NOTICES:
A very warm welcome to you all this morning. Please come through to the Lounge after the service for a cuppa and a time to talk.
We give thanks for Shirley Murray…In today’s service we sing three hymns written by Shirley Murray who died this week in Wellington. Colin Gibson, who worked with Shirley on many hymns, wrote:
Our
community has lost a brave bright soul, a distinctive prophetic voice and New
Zealand’s finest religious poet. Her work is known, admired, and sung
throughout the Christian world. Her hymns and songs will be her legacy for many
years to come; her latest volume (published by Hope) reached her a short time
before her death.
In one of her poems, Shirley wrote:
Something beautiful for God,
in my seeing,
in my being,
something beautiful for God
let the
Spirit make of me.
Something meaningful and true,
in my living
and believing,
something meaningful and true,
something beautiful and new.
I think we can all agree that her wish was fulfilled.
Over the next week read Matt chapters 5-7. What questions come to you? Discuss with someone else a teaching that stands out for you. What does it mean for your life?
Farewell Luncheon
On Sunday 23rd February Dugald
will lead his last service with us as our minister before his retirement after
35 years in the ministry. Following the service Dugald and Janet invite
you to join with them for a barbeque lunch. Sausages, meat patties,
bread, and drinks will be provided, and if you are able bring a salad to share.
Those not bringing a salad may like to donate a gold coin to help cover
costs.
PARISH BREAKFAST next Sunday 9th February 8.45am, hosted by Session. Come along and enjoy cereal, fruit & muffins. Gold coin donation appreciated.
The Parish Office will be closed this Thursday (Waitangi Day).
Working Bee Saturday 15th February 9am. Come and help!
Articles are now required for the next edition of the ‘Messenger’. Email contributions to Anneke: anneke.howie@gmail.com before Friday 21st February. Many thanks.
Meditation Group: Every Tuesday a group meets here from 7.00-7.45pm to meditate together. We are learners who are following an ancient Christian practice of being still with God. For 20 minutes we sit in silence. In silence you soon discover your mind is far from still, and is dancing all over the place. However we use a mantra to keep gently refocusing. In the stillness God is at work transforming us and helping us become more authentically ourselves.
If you would like to try Christian meditation, join us on Tuesday evenings. Meditation is not only good for your soul, but helps relieve stress and anxiety, and has been shown to be very beneficial for your health.
Fundraising Ideas: We had a very good forum last week with a large number of ideas suggested for fundraising. This week you will receive a blue form asking if you would commit to making an idea happen. Please fill this out with your name and return to the silver box in the foyer.
Singing Group will next meet at 9.15am on 16th February.
Foyer Store Room …. the north storeroom in the foyer (currently with foot clinic, craft group and Elder Care gear in it) is now locked. If you need a key, please contact Anna in the office.
Wednesday Walkers 5th February: Meet 9.30am in Hawford Rd by Opawa Café carpark for a walk around Opawa/St Martins. Coffee at Opawa Café. All welcome. Joan Mac 022 081 4088.
Crafty Crafters Thursdays 10am – 12 noon. $3 per session. New faces very welcome. Lyndsey 388 1264. No session this week 6 Feb.
Decking… Cyril Morris has recently stained the deck outside the lounge to complete this project. We say a very big thank you to Cyril for this great addition to our complex.
You are invited to the Induction of Beckenham Methodist’s new minister TODAY
at 2pm.
Sermons…most of Dugald’s sermons are available on line from our website.
Court Theatre Group Booking:
“Lysander’s Aunty” Friday 17th April 7.30pm
‘In this radical comedy, Lysander and Hermia, the lovers from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, run away to the forest…but things take a sharp turn along the way that lands them in the lap of Lysander’s unconventional, untraditional and very Kiwi Aunty. The world of Shakespeare is lovingly turned upside down as the highbrow meets the down-to-earth in this wonderfully quirky comedy’.
Tickets $54 or
$42 with copy of Community Services Card. Add your names to the clipboard
please, and money to Sue Saunders by Sunday 1st March.
The Gentle
Revolution – Emerging Green Churches of Europe
Sunday 16th
February 4pm – 5.30pm @ The Chapel of the Waves (corner Collingwood St and Union St, New Brighton)
Mark Gibson, the minister of two East Christchurch parishes, recently visited Eco and Green churches in Scotland, England and Denmark. Hundreds of mostly small local churches are transforming their life in response to the global ecological and climate crisis. Come and hear these wonderful stories. Could Aotearoa NZ evolve our own Green Church movement?
Entry by koha for the work of the Centre. All
welcome.
Session Report:
- Pastoral Care…a small task group has been set up to review our system of Pastoral Care.
- Ministry Settlement Board…has met and is progressing the work of developing a Parish Profile.
- Presbytery has not as yet been able to appoint an Interim Moderator for our parish.
- We have agreed to seek to appoint a minister on Stated Supply for 3-6 months. We will approach Presbytery to see who might be available.
- We noted that we have our own Facebook page. If you use Facebook please connect with the page (St Martins Presbyterian Community Church) and recommend it to friends.