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QUEENSTOWN CHILDCARE DEMANDS INCREASE

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January, 2010

The demand for childcare in Queenstown continues to grow with Queenstowns City Impact Church early childhood centre, the most recent to open, already sporting a burgeoning waiting of 200 preschoolers.

Head teacher Shaun Vining said the 50-space centres waiting list had increased by 40 to 50 children in the past six months and was helping about 80 Wakatipu families, but the need continued to grow.

Senior Pastor Maria Payn, a primary school teacher who writes the curriculum for and oversees the churchs Queenstown centre and Auckland education centres has returned to the 3500-strong Auckland church with her husband, Senior Pastor Dean Payn to help expand that church. However, Mrs Payn will be in Queenstown regularly overseeing the running of the Queenstown centre, which opened several years ago, as well as her role overseeing the Auckland early childhood centre, kindergarten and primary school.

Meanwhile, longtime Southland pastors Daryl and Roberta Watson have increased their flock by up to 250 overnight after taking over the reins in the Queenstown church.
The Watsons, who have led Invercargill's 100-member City Impact Church for the past seven years, will split their week - half in Queenstown and half in Invercargill - from this week.

Mr Payn said after two and a half years in Queenstown he was taking a two-and-a-half- month sabbatical break before taking up a new pastoring role in Auckland.

The pair were asked to return to Auckland to help expand the church, which also ran the Impact For Life television series.

"It's been such a privilege to be part of this community, making new friends and working alongside other (Wakatipu) churches and community organisations," he said. "We will definitely miss South Island life - they're great people here, very generous in their timeand thoughtfulness."

They would return every eight weeks to lead services to help Mr Watson manage his juggling act preaching in both Queenstown and Invercargill.