NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. After the service please come through to the Lounge for a cuppa and a time to chat.

Annual Reports are due by Friday 16^th August. Thank You. The AGM is scheduled for 15^th September.

If anyone has photos of parish events taken over the last year, we would love to include those too! Please email them to the Office.

Wednesday Walkers 14^th August: Meet 9.30am in the Victoria Park playground carpark to walk Harry Ell track. Coffee at the Sign of the Takahe (or the Cup if that doesn’t work out). Rosalie 0212395005

Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for more information.

Articles are now required for the next ‘Messenger’. Please e-mail any contributions to anneke.howie@gmail.com before Friday 23^rd August.

MenzShed meets tomorrow Monday 12^th August 6pm in the Lounge for a shared tea and update on progress.

Thank you to everyone who helped at yesterday’s Working Bee.

Meditation Group…About ten people are meeting each week to spend time in stillness (20 mins) with a small message of teaching.  Tuesdays 7.00-7.45pm in the Lounge. New members are always welcome or speak with Jeannette & David, Keith, Janet, or Helen.

Next week…an update on the Your Sisters Project, Tanzania.

Manchester Unity Lodge presented the Elder Care group with a large donation to continue this work. We are very grateful.

New Zealand Community for Christian Meditation Community Day…

Saturday 17^th August 10am-3pm at the Chapel Street Community Centre, Papanui. Dr Anne Shave will share on Mid-life Spirituality and Silence.

Rosters: Church Cleaning  – volunteers for September through to December required please. Pop your name on the clipboard in the foyer if you can help.

Lawn Mowing: Now that we are back on site, and with spring around the corner, we also require volunteers to mow the church lawns from the beginning of September. If you’re interested, please speak to Barry Moore 338 4622, or leave a message at the Office.

Saturday Night Movie…

There are many different stories we tell ourselves about our singing: we can’t read music, we sing off-key, we are embarrassed to raise our voice in public, and the like. But as many choir directors know, the point is not to learn how to sing properly but to connect with our soul and make music in our unique way.  Singing and finding the confidence to let our soul burst forth in song is what our final winter-time movie series is all about.

As It Is in Heaven, is a 2004 Swedish film that was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in the 2005 Academy Awards. (It does have English subtitles) The story focuses on a lonely but gifted conductor who arrives in a small rural village in northern Sweden, his new found role of leading the local church choir, the idiosyncratic and very human members of the choir, but ultimately the power of music to release the Spirit of love and hope and break open people’s hearts.   This is a must see! 

Saturday 7^th September at 6.15pm in our church lounge.  Bring your tea at 5.45pm and share conversation before the movie.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. After the service please come through to the Lounge for a cuppa and a time to chat.

Annual Reports are now due. Please e-mail them to Anna before Friday 16^th August. Thank You. The AGM is scheduled for 15^th September.

Wednesday Walkers 7^th August: Meet 9.30am at Riccarton House carpark for a walk around Riccarton. Coffee at Riccarton House. All welcome. Janette 021 075 6780. 

Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for more information.

Working Bee THIS Saturday August 10^th at 9am. Tasks will include: preparing section for grass seed (shifting soil, raking), window cleaning, shifting boxes, clearing out shed one.

Articles are now required for the next ‘Messenger’. Please e-mail any contributions to anneke.howie@gmail.com before Friday 23^rd August.

Rosters: Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to clean the church over the last few months. We are now looking for people to volunteer for  September – December. Pop your name on the clipboard in the foyer if you can help.

Lawn Mowing: Now that we are back on site, and with spring around the corner (hopefully!) we also require people to volunteer to mow the church lawns from the beginning of September through to autumn. If you’re interested, please speak to Barry Moore 338 4622, or leave a message at the Office.

Check out the Jam Stall – there could be something new you haven’t tried!

THANK YOU to Rob, Keith, Cyril & David for the work they have been doing building gates & decks.

MenzShed meets next on Monday 12^th August at 6pm in the Lounge.

Meditation Group…About ten people are meeting each week to spend time in stillness (20 mins) with a small message of teaching.  Tuesdays 7.00-7.45pm in the Lounge. New members are always welcome or speak with Jeannette & David, Keith, Janet, or Helen.

TONIGHT at 7pm in the Knox Church Lounge, Bealey Ave, Hugh Wilson will be speaking about his work in restoring native vegetation at Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsula. We hope to screen the short film “Fools and Dreamers”  about Hugh and his work. All welcome. Bring your own drinks and nibbles; tea and coffee provided. Koha to support the work at Hinewai welcomed.

