Awaken Conference is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ Christians as well as family and friends to gather together over a weekend (15th – 17th February 2019 at Ponsonby Baptist) to celebrate pride and to encourage and learn from one another. Over the course of the weekend, attendees will be able to attend workshops aimed at addressing relevant issues to the Christian faith in light of sexual diversity and will hear from our keynote speaker Padraig O Tuama who comes to us from Belfast. 

The weekend will begin on Friday afternoon at Ponsonby Baptist Church with welcoming drinks and snacks. This will take place from 5 PM onward. At 7 PM we will start the conference with an official welcome, some details on the weekend’s programme and an opening keynote address by Padraig O Tuama. We will also have some ‘worship’ lead by a group of musicians with the aim of focusing our attention on the Divine.

Saturday is a full day of workshops as well as an address by Padraig. There will be ‘worship’ too and the day will end with us joining in on the parade and socialising afterwards.

On Sunday we will join Ponsonby Baptist for their church service, will continue with some workshops and will end with community prayer and lunch. In the evening we will join with Auckland Rainbow Community Church at St Matthews in the City for their Pride service.

Presented by Diverse Church NZ