NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning.

Many thanks to members of the Walking Group for hosting this morning’s delicious breakfast!

Our AGM follows the service and we will have a cuppa together after the meeting is concluded. As part of the meeting we will seek nominations to the Board of Managers.  Ideally two new Managers are sought.  We are particularly in need of someone with financial experience and planning, and someone with some marketing skills to promote our activities.  

We also will receive nominations for four congregational appointments to Ministry Settlement Board.  People selected for this role will be expected to formulate a clear picture of where we are going, what sort of ministry is needed, and to choose a suitable person to fulfil the role they have discerned.  The Session will also elect two of their members to the MSB. 

What is happening to our old organ? Warren Pettigrew has spent hours working to repair our old valve organ but has had to admit defeat. It is no longer repairable so will be broken down for parts. We have a very generous offer to loan a newer organ (ex St James), and we hope to have this in place at the beginning of October.

Annual Reports are available in the foyer – share one with a friend and save costs.

Community Spring Fun Day TODAY 12 noon – 3pm at Opawa Baptist Church, 285 Wilsons Rd. Cash only (no eftpos). Everyone is welcome.

Singing, Singing, Singing….

For September and October we are trialling a new group at church to sing together and learn four new songs.   On the first and third Sundays of the month at 9.15 sharp – 9.45am we will gather around the piano in the church and learn a new song and if time permits sing a known song that we will sing that Sunday. This Sunday we have learned “In the Darkness of the Still Night”. In two weeks’ time we will learn local hymn writer Marnie Barrell’s song “We Do Not Hope to Ease our Minds”.

Session meets this Wednesday 18^th September in the church foyer at 7.30pm.

Crafty Crafters: Meets on Thursdays in the Church lounge 10am-12noon. $3 per session.

The Crafty Crafters invite anyone interested to join them on a bus trip to Little River, Leeston & Lincoln on Thursday 31^st October 9.30am-4.30pm. $25 per person – see Lyndsey to sign up.

Wednesday Walkers 18^th Sept: In Search of Blossoms. Meet 9.30am in the Botanic Gardens Car Park off Armagh Street in the first area near the tennis courts. Rob and Barb Meier will host us for Coffee at 5 Kilmore Street.  Sonya 027 253 3397. We had a very interesting walk last week at QEII – and, no, Benjamin, car-pooling doesn’t mean we all went for a swim!

Meditation Group: Tuesdays 7.00-7.45pm in the church lounge each week. You’re welcome to ‘come and try’.

This is the classroom we plan to move onto our church site.  We are able to obtain the building and get it delivered for no charge, but in order to get a council consent we have to get reports from a fire engineer, and provide details of the site and the piles it will sit on.  We believe these costs will mount to approx $20,000.  The Menzshed will undertake any work needed on the building to ensure it is weatherproof, and meets the requirements detailed by the fire engineer.It will be sited approx. 3m from the boundary fence so we can get a car and trailer past it.

Alpine Presbytery Gathering: Instead of monthly business meetings the Alpine Presbytery meets twice annually for inspiration and encouragement. These meetings are called ‘Gatherings’. The next Gathering will be at St Paul’s Trinity Pacific new hall, 45 Fitzgerald Ave on Friday afternoon 27^th & Saturday 28^th September. Anyone is welcome to attend. This Gathering has a focus on Caring for God’s Creation, with a number of speakers on the Saturday speaking on this theme. An agenda is available from Dugald.

St Martins MenzShed meets tomorrow night in our lounge for a finger food tea at 5.30pm followed by a short meeting to update members on what is happening.

It is now an Incorporated Society with a membership fee of $40, and t has completed its first community project – repairing and painting two forms for St Martins School. They will have a working bee on site next Saturday. Donations of tools and materials gratefully received.