Court Theatre trip Thursday 19^th September 6.30pm to see “The Pink Hammer”, a Kiwi comedy. Money in a NAMED envelope to Sue Saunders please TODAY. Cost will be $49 & $37 for Community Services Card holders (please include a copy of each person’s card in in the envelope with the money). Names onto the clipboard in the foyer please.

The Hope Seminar: responding to creation in crisis

Equipping Christians to integrate faith, theology and lifestyle.

Inspiring momentum towards living sustainably.

When? Saturday 17 August, 6.30–9.00pm

Where? Beach Campus, Grace Vineyard, 111 Seaview Rd, New Brighton

Speakers & Workshops:

Scottie Young, Grace Vineyard: “Our children’s inheritance”

Carolyn Robertson, Chch East Anglican: “Living smaller”

Simon Kingham, UC Geography Professor: “Environmental Justice”

Silvia Purdie, Cashmere Presbyterian: “Jesus and the Vineyard”

An event of A Rocha Christchurch and Creation Care Grace Vineyard

Koha entry. Supper provided

Register: gracevineyard.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/261157

Facebook: ‘The Hope Seminar’, in A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand

Phone: Silvia on 027 242 1113

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. After the service please come through to the Lounge for a cuppa and a time to chat. Many thanks to Rev Hugh Perry for leading our worship today.

Dugald is on leave this week. He will be back to lead worship next Sunday.

Practice the St Martins Plastic Pledge for July –

The St Martins Plastics Pledge:

1. I will responsibly recycle all I can, whenever I can.
2. I will regularly use multi-use bags when I go shopping.
3. I will try to reduce the use plastic bags and plastic trays used to     package food by using reusable containers.
4. I will use a re-usable mug and refuse plastic straws when I go to cafes, etc
5. I will try to buy unwrapped ‘loose’ locally grown vegetables/fruit whenever practical, rather than those wrapped in plastic or plastic nets.
6. I will tell others about my commitment to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics.

PLEASE REMEMBER to turn lights/heaters off when you leave the building!!

Rev Alan Webster is progressing well after his stroke.   He is good physically but sometimes finds difficulty accessing the right word quickly.  Please keep him in your prayers

Annual Reports are now due. Please e-mail them to Anna by Friday 16^th August. Thank You.

Wednesday Walkers 31^st July: Meet 9.45am at the Church, where we will also have morning tea. Sonya 0272533397.

Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for more information.

Movie Night….our next movie on Saturday 3^rd August will be “I Daniel Blake”.  Daniel has worked as a joiner most of his life in Newcastle, England.  Now for the first time in his life he needs help from the State.  He crosses paths with Katie and her two young children who are also struggling to survive.  Come along for BYO takeaway tea at 5.45pm, with movie screening at 6.15pm.

Foot Clinic TOMORROW 1-4pm in the Lounge. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for details.

Fireside:  Women are very welcome to join us at any meeting whether they come just occasionally or regularly.   Fireside is “the women’s group” of our church. As well as having time for enjoying each others’ company we often have a speaker.  This month Ken Shields will talk about his work as a JP registrar.  We plan to meet on Tuesday 30th July in the Church Lounge at 7.45pm.  Please note this changed time.    Enquiries:  ph Margaret 366 8936.

Men’s Group…Thursday 1^st August at 6.00pm in the Parish Lounge beginning with a shared tea.

Warren Pettigrew will be talking about his time at Dynamic Controls and what his job was there designing controls for power wheelchairs and how they can transform the lives of the handicapped.

He will also talk and demonstrate eBikes and tell you about his adventure ride over the Old Ghost Road. Bring a friend. Enquiries to Tony Blackler 332 0554.

Working Bee Saturday August 10^th at 9am. Tasks will include: preparing section for grass seed (shifting soil, raking), window cleaning, shifting boxes, clearing out shed one.

MenzShed meets next on Monday 12^th August at 6pm in the Lounge.

Session Report for July

With the final payment being completed for the strengthening work on the church letters of thanks and appreciation are being sent to the Architect and Building Company.

Dugald has received his Certificate of Good Standing for the next three years.

Dugald has indicated he will be retiring as from February 23^rd 2020, and Presbytery has formed a Ministry Settlement Board (MSB), chaired by Rev Darryl Tempero. Session will appoint two people to this and the congregation will vote to appoint a further four. 

