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 talk. Many thanks to Rev Hugh Perry for leading our worship.
Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. New faces are always welcome. $3 per session. Contact Lyndsey 388 1264 for more information.
Help fill the Pantry at Waltham Cottage:
‘Thank you’ for a super bumper lot of groceries that was contributed last week. It certainly helped fill some of the space in the cupboard. With the colder weather and the need for warm nourishing food, Adrienne suggests the following: Baked beans, breakfast cereal, tinned stews, tinned tuna, soups, jams, biscuits, pasta and noodles along with chickpeas and tinned tomatoes. Everything you contribute is so gratefully received. Please keep it coming. Many thanks.
Irene Gray, Session Clerk.
Court Theatre trip Thursday 19th September 6.30pm to see “The Pink Hammer”, a Kiwi comedy. Expressions of interest to Sue Saunders 960 7657 please. Cost will be c$49 & discount available for Super Gold Card holders.
Bacon Fundraiser: Joanwill be picking up the bacon tomorrow. All money owing must be handed to her TODAY please.
Wednesday Walkers 29th May: Meet 9.30am at Elmwood Park in Heaton Street for a walk around the area. Coffee at McCafe in Merivale. All welcome. Judith Mackay 027 688 1861.
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 which usually meets on the last Tuesday evening of each month. We plan to meet at 7.30pm on Tuesday 28th May in the Church Lounge at 43 St Martins Rd. There will be some planning talk first before Joan and Joan tell us about their recent trip to Adelaide and Melbourne. Enquiries: Margaret ph 366 8936.
St Martins MenzShed based in the Community Building (Old SS Rooms at the back of our section). We will have an initial meeting MONDAY 27th MAY at 7.15pm to gauge interest in setting up a group to run a menzshed in this area and take the first steps to get this project moving. Please tell blokes of the neighbourhood about this initiative that will provide a meeting place for men, and we hope will be a place where women will be invited to learn practical skills.
Movie Nights are being planned for NEXT SATURDAY June 1st, then
July 6th, August 4th 5.45pm
at church – bring your takeaway tea (eg fish and chips) drinks provided,
movie starts at 6.15pm and finish at 8pm.
EcuAction…. The seminar this week was entitled Capitalism and Climate Change. Charles Drace claimed there appears to be a link between climate change and neo-liberal policies adopted by governments from the 1970’s onward with less government control and free market policies. Governments appear to be cautious about adopting policy that will reduce carbon emissions. Most western economies (and others) are dependent on fossil fuel extraction or animal farming which produces greenhouse gases, and we are locked into these systems for economic survival. There is however hope in the voices of our young people who are demanding change because they see more clearly the disastrous future that awaits the planet as we pay lip service to this issue.
Jim Consedine spoke from a faith perspective and drew our attention to modern prophet Thomas Berry who said: “The industrial economy is not sustainable. It is a failing system. It is closing down the planet in its most basic modes of functioning.” Jim reminded us that much of our thinking about economies fails to take into account natural processes and the gift of the earth and its resources. We need to consider human wellbeing and the wellbeing of the natural world alongside company profits. He also championed Pope Francis and his encyclicals, particularly Laudate Si (On the Care of our Common Home). Nature can not be regarded as something separate from ourselves, nor as a mere setting in which we live. Pope Francis encourages us to build an integrated ecology.
Next Thursday Kathleen Gallagher speaks
on Climate Change and Water. 5.30 -7.00pm
at Knox Church, Bealey Ave.
An evening with John Bell….Five of us from St Martins joined with others to sing with
John Bell and hear some of his wise insights into the importance of singing
which links us with God. John is a member of the Iona Community in
Scotland and believes singing is good for our souls. Too often we have
been told we can’t sing so we don’t. We often feel we have to hit the
right notes and do it well, when letting it flow from our hearts is what is
needed. Much of the singing we did together was without
accompaniment. The melodies were often quite simple, but we discovered
music unlocks places deep within.
Session Report:
Session noted with thanks the retirement of June Service as our morning tea coordinator….thanks June for organising and facilitating this ministry!
A 24 page report from General Assembly concerning Euthanasia is available. If you would like a copy please contact Dugald or the office.
We thanked the St Mark’s/St Anne’s Anglican Parish and Beckenham Methodist Church for their generous gifts to celebrate our return to the church.
Conditions of use contracts have been drawn up for hiring the church complex. The Session also approved an alcohol policy.
We expect we still have a final bill to pay of approx. $36,000 to the contractors and can report we have money in hand to pay this.
We are slowly building up usage of the complex with regular users now being Sit and Keep Fit, Craft group, Foot Clinic, and a decision by South Elder care to return to the complex when it is secure with fencing.
A newcomers form has been drawn up and placed in the foyer which we invite newcomers to fill in. This will give us information to prepare a nametag and facilitate delivery of a newsletter. We have asked Heather Crew, Janet Dunn, Ken Austin, and Jill Grierson to be people who welcome newcomers, but of course this is something we all need to work at.
David Beaumont has retired from leading services at Archer Home. Thank you David for your ministry there.
Dugald will receive the gold card in August this year and is looking to retire early in 2020. The Presbytery will be approached with a view to setting up a ministry settlement board.
Session will appoint a Child Safety Protection Officer by 1 August.
A proposal to hold a regular afternoon communion service especially for seniors is being examined to see if there would be sufficent interest.
St
Martins
Meditation Group…. We plan to initiate a group that would learn
and practice mediation together. We will have an initial planning meeting for
those interested on Tuesday June 11th at 7.00pm.