East City Wesleyan Church, at 219 Burswood Drive in Burswood, Manukau, is an evangelical church in the Wesleyan network, serving East Auckland, including the Botany and Howick area. The church describes itself as multi-cultural and multi-generational. Its website lists a children's ministry for children from birth to Year 6, a youth group on Friday evenings for Years 6 to 13, and an opportunity shop run within the church for the community. Every Friday morning during the school term it runs English classes for the community. The pastoral team is four ordained ministers and one lay pastor. The church is affiliated with the East Auckland Ministers Association and is a member of the New Zealand Christian Network. The website says it is the first church in New Zealand to be a covenant partner with Habitat for Humanity.
Customers say the church is welcoming, close-knit and like family. One visitor to a national conference found the staff welcoming and respectful, and the building clean with plenty of parking. Another has enjoyed the youth group. A third says the church helped with packing when they moved house and left food at the door. Customers describe the church as Bible-based and focused on kindness. Our pick in Burswood for a family looking for a welcoming church with children's and youth programmes.