A very warm welcome to all who worship with us today. Please stay for a cuppa. Many thanks to Rev Hugh Perry for leading today’s service.

Sue has jams, chutneys & relishes for sale today (most $4).

Foot Clinic TOMORROW 1-4pm at Beckenham Methodist Lounge. Lyndsey McKay 388 1264.

Wednesday Walkers: 13^th March  – will car pool at 9.30am to drive to West Belt, near Community Centre, Lincoln to complete the historic walk we weren’t able to do in December and go back to the Flaming Rabbitfor $8 Coffee and muffin deal or early lunch if you wish.  Sonya 027 253 3397.

Building Access: Anyone needing access to the church will need to obtain the keypad number from the office, and sign the confidentiality statement.  This enables us to keep an accurate list of those who know the number. Please return all old keys to the Office.

The Urgent Pharmacy in Bealey Ave has now closed. For a pharmacy that’s open weekends and public holidays, go to Unichem or Life in the malls.

Crafty Crafters’ Bus Trip to Geraldine 21^st  March: There are 4 more seats available. Please pay $30to Lyndsey before Thursday 14^th at the latest. We will leave from the church at 9am. Lyndsey McKay 388 1264.

Crafty Crafters: Thursdays 10am-12 noon at 43 St Martins Rd. New faces are always welcome. Bring along an unfinished craft item, or learn a new skill. Cost $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264 for more information.

Garage Sale at St Anne’s Anglican Church, Saturday   30^th March 8.30am – 12.30pm.

East Side Multicultural Games Avebury House Sat 23 March 1-3pm

Crossway Community Church, North Avon Baptist and Delta Community Support trust are working together to present this community event.

The games range from relaxing yet stimulating board games such as Mahjong where you can sit, chat and learn to the more physically challenging Kana Mutti. Not only are there fun games for families but there are also games suitable for a wider range of ages. There will be all of this and more with a taste of ethnic food.

With a vibrant multicultural community we want to connect different ethnicities together to bring fun games for the whole community. Nationalities involved in running the East Side Multicultural Games are Sri Lankan, Filipino, Korean, Dutch, Tongan, the Shetlands, and Taiwan with more ethnicities to come.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to all who worship with us today. Please stay for a cuppa. Many thanks to Rev Nancy-Jean Whitehead for leading today’s service.

Sue has jams, chutneys & relishes for sale today and next Sunday (most $4).

From Rev Canon Ben Truman: You are warmly invited to join us as we observe Ash Wednesday 6^th March, 10am at St Mark’s Lounge, 101 Opawa Rd or 7.30pm at St Anne’s Anglican Church, 7 Wilsons Rd. All are welcome.

Dugald is on leave until 12^th March. If you have need of a minister, please contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264. Next Sunday’s worship will be led by Rev Hugh Perry.

Wednesday Walkers: 6^th March Meet 9.30am on cnr Ferniehurst St & Ashgrove Tce. Coffee at Gerard’s 339 6242. All welcome. Sonya 0272533397.

PARISH BREAKFAST Sunday 17^th March 8.45am, brought to you by Session. Wear green for St Patrick’s Day! Koha appreciated.

Building Access: Anyone needing access to the church will need to obtain the keypad number from the office, and sign the confidentiality statement.  This enables us to keep an accurate list of those who know the number. Please return all old keys to the Office.

The Urgent Pharmacy in Bealey Ave has now closed. For a pharmacy that’s open weekends and public holidays, go to Unichem or Life in the malls.

Crafty Crafters’ Bus Trip to Geraldine 21^st  March: There are 5 more seats available. Please pay $30to Lyndsey as soon as possible. We will leave from the church at 9am. Lyndsey McKay 388 1264.

From recent Board of Managers’ meeting:

*Members felt that the church foyer was a good size for the meeting and after opening the windows, cool air circulated.

*A contractual cleaner is required and, in the meantime, Sue will clean once a week to assess time needed and the job description.

*Fireside will set up the kitchen at this month’s meeting.

*New seats have arrived but without arms to save costs. Cyril is sanding and cleaning some of the older chairs.

*Bike stands are being built.

*The old concrete paths need to be broken up and it was agreedthatthe concrete work would be undertaken by church members.

*All rental properties must meet new insulation standards by 1 July 2019 so we must obtain quotes for the manse to bring it up to standard.

*New advertising signage was agreed for the front of the church using the current triangular framework.

*Health and Safety and usage signs are to be erected to ensure users are safe and leave the premises tidy.

East Side Multicultural Games Avebury House Lawn March 23^rd 1-3pm:

Crossway Community Church, North Avon Baptist and Delta Community Support trust are working together to present this community event.

The games range from relaxing yet stimulating board games such as Mahjong where you can sit, chat and learn to the more physically challenging Kana Mutti. Not only are there fun games for families but there are also games suitable for a wider range of ages. There will be all of this and more with a taste of ethnic food.

With a vibrant multicultural community we want to connect different ethnicities together to bring fun games for the whole community. Nationalities involved in running the East Side Multicultural Games are Sri Lankan, Filipino, Korean, Dutch, Tongan, the Shetlands, and Taiwan with more ethnicities to come.

“For God so loved the world” 

Creation in Worship: Forum, worship and dinner; Sharing worship resources, music and song, prayer and poetry. 

Monday 4^th  March, 6.30pm, at The Village Church in Bryndwr, 365A Ilam Road, Christchurch
 A forum on enriching our worship with our concern for our world—a practical and inspiring time sharing in prayer, music, poetry that you can take to your own churches to help people engage creatively with the environment & faith. Heaps of free resources! “Leading God’s people to God’s heart for the whole world”

An event of A Rocha Christchurch. All welcome

Please bring a couple of songs or prayers or poems to share. Bring food to share for pot-luck meal and a koha ($5-ish).

No need to register. For more info contact: Silvia Purdie: 027 242 1113, or email: christchurch@arocha.org

Building Update: We are very nearly there. As of Friday, the tiler was finishing work in the kitchen. Thanks to the Fireside ladies for sorting the kitchen – and checking the oven works! The piano tuner is coming on Thursday. There are still some outside jobs to be done.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to all who worship with us today. Please stay for a cuppa. Many thanks to Rev Hugh Perry for leading today’s service.

Fireside will meet in the Church, 43 St Martins Rd on Tuesday 26^th February at 7.30pm. We plan to move all the equipment back into the new kitchen and put it into cupboards and drawers, so please bring a couple of tea towels and wear oldish clothes. We will also be bringing the new chairs out of the garage and removing the plastic wrapping off them, so a duster might come in handy as well! It could be a slightly dirty evening but will be good to catch up at the beginning of the year. Allison.

Minister’s holidays…. Dugald is on leave until 12^th March. If you have need of a minister, please contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264.

Next Sunday’s worship will be led by Rev Nancy Jean Whitehead.

Wednesday Walkers: 27^th February. Meet 9.30am outside Under The Red Verandah Café, 502 Worcester St, (cnr Tancred St) for a walk around Avonside. Coffee will be at the Café.  All welcome. Judith 332 1577, or 027 688 1861.

Cleaner: Shortly we will need to appoint a cleaner for the church. If you know of someone please talk with one of the Managers.

Preparing for Entry: We now have keypad entry points to the church. Old keys will not work, and anyone needing access to the church will need to get the keypad number from the office.  Because this number needs to be kept confidential you are asked to sign a confidentiality statement.  This means we can keep an accurate list of those who know the number.

Please return all old keys to the Office.

Crafty Crafters: Thursdays 10am-12 noon at 43 St Martins Rd. New faces are always welcome. Bring along an unfinished craft item, or learn a new skill. Cost $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264 for more information.

Crafty Crafters Bus Trip to Geraldine Thursday 21^st March 9am. Please pay $30 to Lyndsey McKay by 3^rd March. Thank You.

From Board of Managers’ meeting held last Wednesday:

*Members felt that the church foyer was a good size for the meeting and after opening the windows, cool air circulated.

*A contractual cleaner is required and, in the meantime, Sue will clean once a week to assess time needed and the job description.

*Fireside will set up the kitchen at this month’s meeting.

*New seats have arrived but without arms to save costs. Cyril is sanding and cleaning some of the older chairs.

*Bike stands are being built.

*The old concrete paths need to be broken up and it was agreedthatthe concrete work would be undertaken by church members.

*All rental properties must meet new insulation standards by 1 July 2019 so we must obtain quotes for the manse to bring it up to standard.

*New advertising signage was agreed for the front of the church using the current triangular framework.

*Health and Safety and usage signs are to be erected to ensure users are safe and leave the premises tidy.

World Day of Prayer Friday 1^st March 7.30pm

at Salvation Army, Southampton Street. Everyone iswelcome to attend this ecumenical service.

Jams, Chutneys & Relishes for Sale (most $4):

Tomato sauce, tomato relish, redcurrant & onion relish, plum & apple chutney; peach jelly, redcurrant jelly; Jams: hawea plum, greengage, raspberry, apricot, rhubarb & pineapple; Marmalades: lemon, orange & whisky, grapefruit, lemon & orange; $5: grapefruit, grapefruit & ginger.

