CAREY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 2025 S2 WEEK 12

Hang in there!

We know life can be hectic with assignments, work, family commitments, church, and everything else you have on. Take a moment to breathe and reflect on how you've grown this semester. It’s been a journey, and you are nearly there!

Relax, inhale, exhale, and keep moving forward. If you're feeling overwhelmed, our staff is here to help. Feel free to reach out anytime!

Student Focus Groups

As part of our ongoing desire to improve our programmes and services, we try to bring students together in annual focus groups. We are interested in how you are finding study here and what ideas you might have for how things could be even better. Focus groups are available for the following qualification cohort groups:

• NZ Certificate and NZ Diploma (Thursday, 23 October from 11am-12pm)
• NZ Certificiate and NZ Diploma (Friday, 24 October from 1-2pm)
• Bachelor of Applied Theology (Thursday, 23 October from 1-2pm)
• Bachelor of Applied Theology (Friday, 24 October from 9-10am)
• Graduate Diploma of Applied Theology (Thursday, 23 October from 9-10am)
• Graduate Diploma of Applied Theology (Friday, 24 October from 11am-12pm)

Can’t make one of the above times?

If you can’t make a focus group during the day, we have a couple options in the evening. These groups will not be programme-specific, so you can come along no matter what qualification you are working on.

• Wednesday, 22 October from 7-8pm
• Thursday, 23 October from 6-7pm

If you are working on one of the above qualifications and would like to participate, just complete this brief form and sign up for the focus group for your programme.

NOTE: All focus groups will take place on Zoom, so you do not need to come on-site.

Assessment feedback summaries

Did you know, in addition to your mark and in-text comments, your markers provide feedback summaries? See the picture above if you need help finding the summaries for your assessment. These helpful summaries include notes on general themes of your work and things you can do to improve your next assessments.

Be sure to read these thoroughly, as they can help you do well on future work. Also, your markers have spent a lot of time not only reading your work but providing thorough feedback. So take a look at these if you haven’t!

Course evaluations—just a few days left!

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

• Thinking Theologically
• Insights into Church History
• Contextual Theological Praxis I
• Te Ao Māori
• Worship and Wisdom
• Pastoral Counselling
• Baptist Churches
• Youth Development and Gospel Formation
• Research Methods
• Bible and Politics
• Gospel and Discipleship

You will find the link to the evaluations in your respective Course Announcements forum. Surveys will close Wednesday, 15 October. Please make completing these a priority.

Also, Neroli will give you chocolates if you let her know when you have completed your evaluation. She will even post chocolates, so let her know when you have done yours!

Reminder about due dates and extensions—plan ahead!

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.

2026 enrolment

If you are wanting to enrol in 2026, please connect directly with Neroli Hollis. No new applications needed. Just chat to Neroli—she’ll get you sorted!

Important StudyLink deadline

If you're planning on studying in 2026, 16 December is a very important date. Even though it seems far away, it's one you just can't miss. Applying for your student allowance or loan before 16 December gives you the best chance of having everything sorted and ready for the start of your course in 2026.

If you’ve had a student allowance or loan in the last 12 months, login to MyStudyLink and use the Returning Application to apply. It'll take less than five minutes!

Weekly karakia

It was a joy to have former student, Marcus Brooking share with us at karakia this week. Join us next week as the one and only Dan Cuttriss will be speaking. Come along at 11:15 on Tuesday in te whare karakia to worship together.

Karakia audio recordings

You can listen to all the karakia recordings for the first eleven weeks of the semester on CareyOnline. Check them out!

The library

Anna, Mei Ling, and Siong are keen as ever to assist you with anything you need. Flick them an email, give them a call (09 526 0347), or stop by the library.

Library Hours

• Monday to Thursday: 8:30am to 6:30pm
• Friday: 9am to 5pm
• Saturday: 10am to 12:30pm

Books on trolleys and no reshelving

If you come into the library, you will see that we now have some books on fancy wooden trolleys (seriously, be careful to not get splinters!). These are ready for moving but will remain in the library until the general collection move date in November.

