CareyOnline

At Carey, we love the bible. We are a Bible college after all! But sometimes bible stories can be confusing, weird, or downright distressing. We are working through the “Prophets and Kings” series at Karakia chapel on Tuesdays, and this week I delved into a story that was all of those things. The first story in 1 Kings 14 paints a vulgar and graphic picture of the consequences of turning away from God. The prophet declares that King Jereboam’s dynasty will be burned up like a heap of dung, and Jereboam’s Kingdom will be shamefully decimated, all due to their shocking idolatry. The prophet also says to the unnamed, unheard, unseen wife of Jereboam that her son will die as soon as she returns to her house. It’s an awful story. We imagined how it must’ve felt to be this woman, hearing this news, and not being able to do anything about it. Without giving too much of the sermon away (have a listen to the CareyOPEN podcast once it comes out), we discover that compromise has consequences. But also, like a stone thrown into a river, compromise has ripple effects, and often it’s ordinary people who get hurt. Think of war. Think of cases of abuse. Think of those who live in countries ruled by oppressive governments. Often it’s the ordinary people who suffer, due to the compromise of others.

I challenge you to take a read of 1 Kings 14, and try to imagine yourself into the story. Try to feel the grief, the darkness. Consider your own griefs, your own time of darkness. Remember that we have King Jesus, the Prince of Peace, but allow yourself to feel what the ordinary people of Kings might have felt. What is the story saying to you today?

Grace and peace,
Nicola

Refresher Referencing Workshop

Jarrahmel will be running a refresher referencing workshop next Tuesday 19 May after lunch, 1pm-1:30pm in Akomanga Tuatahi.

👉 Join the Workshop via Teams Here!

Coure Evaluations

We regularly gather feedback for courses across our qualifications. Not all courses are evaluated every semester, but evaluations are open for the following courses:

You will have received an email to your Carey Email from Neroli with the links for this, so make sure you look out for that. Close off for these are Monday 25 May 11:59pm

Reminder about Due Dates and Extensions

This is just a friendly reminder to check the due dates for assessments, and plan accordingly.

Assessments handed in up to one week after the due date are marked with 10% late penalty; assessments handed in between 7-14 days are marked pass/fail. Assessments handed in after the two-week period normally are not marked and receive a fail grade. So, be on time!

If you need an extension, please talk to your teacher and Neroli, and complete an application along with evidence of your valid reason for an extension.

AI in Higher Education Survey

Carey Baptist College is partnering with the Digital Education Council — a global community for education innovation — to run the AI in Higher Education Survey in APAC. This short survey will gather your views on how AI is being used today and how it could transform teaching and learning in the future.

🕒 Takes just 5 minutes
📅 Closes: 30 May 2026
🔒 Completely anonymous

👉 Take the survey now

Like Knitting?

Get involved with the Premmie Knitting Club’s Peggy Squares project and help support premature babies in NICUs across Aotearoa. All you need to do is knit a single 15×15cm square—beginners welcome! Squares are joined by volunteers into blankets and donated to hospitals nationwide. It’s a simple, plus you can do it while you are in class!

If you need needles and wool, contact Neroli or Siong.

Weekly Karakia

Next week at Karakia we have Michael Rhodes bringing a message on 1 Kings 17

We are recording sermons from karakia this year, and they will be released in time through the CareyOPEN podcast. Stay tuned!

The Library

The library staff are keen as ever to help you out. Come see them, call, or send an email.

Library Hours
Monday to Thursday: 8.30am to 6pm
Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday: 10am to 12.30pm

If you need access to the library after hours and on Saturdays, email the library.

As we reach the end of Week 11, we hope you are all doing well as assignments, readings, and the semester pace continue to build! It has been another full and encouraging week around campus, including Tuesday’s Open Day where it was great to welcome guests who are considering studying at Carey and give them a glimpse into life in our community. 

At Karakia this week, it was also a privilege to hear reflections from those who attended the Noho Marae. Thank you to Tania and Milla for sharing so thoughtfully with us — your stories gave us all a richer appreciation for the experience and learning that took place.

Assessments

As we move toward the end of semester, now is a good time to make sure you have a clear plan in place for completing your assessments. Take some time to check all your due dates, map out what still needs to be done, and think carefully about how you will manage your workload over the coming weeks. Remember, the semester officially ends on Friday 19 June, and all assessments must be submitted by then, even if you have been granted an extension.
A reminder also about late penalties: assessments submitted up to one week late receive a 10% penalty, while assessments submitted 7–14 days late are marked on a pass/fail basis only. Work submitted more than two weeks after the due date will normally not be marked and will receive a fail grade. Planning ahead now will help reduce stress later and give you the best opportunity to finish the semester well.

Graduation 2026

Graduation is a time to celebrate with your peers, the faculty, and your friends and family. And it’s coming up soon! Everyone is welcome to come along 🙂

    Where: Te Whare Tōtara, The Journey Church
    (Ground Floor, 1 Marewa Road, Greenlane)
    When: Saturday 16 May 2pm

Weekly Karakia

Next week at Karakia we have Nicola Griffiths bringing a message on 1 Kings 14

We are recording sermons from karakia this year, and they will be released in time through the CareyOPEN podcast. Stay tuned!

The Library

The library staff are keen as ever to help you out. Come see them, call, or send an email.

Library Hours
Monday to Thursday: 8.30am to 6pm
Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday: 10am to 12.30pm

If you need access to the library after hours and on Saturdays, email the library.

A couple more notices

Like knitting?
Get involved with the Premmie Knitting Club’s Peggy Squares project and help support premature babies in NICUs across Aotearoa. All you need to do is knit a single 15×15cm square—beginners welcome! Squares are joined by volunteers into blankets and donated to hospitals nationwide. It’s a simple, plus you can do it while you are in class!

If you need needles and wool, contact Neroli or Siong

Understanding obstacles to theological study and testing solutions
Steve Taylor is conducting research and wants to talk to Carey Baptist College students about their experience of theological study. He is particularly keen to listen across different cultural contexts and diverse experiences. The research is for Longview Trust to understand the obstacles to theological training—any level (diploma, degree, postgraduate)—and test some practical scholarship solutions. The research is confidential, and a $50 gift voucher is offered to every student who participates. This could be 1-1 for 20-25 minutes. Or with a group of “study buddies.” It could be by phone or Zoom.

Check out this video to learn more about Steve and the research or get more information and a consent form here. To make a time to share your experience, contact Steve.