Congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand were organised into a new stake on Sunday 8 December.
The new grouping of congregations is called the Te Matau a Māui Stake and comprises wards (congregations) of the former Hastings and Flaxmere stakes of the Church. A stake is a Latter-day Saint group of wards or congregations in a geographical location. The new stake name, Te Matau a Māui, meaning the fishhook of Māui, is the traditional Māori name for Hawke’s Bay. All congregations in the stake also have traditional Māori names.
On Sunday 22 December, hundreds of members of the new stake came together for a sacrament meeting to worship, sing, and fellowship together. Hymns and talks were focused on the birth, life and mission of Jesus Christ.
Combined Hawkes' Bay Article
Combined Stakes in Hawke's Bay© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Earlier this month, Elder Peter F. Meurs, Pacific Area President of the Church of Jesus Christ presided at the 7-8 December stake conference when the announcement was made, and the new leadership of the stake were introduced to Church members.
President Justin William Edwards was called as Stake President, with Dustine Lang Watarini Sadler as First Counselor and Neerod James Hapi as Second Counselor.
Elder Jared Ormsby, Area Seventy (regional leader), accompanied Elder Meurs at the conference.
Elder Meurs said, “As we prayerfully petitioned the Spirit to guide us in the process of selecting a new stake president, we recognized that we were given divine direction and look forward to the great work they will do among the Saints in Hawke’s Bay.”
The new stake is gifted with musical talent and the meeting included the singing of, “Love at Home,” along with “The Spirit of God” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a lay leadership in local and regional congregations. Individuals are called or asked to fill church leadership positions for a period of time. Such service is a commitment of devotion to serve God and love their neighbours.