Under Level 2 Covid-19 restrictions the St Martins facilities are available to be used by groups of no more than 10, with strict guidelines in place.
Sunday Service: on our website (www.stmartins.org.nz). Many thanks to Rev Anne Stewart and the team from Village Presbyterian Church for making this available to the people of St Martins.
Moderator’s live
streaming of devotions every Sunday at 9am. https://www.facebook.com/modpcanz/
Watch Sunday’s service from Beckenham Methodist: the video link/s are available after 11am from their webpage: www.bmc.nz Services/Reflections
The next ‘Messenger’ is due out soon. Please email any contributions to anneke.howie@gmail.com by Friday 22nd May. Photos, recipes, reflections on your lockdown experience all welcome.
Sue Saunders has not been sitting idle and still has five boxes of goodies left. Please phone her late afternoon or at the weekend – 960 7657. Bottled Pears, 1 bottle Peaches, Tomato Puree (great for soup/pasta sauce etc), Tomato Sauce, 3 bottles Lemon Curd, Marmalades: Grapefruit; Lemon; Orange & Peach , Jam: Plum; Blackberry & Apple; Feijoa & Ginger; Feijoa & Pear, Chutneys: Peach & Tomato; Spicy Apple & Red Pepper; Plum & Blackberry Chutney; Lemon & Mustard, Feijoa, Pear & Ginger, Kasundi – an Indian type relish suitable for vegetarian dishes etc
The Garage Series
Here are this week’s episodes of “The Garage Series.” This is where we go out and about and find out what questions people are asking.
Episode #3, Don from Takaka. This one is a bit longer with a bonus extra reflection from Don
about Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Episode #4, Jess from Christchurch https://youtu.be/_TMSKdN1h90
You may want to subscribe to the Alpine Presbytery YouTube channel while you are
there. Maybe you have the same questions? Maybe
you can talk about them in your congregation
leadership meetings? Please share with us what solutions and ideas, and maybe
further questions you come up with.
From the Council: Unite Against Covid-19
Under Alert Level 2 you can go out and about, but remember to maintain physical distancing and good hygiene practices. Keep a record of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen. Gatherings of up to 10 people are permitted. Stay home if you are sick.
If you need welfare assistance, call the CCC helpline 0800 24 24 11
For health advice, contact Healthline 0800 358 5453. If you are feeling unwell, call your GP before you visit.
Call the free Government Helpline 0800 779 997 (8am-1am) 7 days a week if you need advice.
Keep an eye on the official website – Covid19.govt.nz – for updates.
From the Prime Minister:
“Play it safe. Remember that wall of defence we built together as a team now rests with every one of us. So when you’re out and about, acknowledge your fellow team mates, enjoy being out more and seeing others. Keep it small. Keep your distance. And be kind.”
Moderator’s Covid-19 Pastoral Message
The storm of Covid-19 has rocked and shaken us all. Each bubble, each person – in fact the whole nation, and maybe all of the world – are in disarray. The invisible enemy is wreaking havoc like never experienced before. We have a common foe. “Keep the faith, stand firm, do not be afraid.” These are the words of our Lord Jesus to his disciples in times of trials, fears, death and uncertainty. Our Lord speaks these words to us, today.
Please keep going forward with how you have
faced this intruder in the past seven weeks. Your resolve and your desire for
life is profound. There is nothing stronger in life
than human will. It is a precious gift of God from the beginning of time. You are making a difference for
yourself and others. You are appreciated, valued and loved.
“Keep going, do not be tired of doing good.” (1 Peter 3:13)
Beloved, this dark cloud will not subdue us or
cause us to surrender or concede. We will live, we will
learn, we will prosper. We hold on to our hope and to
our faith. Our God is the Creator of heaven and earth. In the image of God we
were created. Praise and thank God always.
For our part also, keep everything and
everyone in daily prayers. Call, email, and make contact with others as the Covid-19 alert moves down to
level two. Adapt, adjust and do more where you can. We must lead by example,
adhering to government guidelines. Remember the
“front liners” in these unprecedented times. Look out for the least, the ill and the unfortunate.
Build and rebuild the church of our Lord
wherever you are. Let the Spirit of God guide and lead. Many of our church services are online, reaching thousands weekly,
globally.
“Stand up, stand up for Jesus,” the old hymn calls of us
today.
Blessings,
Right Rev Fakaofo Kaio, Moderator, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand