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 talk.
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.
Men’s Group will meet on Thursday 6th June at 6pm in the Church Lounge for a shared tea and chat time. The speaker for the evening will be David Hodder talking about Predator Control.
All men welcome and we look forward to seeing you there. Contact Tony 332 0554 if you have any queries.
MenzShed at St Martins is underway…. 35 blokes gathered last Monday and enthusiastically endorsed the setting up of a St Martins MenzShed. A small steering team has been formed. We’ll meet again on Monday July 1st at 7.15pm to talk further.
Help fill the Pantry at Waltham Cottage: 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.
Wednesday Walkers 5th June: Meet 9.45am at the church.
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.
Next Movie Nights are SaturdayJuly 6th (when we’ll show the adult movie “Green Book”), & then August 4th 5.45pm at church – bring your takeaway tea (eg fish and chips) drinks provided. Movie starts at 6.15pm and finishes at 8pm.
Irene
would like to thank you all for the love, prayers & support she has
received following her accident.
Christian Meditation – a new group
Jesus often withdrew to places of stillness and solitude to re-orientate his life in God. Early Christians practiced mediation. Today this practice has often been ignored, yet passages like “be still and know that I am God” attract us. Spiritual teacher of our time Fr Thomas Keating said “silence is God’s language”. A new group is starting with the aim of learning and practicing the art of Christian Meditation.
Christian Meditation is based on: stillness, silence and simplicity. The aim is to move closer to union with God by sitting quietly. To aid us in being still we are invited to repeat in silence the word “Maranatha” which means “come Lord”. We come in simplicity, not asking for anything, or seeking to tell God anything, just wanting to be open to God. We are leaving busyness and self-consciousness aside to let God transform us deep to deep. We’re not thinking about anything, spiritual or otherwise, just seeking to be in the presence of God and to be wholly present to God. Those who persevere will inevitably see the results in their lives, “the fruits of the spirit” (Galatians 5): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Meditation does need to be regular, and it does require discipline.
The new group will meet for the first time at St Martins Presbyterian Church, 43 St Martins Road, on Tuesday June 11th at 7pm. If you are interested come and see. The group is not for experts, but for people interested in exploring a form of prayer that is much needed in our time. Our aim is to meet weekly for those who can make it, but to also encourage a daily personal practice of mediation.
For
more information make contact with Dugald at dugaldwil@gmail.com or go to www.christianmeditationnz.org.nz &/or www.wccm.org
Weekly Peace Bell Meditation
Do you want a more loving and peaceful society?
Do you want a safer and more caring community?
Do you want acceptance and celebration of diversity, not hatred and violence?
There are many ways.
Come and pray/send positive intentions every Friday
for a more peaceful, caring and safe Christchurch.
If you are available for this type of group action join us in spirit or in actuality for 10 minutes focussed silence at 7.45am every Friday in Hagley Park at the Peace Bell (Botanic Gardens) in solidarity with our Muslim community.