Category Archives: News

Notices for 8th May 2011

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A very warm welcome to you all as you worship with us this morning. Please stay for a cup of tea or coffee after the service.

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who helped make our Monster Garage Sale yesterday such a success!

PASTORAL ASSISTANCE: If you require assistance from May to July, please phone 332 6192 and follow the directions of the message. Arrangements for all services (including funerals) are in place. Please speak to Bruce Hudson if you have any concerns.

EASTSIDE PARTY IN THE PARK – Christchurch Presbytery invites you to a family fun day TODAY [Sunday 8th] 2.00-3.30pm at Bromley Park, Buckleys Rd, Linwood. The aim of the event is to have some fun, show our support to the east side parishes, and help build some community connection going into winter. If wet, the event will be postponed to next Sunday. All Welcome.

CUPPA & CHAT Due to recent seismic activity it is important that we keep the “cuppa and chat” operational every Tuesday and Wednesday 10am to 12 noon. If you are able to help staff this service please contact Audrey 337 3846 or Aubrey 930 2525, or add your name to the list in the foyer. Thank you.

Christchurch APW will meet on Wednesday 11th May at 9.45am at St Martins Presbyterian Church. The speaker for the morning will be Liz Whalley from Habitat for Humanity. There will be a Sales Table and everyone is welcome.

WEDNESDAY WALKERS 11th May: Meet South Library 9.30am under verandah to walk near the river and perhaps still be able to enjoy autumn colours. Coffee at Red 10.30am.  All are welcome to join us for the walk and/or coffee. If wet, we will meet for coffee only! Margaret 366 8936.

CRAFTY CRAFTERS Thursdays in the Lounge from 10am until 12 noon.  For details, please contact Beverley 942 7821.

MEN’S GROUP start the year on Thursday 12th May at 6pm in the Church Lounge. Meet for a shared tea; Martin Cleland will be the speaker for the evening. All men welcome. We finish at approx. 7.30pm. For more details, contact Tony 332 0554.

FOOTCARE CLINIC: Next Session Thursday 26th May 1-4pm in the church lounge. Please book through the Parish Office. The clinic runs every six weeks. Lyndsey 388 1264.

LENTEN GIFTS may be returned on any Sunday in May. Please remember to name your container if you require a receipt.

Christian World Service thanks St Martin’s Parish for our donation of $474.90 to the Christmas Gift Appeal 2010. Others also made donations through the parish – making a total of $1034.90.

Cholmondeley Children’s Home was extensively damaged in February’s earthquake, and they are currently operating out of a rented facility at Living Springs. Please read the latest newsletter on the noticeboard in the lounge for up to date information.

Hoon Hay Presbyterian Church, 5 Downing Street,  presents their May Music Recital on Sunday 29th May 2011 at 2pm. Two hours of music and song followed by afternoon tea. Tickets $10 adults, $5 children available from their church office 338 8901.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS:
Wednesday & Thursday 9.00am-12 noon and
Friday 9.00-11.00am

Notices for 10th April 2011

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The order of service is now listed in the calendar and upcoming events.

NOTICES
A very warm welcome to you all as you worship with us this morning. Please stay for a cup of tea or coffee after the service.

WEDNESDAY WALKERS: 13th April Cracroft/Hoon Hay walk. Carpool at church 9.15am or meet in Worsleys Rd near Cashmere Rd end 9.30am . Coffee at Saddlebacks Café. June 332 8874.

FAIR COMMITTEE meeting & circular roll-up Wednesday 13th April 7.30pm in the Lounge. Helpers for this night are all welcome. Allison.

WANTED: Volunteers to read on Good Friday – two men & two women please; also three men to read on Palm Sunday 17th April. Please sign the list in the foyer. Chris.

CHRISTCHURCH APW meets Wednesday 13th April 9.45am at St Martin’s. The speaker will be Liz Henderson from Pregnancy Help, and this will be followed by a Members’ Forum. There will be a Sales Table. All Welcome.

FOOTCARE CLINIC begins on Thursday 14th April 1-4pm in the church lounge. The clinic runs every six weeks. Please book through the Parish Office 332 6192. If you can help, please contact Lyndsey  388 1264.

CRAFTY CRAFTERS Thursdays in the Lounge from 10am until 12 noon. For details, please contact Beverley 332 7786.

Glenelg Health Camp has been red-stickered. They are currently operating from Pages Rd marae, but no groups are running at the moment. They will be in touch with us when they require assistance again. Many thanks to those who volunteered earlier this term.