If you have a favourite, place an order with Sue Saunders next Sunday 24^th Feb – available to purchase 3^rd & 10^th March.  Cash sales only!

‘It’s Hot! Welcome to the Anthropocene’. Friday March 8th, 7.00-9.30pm, St Ninian’s, 5 Puriri St, Riccarton.

The Rev Dr Clive Pearson will present two lectures exploring the age of humans, i.e. the Anthropocene—an age which signifies the extent to which the human species has affected the planetary Earth systems. First session 7-8pm then half hour break for questions and break. Second session, ‘Believing the Anthropocene’ 8.30-9.20pm.

While our Church Building is Repaired we are meeting each Sunday at The Mineral & Lapidary Club 110 Waltham Rd (next to Waltham School) at 10am.

We would love to have the opportunity to welcome you.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to all who worship with us today. Please stay for a cuppa after the service.

Please Note: The Office telephone is still not working, but the e-mail is up and running. If you need to contact the Office urgently and do not have online access, Anna’s cellphone is : 0274332687

Minister’s holidays…. Dugald will is on leave for three weeks. If you have need of a minister, please contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264.

Next Sunday’s worship will be led by Rev Hugh Perry.

Sound Operators: We are hoping Shipley’s will give a run down on the new sound system tomorrow (Monday) possibly at 9am.

Articles are now required for the next ‘Messenger’. The deadline is Friday 22^nd February. Email: anneke.howie@gmail.com

Wednesday Walkers: 20^th February. Meet 9.30am in Hawford Rd at Opawa Mall side entrance for a walk around the Opawa area followed by coffee at Opawa Café. All welcome.  Joan Scott 021 144 2406.

Board of Managers meeting this Wednesday 20^th February 7.30pm in the church foyer.

Cleaner: Shortly we will need to appoint a cleaner to clean the church. If you know of a goodlocal person please talk with one of the Managers.

Preparing for Entry: We now have keypad entry points to the church. Old keys will not work, and anyone needing access to the church will need to get the keypad number from the office.  Because this number needs to be kept confidential you are asked to sign a confidentiality statement.  This means we can keep an accurate list of those who know the number.

Please return all old keys to the Office.

Crafty Crafters: Thursdays 10am-12 noon at 43 St Martins Rd. New faces are always welcome. Bring along an unfinished craft item, or learn a new skill. Cost $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264 for more information.

Crafty Crafters Bus Trip to Geraldine Thursday 21^st March. Members of the congregation are invited to join us for a day out. Expressions of interest to Lyndsey McKay please. The cost will depend on the number of people who come.

Jams, Chutneys & Relishes for Sale (most $4):

Tomato relish, redcurrant & onion relish, plum & apple chutney; peach jelly, redcurrant jelly; Jams: hawea plum, greengage, raspberry, apricot, rhubarb & pineapple; Marmalades: lemon, orange & whisky, grapefruit, lemon & orange; $5: grapefruit, grapefruit & ginger.

If you have a favourite, place an order with Sue Saunders next Sunday 24^th Feb – available to purchase 3^rd & 10^th March.  Cash sales only!

‘It’s Hot! Welcome to the Anthropocene’. Friday March 8th, 7.00-9.30pm, St Ninian’s, 5 Puriri St, Riccarton.

The Rev Dr Clive Pearson will present two lectures exploring the age of humans, i.e. the Anthropocene—an age which signifies the extent to which the human species has affected the planetary Earth systems. First session 7-8pm then half hour break for questions and break. Second session, ‘Believing the Anthropocene’ 8.30-9.20pm.

Town Hall Open Days

Saturday 23 February and Sunday 24 February, 12 noon – 6 pm, 86 – 95 Kilmore Street. The mayor will officially re-open the Town Hall at noon on 23 February, and people will be able to tour the Douglas Lilburn auditorium, the Avon Room that was Boaters Restaurant, and the Victoria and Limes Rooms. The James Hay Theatre will re-open in April, and August is the completion date for all restoration work.

From Barry Ayres, Executive Officer, Alpine Presbytery on Tasman District Fires

For the past week we have been monitoring the crisis in the Tasman area with the ongoing fires. We are keeping in touch with the churches in that area in case there are needs that we can help with.

 
Could I please remind you to: (and you will most likely already be doing this!) 
* keep the people in the Tasman area in your churches’ prayers – this is a very anxious situation for all concerned and a demanding time for all the emergency workers who are obviously doing a fantastic job in very demanding conditions;

 
* with the imminent plan to place restrictions on the use of water in the district there will no doubt be added pressure to local business and rural sectors;

 
* consider how your church could provide appropriate help  – I have had an inquiry or two and some have asked about sending food, etc. Our experience shows that in the main the best practical support is finance. Local people can then turn that into food or whatever may best help them. A good principle before sending any help is to ask what is most needed. The people at the scene will know best.

