Autumn Gathering

Helen Mann

Helen begin her life in Aotearoa as the child of migrant parents. She began her faith journey as a teenager at a Christian camp. She has been involved with a number of faith communities over the years including the Anglican and Apostolic churches and house churches.

She has a heart for biculturalism and a Treaty-based multicultural society and has been the Chair of the Ōtautahi Parihaka Network for five years. She is an active Amnesty member and is part of a number of not-for-profit group.

Her passions are film, history and social justice. She and Brett have two tamariki (children) and a couple of grand-cats. Although officially retired, Helen keeps active with reading, gardening, and engagement in diverse groups around Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Brett Mann

Brett has been a follower of Jesus for 50 years, a GP for 40 years, involved in the microchurch movement for 30 years, and a medical educator for 16 yearss. He is a visiting lecturer at Otago Medical School. His great, great, great grandfather was present at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and had a major role in bringing a formal end to the Waikato land war. Brett is part of Te Raranga, a Christchurch interdenominational organisation committed to Aotearoa New Zealand as a treaty-based multicultural society. Te Raranga works to facilitate church leaders and others’ understanding and connection to the Treaty of Waitangi and our Māori treaty partner. Brett has a strong conviction that the God of Nations has been deeply involved in the heart of our nation’s history and has been working out his prophetic purpose for our nation over the last 270+ years.