Session has decided not to instigate a special quarterly afternoon communion service for older members.

The decision by Managers to not insure the church buildings for natural disaster (eg earthquake and flood) was endorsed.  The costs of this are high and the excess would be approx. $140,000.  We will however insure to cover costs of demolition in the event of a large earthquake.

The AGM of the congregation will be held on Sunday 15^th September after worship.

Session has asked for ‘an event’ to look at and discuss the End of Life Choice Bill currently being processed by our Parliament.   A 20 page report prepared by the Doctrine Committee that was presented to the 2018 General Assembly is available in the foyer (more available on request).

We noted the call of the General Assembly 2018 to install bike racks.  

Decking…Thank you to Cyril and others. Our deck outside the Lounge looks great!

Meditation Group…About ten people are meeting each week to spend time in stillness (20 mins) with a small message of teaching.  Tuesdays 7.00-7.45pm in the church this week.   New members are always welcome or speak with Jeannette & David, Keith, Janet, or Helen.

Next Sunday at 7pm in the Knox Church Lounge, Bealey Ave, Hugh Wilson will be speaking about his work in restoring native vegetation at Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsula. We hope to screen the short film “Fools and Dreamers”  about Hugh and his work. All welcome. Bring your own drinks and nibbles; tea and coffee provided. Koha to support the work at Hinewai welcomed.

Court Theatre trip Thursday 19^th September 6.30pm to see “The Pink Hammer”, a Kiwi comedy. Money in a NAMED envelope to Sue Saunders please on or before Sunday 4^th August. Cost will be $49 & $37 for Community Services Card holders (please include a copy of each person’s card in in the envelope with the money). Names onto the clipboard in the foyer please.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. After the service please come through to the Lounge for a cuppa and a time to chat. Many thanks to Rev Hugh Perry for leading our worship today.

Practice the St Martins Plastic Pledge for July –

The St Martins Plastics Pledge:

1. I will responsibly recycle all I can, whenever I can.
2. I will regularly use multi-use bags when I go shopping.
3. I will try to reduce the use plastic bags and plastic trays used to     package food by using reusable containers.
4. I will use a re-usable mug and refuse plastic straws when I go to cafes, etc
5. I will try to buy unwrapped ‘loose’ locally grown vegetables/fruit whenever practical, rather than those wrapped in plastic or plastic nets.
6. I will tell others about my commitment to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics.

PLEASE REMEMBER to turn lights/heaters off when you leave the building!!

South Elder Care comes home to to 43 St Martins Rd this Tuesday!

Wednesday Walkers 24^th July: Meet 9.45am cnr of Birdwood and Malcolm Ave. We will have a walk in the Beckenham area and have coffee in the Birdwood Café. All Welcome.  Anneke 021 0774 065

Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for more information.

Updated Parish Phone List now available. Please contact the Office if you would like a copy. This can be either e-mailed to you, or a paper copy provided.

Movie Night….our next movie on Saturday 3^rd August will be “I Daniel Blake”.  Daniel has worked as a joiner most of his life in Newcastle, England.  Now for the first time in his life he needs help from the State.  He crosses paths with Katie and her two young children who are also struggling to survive.  Their encounters with welfare bureaucracy will have you both laughing and crying as they long to be treated as real human beings. Come along for BYO takeaway tea at 5.45pm, with movie screening at 6.15pm.

Working Bee Saturday August 10^th at 9am. Tasks will include: preparing section for grass seed, deck construction, window cleaning, shifting boxes, clearing out shed one.

Meditation Group…About ten people are meeting each week to spend time in stillness (20 mins) with a small message of teaching.  We are slowly growing in our discipline of spend time each day in stillness and believe this time re-orientates us in God and in our true selves.  It is special to feel part of a warm welcoming group of very diverse people that are on a journey together.  What is even better is that we recognise meditation is good for us!  Tuesdays 7.00-7.45pm in the lounge.   New members are always welcome or speak with Jeanette and David, Keith, Janet, or Helen.

Annual Reports are now due. Please e-mail them to Anna by Friday 16^th August. Thank You.

Men’s Group…Next gathering on Thursday 1^st August at 6.00pm when Warren Pettigrew will talk about some of the projects he’s been working on at Dynamic Controls.  Share the word with blokes you know.