The way the books have been put on the trolleys means it is quite hard to work out the dewey numbering sequence (it is not in order as with the books on the regular shelves), so please ask for assistance. Also please do not reshelve books. We would prefer you bring any books you may have used, but not issued to yourself, up to the library counter for us to reshelve so that we don’t have books being put in stranger places!

Finally, you will notice lots of pieces of cardboard dividers throughout the shelves. Please do not remove them. And if one falls out while you are getting a book please let us know so we can put it back in the right place. Thanks for understanding.

CAREY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 2025 S2 WEEK 11

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 for Aotearoa. This year’s theme is Top Up, which encourages you to engage others and incorporate the Five Ways to Wellbeing into your everyday life:

Me aro tonu/ Take Notice

Tukua / Give

Me kori tonu / Be Active

Me whakawhanaunga / Connect

Me ako tonu / Keep Learning

Learn more on the Mental Health Awareness Week website, where you can find daily encouragement for good mental health!

Assessment feedback summaries

Did you know, in addition to your mark and in-text comments, your markers provide feedback summaries? See the picture above if you need help finding the summaries for your assessment. These helpful summaries include notes on general themes of your work and things you can do to improve your next assessments.

Be sure to read these thoroughly, as they can help you do well on future work. Also, your markers have spent a lot of time not only reading your work but providing thorough feedback. So take a look at these if you haven’t!

Course 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:

• Thinking Theologically
• Insights into Church History
• Contextual Theological Praxis I
• Te Ao Māori
• Worship and Wisdom
• Pastoral Counselling
• Baptist Churches
• Youth Development and Gospel Formation
• Research Methods
• Bible and Politics
• Gospel and Discipleship

You will find the link to the evaluations in your respective Course Announcements forum. Surveys will close Wednesday, 15 October. Please make completing these a priority.

Also, if you are on-site, Neroli will give you chocolates if you let her know when you have completed your evaluation.

McKirlands prepare for return home

In some bittersweet news, two of our Carey staff, Christa (Dean of Faculty) and Matt McKirland (Course Media Co-ordinator), are preparing to return to America with their children, Raya and John.

Paul Jones says, “It is safe to say that these are two people whose impact has been felt by many across Aotearoa, and whose loss will be equally palpable. Carey has grown and benefitted so much by Christa’s teaching ministry and the fruit of her work will be realised for years to come. Please pray for them as they continue to discern God’s leading.”

Christa and Matt are planning to wrap up their time at Carey in July of 2026, so there’s plenty of time to say goodbye (and still enrol in Humanity and Hope or Christ and Trinity next semester!).

Read Christa and Matt’s reflections in their own words, and be sure to wish them well as they prepare to move next year.

Carey Online Open Evening

Carey is epic, and you know that. But, do your friends? If you can think of someone who would thrive here, why not invite them along to Online Open Evening on 7 October.

It’s an easy way to connect with Carey no matter where you are. Check out the details!

Weekly karakia

We loved hearing Christa McKirland share at karakia this week for Open Day, and we are keen to hear from Marcus Brooking next week. Come along at 11:15 on Tuesday in te whare karakia to hear from Christa McKirland on our Open Day karakia.

Karakia audio recordings

You can listen to all the karakia recordings for the first eleven weeks of the semester on CareyOnline. Check them out!

The library

Anna, Mei Ling, and Siong are keen as ever to assist you with anything you need. Flick them an email, give them a call (09 526 0347), or stop by the library.

Library Hours

Monday to Thursday: 8:30am to 6:30pm

Friday: 9am to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 12:30pm

Books on trolleys and no reshelving

If you come into the library, you will see that we now have some books on fancy wooden trolleys (seriously, be careful to not get splinters!). These are ready for moving but will remain in the library until the general collection move date in November.

The way the books have been put on the trolleys means it is quite hard to work out the dewey numbering sequence (it is not in order as with the books on the regular shelves), so please ask for assistance. Also please do not reshelve books. We would prefer you bring any books you may have used, but not issued to yourself, up to the library counter for us to reshelve so that we don’t have books being put in stranger places!

Finally, you will notice lots of pieces of cardboard dividers throughout the shelves. Please do not remove them. And if one falls out while you are getting a book please let us know so we can put it back in the right place. Thanks for understanding.