A Beauty of Ashes seminar with the theme ‘God's Changing Rooms' is being held on November 5 in Tauranga.

Beauty for Ashes Ministries NZ, founded by pastors Tonia and Jim Butler in Tauranga in 1999, is an interdenominational Christian ministry to the broken-hearted, with the vision to bring hope, compassion, restoration and healing to people's lives.

Starting out at the Abundant Life Church in Tauranga, it has since has been on the road for 23 years in different regions, locations and churches in NZ and Fiji.

'It is Interdenominational in flavour and based on the Call of Isaiah 61,” says Tonia, who along with husband Jim were both ordained as ministers in 1983 in the New Life Movement, and have pastored five churches during 36 years.

The couple has conducted more than 200 seminars with varied ministry topics, in many different churches and with a range of speakers.

'My vision is to bring woman higher to realise their full potential and value as women,” says Tonia, 'as mothers and grandmothers at home and in the workplace”.

Tonia says her own personal life experiences plus her career as a hairdresser and ministry training- have all been valuable tools for Beauty for Ashes in action.

Tonia says her autobiography titled ‘Entwined lives' comes from a complex but positive background story of adoption and finding four missing sisters and other relatives. Her experience helps her and Jim connect with others at the seminars.

'Over these long years we have a dedicated small team who have journeyed with us, with soloist singer Matthew Lassing and gifted choreographer plus speaker Beryl Wilson. We always enjoy the regulars who come to our seminars plus new ones, and each seminar has the atmosphere of a reunion,” says Tonia.

Entry is a $10 donation at the door to cover expenses, and participants are encouraged to bring lunch to share. There is no childcare or Eftpos available.

Beauty for Ashes is at Otumoetai Baptist, 241 Otumoetai Rd, Tauranga, from 9.45am-1.30pm on Saturday, November 5.