10 Years of Pursuing Jesus together
In October 2013, Dan and Gabrielle Sheed, while serving at Shore Vineyard in Auckland, began receiving prophetic words and dreams that God was calling them to start a new ministry journey. Over the course of two months, a notebook containing 10 prophetic words was compiled, and these insights were shared and discerned with Shore Vineyard pastors Vic and Fran Francis. As they all reflected on this, it became clear that something new was stirring, and a calling was emerging. The Sheeds' hearts were being drawn toward an invitation from Jesus, hinting at the possibility of a church plant, even though the details were still vague.
By early 2014, the calling became undeniable: they were to step out and begin a new work. After much prayer and reflection, Dan made the significant decision to resign from his position at Shore Vineyard in October 2014, taking a step into the unknown, yet guided by a strong sense of purpose to follow where Jesus was leading.
A year after those first dreams and prophetic nudges, in November 2014, the journey truly began, and something tangible emerged. A small group of friends—including Rob and Alisha Wiseman—gathered in the Sheeds’ lounge for meals, worship, prayer, and dreaming about what might lie ahead. These intimate gatherings were filled with hope, laying the foundation for a community that would be rooted in the pursuit of Jesus. This period of reflection and anticipation culminated in a shared commitment: everything they endeavored to do would be centered on Jesus.
“Thus, the name Central Vineyard was born. Along with the name, a clear vision emerged: to see a community formed that was passionate about “pursuing Jesus and playing our part in what God is doing in the world, right now.””
In 2015, the journey became public with small monthly midweek gatherings, initially held at Crave Cafe and later at the Mt Eden Methodist Hall. These gatherings attracted more people who resonated with the vision and heart of this fledgling community. As these monthly gatherings outgrew their venues, Central Vineyard held its first public Sunday gathering at Auckland Normal Intermediate in Advent 2015, marking an exciting new chapter.
The following year, in February 2016, Central Vineyard was officially commissioned and released as a Vineyard church within the Vineyard Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand family. With this formal commissioning came further growth and development as a community: Central Vineyard Kids was launched, Circles (our small groups) were formed to build deeper community, and the church began its first intentional steps toward mission by forming a Christmas partnership with Auckland City Mission as an expression of its commitment to serve the city.
In February 2017, another significant milestone was reached as the church moved its Sunday gatherings to Epsom Girls Grammar. Over the next few years, from 2017 to 2019, the community continued to grow and evolve. Central Vineyard initiated annual Prayer Weeks, Alpha courses were launched, creativity blossomed among songwriters and artists, and a desire to develop a more intentional missional expression led to the founding of Gratis. The church also deepened its connections through Tables events, and Central Vineyard opened its first Community Hall on Mercury Lane. As the community grew, it outgrew its initial church planting structure, leading to the establishment of a new model of leadership. Rob and Alisha Wiseman were commissioned as co-leaders alongside Dan and Gabrielle Sheed, marking a collaborative approach to leading the community.
As 2020 approached, the church expanded further with the launch of CV Youth and a second version of the Community Hall on Great North Road. However, the arrival of COVID-19 disrupted the world and altered Central Vineyard's rhythm. Like all churches, Central Vineyard had to adapt. The community experimented with online content, home gatherings, and multi-site gatherings during the pandemic, finding creative ways to stay connected, serve their people, and continue their mission in uncertain times.
Since COVID, the past couple of years have seen Central Vineyard emerge from the blur of the pandemic and settle into a new season of life together, with a further refined commitment to be formed in the way of Jesus and nothing less. As the world continues to regain its footing, Central Vineyard looks forward to celebrating its ten-year anniversary in November 2024—a significant milestone in the journey when they began to find words and language for who they wanted to become.
From humble beginnings in a living room to becoming a vibrant community committed to pursuing Jesus and being active participants in God's restorative work in the world.