complete
  • 2.9% Other - I will share below!
    2.9% Complete
518 votes
1 day ago

The Gospel’s Relevance Today**

Steve Bostin from Christadelphians New Lynn

The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.


**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.

* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.

* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.

* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.

* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.

* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.

In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.

**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”

This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”

**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.

* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.

* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.

* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.

This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.

**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.

Image