A milestone to celebrate at Abundant Life

We don't know where they were, but Benny Tan says this photo was taken at 2.35pm on Saturday January 26, 1974, when he and Sharon were dedicated followers of fashion and long before the seed for Kaitaia's Abundant Life Church was sown. Photo / supplied

It was all happening in 1981 - Ronald Reagan was US President, the Imperials and Christian singer/song-writer Leon Patillo were in full voice, Rob Muldoon was Prime Minister, Mohammad Ali retired, Charles married Diana - and Benny and Sharon Tan founded a little church in Kaitaia.

And now plans are being made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Abundant Life Church.

Forty years ago, when they were in their 20s, Benny and Sharon heeded the call of the Lord to start a church that flowed directly from John 10:10: 'The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I came that you may have life and life abundantly.' And so Abundant Life began, in a small hall in Matthews' Avenue, then Blencowe St, and in 1986 at 11 North Rd.

"The rest is history," Benny and Sharon's son Mark, principal at Abundant Life School, said last week.

"From the church came Kaitaia's first fully-licensed childcare centre in 1982. That childcare centre grew and developed into what we now know as Footprints Educare, with more than 80 children.

"From the childcare centre flowed a small school of 23 primary school students in 1988. That school grew and developed into a Year 1-13 school of 260 students.

"Just as a seed never really knows how many fruit it will have, the beginnings of Abundant Life were small and yet packed with God-infused potential," he added.

"Over the past four decades, hundreds of people have served in this place and hundreds upon thousands of people have been blessed and impacted by the Lord and this place we call home. I for one have been blessed to have been a part of this place called Abundant Life.

"Abundant Life has always been about whānau, creating employment, bettering our community and growing the Lord's kingdom. To God be the glory."

The anniversary will be marked with a celebratory service on Sunday, starting at 10:30am, Tan promising a fantastic time with the Lord, guest speakers, music, stories, laughter and great food.