Session Report for July

With the final payment being completed for the strengthening work on the church letters of thanks and appreciation are being sent to the Architect and Building Company.

Dugald has received his Certificate of Good Standing for the next three years.

Dugald has indicated he will be retiring as from Feb 23rd 2020, and we have asked Presbytery to form a Ministry Settlement Board. (MSB)  Session will appoint two people to this and the congregation will vote to appoint a further four. 

Session has decided not to instigate a special quarterly afternoon communion service for older members.

The decision by Managers to not insure the church buildings for natural disaster (eg earthquake and flood) was endorsed.  The costs of this are high and the excess would be approx. $140,000.  We will however insure to cover costs of demolition in the event of a large earthquake.

The AGM of the congregation will be held on Sunday 15^th September after worship.

Session has asked for ‘an event’ to look at and discuss the End of Life Choice Bill currently being processed by our Parliament.   A 20 page report prepared by the Doctrine Committee that was presented to the 2018 General Assembly is available in the foyer (more available on request).

We noted the call of the General Assembly 2018 to install bike racks.  

New Shelving in Foyer Storeroom…. We are very grateful to the Halswell Menzshed and to John Hinchey from the St Martins Menzshed for finding the MDF board and constructing the shelving in the foyer store.  Thanks to Keith for his input.

Concrete Paths….with another pour of concrete last Monday we are almost there with the concreting work around the church.  A fence with gates will be erected between the community room and the church.  A deck will be erected in the next few weeks outside the lounge.  Thank you to Cyril for the boxing, Keith and Rob for the fencing, David Hodder for organizing the concrete, and help from our neighbour Graham McNicholl in placing the concrete.

Court Theatre trip Thursday 19^th September 6.30pm to see “The Pink Hammer”, a Kiwi comedy. Money in a NAMED envelope to Sue Saunders please on or before Sunday 4^th August. Cost will be $49 & $37 for Community Services Card holders (please include a copy of each person’s card in in the envelope with the money). Names onto the clipboard in the foyer please.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. After the service please come through to the Lounge for a cuppa and a time to chat.

Wednesday Walkers 17^th July: Meet 9.45am cnr of Riverlaw Tce & Armstrong Ave for a walk in the St Martins area. Coffee at Fava Café  in Centaurus Rd. All welcome. Joan Scott  338 8700.

Session meets this Wednesday 17^th July 7.30pm in the church foyer.

Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for more information.

Winnie Bagoes Pizza Night Fundraiser for Opawa-St Martins Anglican Parish Sunday 28^th July 5.30pm. Tickets $30 adults, $15 children. See Anna in you’re interested.

Metro Cards now available at Beckenham Service Centre: Monday to Friday, 9am – 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 4pm. ID required for card purchase.

Meditation Group…About ten people are meeting each week to spend time in stillness (20 mins) with a small message of teaching.  We are slowly growing in our discipline of spend time each day in stillness and believe this time re-orientates us in God and in our true selves.  It is special to feel part of a warm welcoming group of very diverse people that are on a journey together.  What is even better is that we recognise meditation is good for us!  Tuesdays 7.00-7.45pm in the lounge.   New members are always welcome or speak with Jeanette and David, Keith, Janet, or Helen.

Men’s Group…Next gathering on Thursday 1^st August at 6.00pm when Warren Pettigrew will talk about some of the projects he’s been working on at Dynamic Controls.  Share the word with blokes you know.

Updated Parish Phone List now available. Please contact the Office if you would like a copy. This can be either e-mailed to you, or a paper copy provided.

South Elder Care comes home to to 43 St Martins Rd on Tuesday 23^rd July.

Practice the St Martins Plastic Pledge for July –

The St Martins Plastics Pledge:

1. I will responsibly recycle all I can, whenever I can.
2. I will regularly use multi-use bags when I go shopping.
3. I will try to reduce the use plastic bags and plastic trays used to     package food by using reusable containers.
4. I will use a re-usable mug and refuse plastic straws when I go to cafes, etc
5. I will try to buy unwrapped ‘loose’ locally grown vegetables/fruit whenever practical, rather than those wrapped in plastic or plastic nets.
6. I will tell others about my commitment to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics.

A Prayer for our Earth by Pope Francis*

All-powerful God,

you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned

and forgotten of this earth,

so precious in your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it,

that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense

of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

to be filled with awe and contemplation,

to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature

as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace?.

* Pope Francis published this prayer in his ‘Laudato Si’ encyclical