NOTICES:
A very warm welcome to all who worship here today. Please stay for a cuppa and conversation after the service.
Congregational meeting following worship TODAY to confirm terms of call for a new minister.
Foot Clinic TOMORROW 1-4pm in the Lounge. Talk to Judith for more information.
Wednesday Walkers 10th March: Meet 9.30am in Ashgrove Tce near the old footbridge. Coffee at Joan’s. All are welcome.
Next Sunday -an experiment to keep us connected with other sisters and brothers in Christ.
I want to let you know about an experiment that we’ll be running next Sunday.
Next Sunday (14 March) the congregation in St Andrews Takaka will be without a worship leader or preacher. We, here at St Martins will be providing both for them, via an advanced technique using Zoom to broadcast our service directly into the church at Takaka. Very little will be different for us here in Christchurch except that we might get one of their congregation to read the Bible passage and we might have their pianist lead us in singing “Now unto Him”. Apart from the backs of your heads showing, no one will appear on camera except me, the person leading the prayers and possibly the pianist, so you don’t need to worry about privacy issues. If you have any concerns about this please see me after the service this morning.
If we can bring these two congregations together and if this works, the advantages for us and for any under-resourced congregations throughout the Alpine Presbytery (anywhere on Planet Earth actually) are huge. I’m hoping we can demonstrate that with minimal investment in technology any congregation can provide leadership-in-worship to other faith communities who may not have the resources to provide leadership for themselves.
Last year during the great lockdown in April and May we learned how to provide a fully participatory worship experience for a scattered congregation and how to maintain the local community of faith in good heart. I’m hoping we can move quickly to offer this service to our own members here at St Martins – to those who can’t attend worship in person but could attend in person via Zoom if, for example, they were ill at home, in hospital, or away on holiday.
This experiment we plan to run next week takes this already proven ability to whole new level.
I’m very excited about it and if you have any questions about it please ask me. I’d be delighted to explain it further. .Don
CAN YOU HELP? Please consider donating Easter Eggs for Waltham Cottage. These can be dropped off in the basket in the foyer before 28th March. Thank you.
City2Surf Sunday 21 March – plan your route to church carefully – you may need to allow extra time!
What’s on This Week:
Monday 9.30am-12noon St Mark’s Elder Care. Therese 337 1225.
Monday 1-4pm Foot Clinic. Judith 332 1577.
Tuesday 10am – 2pm South Elder Care. Jeannette 332 9869.
Tuesday 7.15pm Christian Meditation Group. Contact Dugald 380 5024.
Wednesday 9.30am Walking Group: Ashgrove Tce. Joan 338 8700.
Wednesday 7.30pm Global Voices choir. Nick 027 2255142.
Thursday 10am – 12 noon NO Crafty Crafters. Bring along your own craft items or learn a new skill. $3 per session. Jeannette 332 9869.
Thursday 1.30pm Sit & Be Fit. Anneke 328 7459.
Thursday 5-7pm Familial Trust Mentor Group. Graeme 020 40923543.