Celebrating te Wiki o te Reo Māori
In celebration of te Wiki o te Reo Māori, we’d like to introduce you to our te Reo Māori name and tagline.
MAURI: he āhuru mōwai.
Tangata whenua within our LIFE community gathered together to have a kōrero around what LIFE and the church means, and how this would best be translated. Through these discussions, exploring direct translation and what would best encompass the purpose of the name, we’ve arrived at: MAURI – He Āhuru Mōwai
Mauri translates to a life principle, life force, vital essence, special nature, a material symbol of a life principle, source of emotions – the essential quality and vitality of a being or entity. Christianity, or LIFE as a church, can ignite and invigorate the life force of a person, the integral, God-given spirit gifted to each of us. Mauri is also used for a physical object, individual, ecosystem, or social group in which this essence is located
‘He āhuru mōwai’ means a calm place, a sheltered haven, a safe home. Ultimately, our desire is that LIFE would be a place for people to gather together, explore all that God has for their lives, and come into a deeper relationship with our Creator – a church to call home.
As we all continue to grow in our understanding of this land, the people and His Church, we come to see that God’s plan for redemption, revitalisation and, ultimately, life and life more abundantly, finds meaning in all languages and celebrates the beautiful design of all people and His purposes within Aotearoa.