 
Donations can be made to the Tasman District Mayoral Relief Fund or to Alpine Presbytery and we will pass those donations on for you. The Alpine bank account is 06 0197 0399931 00 (please indicate whom the donation is from so that we can receipt you)

 

We continue to pray for the people of the Tasman region and indeed people in many parts of NZ as the fire-risk increases this summer.

While our Church Building is Repaired we are meeting each Sunday at The Mineral & Lapidary Club 110 Waltham Rd (next to Waltham School) at 10am.

We would love to have the opportunity to welcome you.

Sunday 3^rd February 2019

A very warm welcome to all who worship with us today. Please stay for a cuppa after the service.

Building Update: The carpark is finally sealed but the City Council is demanding we increase the size of the stormwater outlet to the street. This should not delay compliance but will take a couple of weeks to sort. Exterior painting is now complete, and inside there are a number of small jobs being completed. The building team will be back this week to install the kitchen roller door, out up organ speakers, and do the final tidy up. The practical completion inspection is scheduled for the end of this week (this is the architect’s final inspection).

Shifting organ and other items back into the church – we need a good team of blokes to shift the organ back into the church. Could we try for this Wednesday at 4pm? See Dugald if you can help.

The Parish Office will be closed on Wednesday 6^th February (Waitangi Day).

We are now on Facebook – what we need is for everyone to visit the St Martins Presbyterian Community Church page and “like” it. If you don’t know how to do this, ask your grandchildren!

Foot Clinic will now resume on Monday 11^th February 1-4pm at Beckenham Methodist Church lounge. Contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264 for further details.

Articles are now required for the next ‘Messenger’. The deadline is Friday 22^nd February.  Email: anneke.howie@gmail.com

Wednesday Walkers: 6^th February Due to Waitangi Day we will meet at Hodder’s 408B Barrington Street at 9.30am along most shaded parts of the cycleways in Spreydon/Addington.  Coffee at Hodder’s where there is no surcharge but donations to Church funds welcome!!

Crafty Crafters: Thursdays 10am-12 noon at 43 St Martins Rd. New faces are always welcome. Bring along an unfinished craft item, or learn a new skill. Cost $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey McKay 388 1264 for more information.

‘It’s Hot! Welcome to the Anthropocene’. Friday March 8th, 7.00-9.30pm, St Ninian’s, 5 Puriri St, Riccarton.

The Rev Dr Clive Pearson will present two lectures exploring the age of humans, i.e. the Anthropocene—an age which signifies the extent to which the human species has affected the planetary Earth systems. First session 7-8pm then half hour break for questions and break. Second session, ‘Believing the Anthropocene’ 8.30-9.20pm.

Good News…. the Presbytery has allocated $32,000 from capital in the St David’s Trust and $18,000 to wind up the Agnes Dick Estate to help meet cost over-runs on our building project.  This is a very generous and helpful gesture for which we are very thankful.

You’re invited to a Presbytery Picnic: Bring along the family and a picnic and join us at the Groynes (entry off Johns Rd) TODAY from 11.30am. All welcome.

Session Notes….from meeting on January 23^rd

Financial Matters…. Some members of Session met with representatives of the Presbytery concerning our immediate shortfall of $50,000 to complete the building.  We presented a report of what has happened with cost over runs and the Presbytery representatives have indicated strong support.  We are progressing some avenues which may meet the shortfall in full. We have indicated to the Presbytery that with loss of income from capital savings our ongoing financial situation is finely balanced.

We have asked the Presbytery to approve reducing the housing allowance paid to our minister from a full allowance to 2/3rds to help balance our books.

Ministry Review….A review of Dugald’s ministry has been conducted by the presbytery and has affirmed his work.  Some goals have been set to guide the next 15 months as Dugald transitions into retirement.  These include: completing the transition back into the church, increasing interaction with the community and the community usage of the church complex,  initiating a meditation group, developing the governance and visioning role of the Session, encouraging hospitality and conversation.

Parish Breakfasts…we will continue to hold these every two months with groups responsible as follows: Mar 17^th Session, May 12^th Men’s Group, July 7^th Fireside, Sept 15^th Walking Group, Nov 3^rd Worship.

Gathering Events… we are looking at possible gathering events once we are back into the church complex….winter movie evenings (tea and movie), weekly morning tea with a focus on the sermon from the previous week,  flag 500 evening, board game evening…. It may be that you have a bright idea or an event you would help organise.  Talk to a Session member!