To help plan pastoral coverage while Chris is away (and so we don’t worry too much about you!), if you’re going away for an extended period please sign the list in the foyer TODAY, giving us the dates. This would be most helpful. Joan Scott, Pastoral Convenor.

Come to the Cross Halswell Quarry Good Friday until Easter Monday. See noticeboard in the Lounge for details.

LENTEN GIFTS 2011: Fifth Week from April 10
50 cents    for each Super 15 Rugby, or Netball match you watch.
20 cents    for each book you read this week, or start to read!
10 cents    Men:         for each power tool you own.
Women:    for each recipe book you own.
Remember – this is voluntary and designed to be a bit of fun!

The story of Lent
is the story of Jesus
and he invites us
to become part of his story
Mike Ashburner

Notices for 3rd April 2011

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This week’s order of service is now available from the calendar or under “Upcoming Events” (or click directly here).

Notices follow:

The telephone in the Office is now working again!

OPEN CHURCH: for the Church to be open this week (Mon-Wed 10-12 only) we need volunteers – please sign the list in the foyer if you can help.

NEW READERS’ ROSTER is now available – please take your copy TODAY. Many thanks to everyone who volunteered!! Anna.

WEDNESDAY WALKERS: Meet at St Anne’s Church in Wilsons Rd on 6th April at 9.30am for a walk around St Martins. Coffee at Fava. Allison 332 0554.

FOOTCARE CLINIC begins on Thursday 14th April 1-4pm in the church lounge. The clinic runs every six weeks. Please book through the Parish Office 332 6192.  Details are on the poster in the lounge. We would like to hear from anyone who would like to assist with this. Lyndsey 388 1264.

CRAFTY CRAFTERS is now underway on Thursdays in the Lounge from 10am until 12 noon. For details, please contact Beverley 332 7786.

To help plan pastoral coverage while Chris is away (and so we don’t worry too much about you!), if you’re going away for an extended period please sign the list in the foyer, giving us the dates. This would be most helpful. Joan Scott, Pastoral Convenor.

“Pathways” Home Group –  for the next few months, we will meet on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 10am – 11.30am. If the time suits, and you would like to join us on 9th April, there is still room. Phone Peggy 981 5735 for details.

Parish letter from Chris

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Dear Friends

First and foremost my warmest greetings to you all, as you and your families support one another and, where possible, continue the clean-up. Our thoughts and prayers are with our people who have badly damaged or destroyed homes, and with those who know people who died in the earthquake. In such circumstances it is hard to achieve any sense of normality when one is grieving and displaced from home and normal routines.

A small group of us have endeavoured to make contact with everyone in the parish. If we haven’t managed to reach you, please let us know you are safe, and where you are. Please don’t hesitate to make contact if you need any assistance.

Today our church buildings have been inspected. The engineer advises that we may use the church and hall. There will be a Sunday service on 6th March at 10.30am, rather than 10.00am – allowing people extra time for travel. However the service will not include Communion.

It is our intention to have the church and lounge open on week days from 10am – 2.00pm over the next fortnight (beginning Monday 7th March) to enable people to drop in to talk and have a cup of tea or coffee. Offers of help to staff this will be gratefully received. The office will not be back to normal until Wednesday 16th March. At present the church telephone is also out of order.

At the combined open air service last Sunday we were reminded that God is with us in all circumstances of life, wherever we are. With faith may we hold fast to that belief and to the hope of a new day in Christchurch.

The final verse of a poem I used last Sunday reads:

To meet the challenge
the human spirit
has risen phoenix-like from the rubble.
We still weep through this dark night,
but we also know
in a believing-against-all-the-odds kind of knowing
in an Easter-Day-after-Friday’s-darkness kind of knowing
that some morning,
the joy of life will return.

May God’s peace be with you and with your loved ones.

Chris

February 22nd Earthquake

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Excerpted from Chris Elliot’s email of 26th February:

“Good morning to you all and warmest greetings.

By now most of you will have heard from someone in the parish.  Telephones have remained fickle at times, and in some areas, so  if you receive this and have not been talking with us would you please let us know you are OK, and also if you need any assistance.  It is a time when people need the support of one another and to not feel alone.

[…]  A group of us have had a preliminary inspection but the buildings need to be checked by a professional before church or hall can be used.  There are no entry notices on all doors. Some subsidence at the rear around the prefab and old Bible Class building are also a hazard.

A combined service with Beckenham Methodist was held this morning on the lawn of Christchurch South Library. This was reported on in part of an article New Zealanders pay respects to quake victims.