NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to all who worship here today. Please stay for a cuppa and conversation after the service.

New Sunday Roster now available – please check to see if there is a copy for you.

Foot Clinic TOMORROW 1-4pm in the Lounge. Judith 332 1577.

Elder Care resumes this Tuesday in the Lounge. Jeannette 332 9869.

Wednesday Walkers: final informal walk – meet 9.30am on 27^th January in Stourbridge St. All are welcome. Contact Sonya 339 7038 for details.

Crafty Crafters Thursdays 10am-12 noon in the Lounge. Bring along a craft item to work on, or learn a new skill. Newcomers very welcome. Jeannette 332 9869.

Combined meeting Session & Board of Managers Thursday 28^th January 7.30pm in the Parish Lounge.

Garden Party at Merchiston, 75 St Martins Rd, Saturday 27^th February 2021 2-5pm. Tickets $10, $5 children. This is a fundraiser for the Anglican Parish of Opawa-St Martins. See Anna before 21/2 if you would like to attend.

Registrations for upcoming Presbytery Prayer Retreat are now open. We hope that this will be a space that will allow us to find consolation (deep peace) rather than desolation (fear and anxiety) and help us to build our spiritual resilience. 

The retreat will be led by Rev Heather Simpson and held at Raincliff Anglican Youth Camp (note the change of location) in South-Canterbury and will run from the 14th – 16th February. (From 7pm Sunday evening to approximately 11am on Tuesday morning.) The cost for the weekend is $75 which includes food and accommodation.

Heather is trained in spiritual direction by Spiritual Growth Ministries and has been leading spiritual direction for the past 3 years. There will be some opportunities for those attending to have a 30-45 minute one on one spiritual direction session with her.

Christmas & New Year 2020-21

A very warm welcome to all who worship here today. Please stay for a cuppa and conversation after our Sunday services.

Parish Office re-opens Thursday 21^st January 9am.

Wednesday Walkers: For details about informal walks over the summer, please contact Sonya 027 2533397.

Christian Meditation Group Resumes Tuesday 12^th January 2021 7.15pm. Contact Dugald 380 5024.

CHRISTMAS & JANUARY @ ST MARTINS

Christmas Eve Service 7.30pm Thursday 24^th December

Christmas Day Service 9.30am  Friday 25^th December

Sunday 27^th December & Sunday 3^rd January 10am ~ combined with our Beckenham Methodist friends HERE

Sunday 10^th & 17^th January 10am ~ combined worship at Beckenham Methodist Church, Malcolm Ave.

A very warm welcome to all who worship here today. Please stay for a cuppa and conversation after the service.

Wednesday Walkers: For details about informal walks over the summer, please contact Sonya 027 2533397.

Christian Meditation Group Tuesday 7.15pm last session for 2020 this week. Resumes 12^th January 2021. Contact Dugald 380 5024.

I will light candles

Candles of joy, despite all sadness,
Candles of hope where despair keeps watch.
Candles of courage for fears ever present,
Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days,
Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens,
Candles of love to inspire all my living,
Candles that will burn all the year long.

-Howard Thurman, The Mood of Christmas & Other Celebrations

CHRISTMAS & JANUARY @ ST MARTINS

Christmas Eve Service 7.30pm Thursday 24^th December

Christmas Day Service 9.30am  Friday 25^th December

Sunday 27^th December & Sunday 3^rd January 10am ~ combined with our Beckenham Methodist friends HERE

Sunday 10^th & 17^th January 10am ~ combined worship at Beckenham Methodist Church, Malcolm Ave.

A very warm welcome to all who worship here today. Please stay for a cuppa and the brief congregational meeting after the service to approve the foramtin of a Parish Council.

FOOT CLINIC tomorrow 1-4pm in the Parish Lounge.

Wednesday Walkers: For details about informal walks over the summer, please contact Sonya 027 2533397. This week, we will meet at South Library for a stroll, followed by coffee at Novel café.

What’s On This Week:

Monday 1-4pm Foot Clinic. Judith 332 1577.

Monday 6pm MenzShed meeting.

Tuesday 10am – 2pm South Elder Care. Jeannette 332 9869.

Tuesday 7.15pm Christian Meditation Group. Contact Dugald 380 5024.

Wednesday 9.30am Informal Walk South Library. Sonya 027 2533397.

Thursday 1.30 – 2.30pm Sit & Keep Fit. See Anneke for more information.

Thursday 5-7pm Familial Trust. Graeme 021 365 433.

THANK YOU to everyone who has donated gifts and baking for Waltham Cottage.

Community Carol Singing

Join the Stedfast Brass 6pm Friday 18^th December at Opawa Community Church, wet or fine cnr Aynsley Tce and Opawa Rd. Sausage sizzle and drinks for sale from 5.30pm

CHRISTMAS & JANUARY @ ST MARTINS

Christmas Eve Service 7.30pm Thursday 24^th December

Christmas Day Service 9.30am  Friday 25^th December

Sunday 27^th December & Sunday 3^rd January 10am ~ combined with our Beckenham Methodist friends HERE

Sunday 10^th & 17^th January 10am ~ combined worship at Beckenham Methodist Church, Malcolm Ave.

The Parish Office will close at 12 noon on Thursday 24^th December and re-open at 9am on Thursday 21^st January 2021.

Crafty Crafters has finished for the year. It will resume on Thursday 21^st January 2021.

A good news story from Joan Macdonald:

My grandson Mark Cox was awarded Dux of Ferndale School this week. This is the base school for many special needs children. Mark has been out at New Brighton for about three, maybe four years, mainly learning life skills. It is not an academic award but we were even prouder when it’s specifically noted by the Principal it’s for his positive attitude and kindness. Mark is 21. I am not sure what is planned for next year but hopeful that he will employed in some way. As a little toddler he came with me to church a number of times. He always made a beeline for David Carmichael’s knobs and buttons of his tape recorder when he used it up near the communion table, or stood on the steps dangling keys and jabbering away in his own lingo. Mark has also earned the Duke of Edinburgh gold medal. He is a lovely young man and we are very proud of his achievements.

Congratulations to Mark from everyone at St Martins – well done!

Some brief points from the Board of Manager’s meeting on Wednesday evening:

• There will be a fire evacuation drill at a service sometime in January. Are you aware of the quickest way out of the building from where you are right now??

• The lights in the lounge are to be replaced with brighter ones. This will lift the light level in the lounge to the same level as that in the church.

• Joan Macdonald reported on the parish finances.

• If you hear of anyone or any group looking for a meeting space please mention to them that we have spaces for hire.

• If you have an accident or fall of any sort within the church buildings or precincts please don’t forget to register it with Anna in the church office. This is a health and safety requirement and alerts us to any safety issues that might need to be fixed up. Incident Report forms are in the kitchen with the first aid kit.

• The Board agreed to ask the congregation to support a request to the Alpine Presbytery to allow us to set up a Parish Council in the place of the existing Session and Board of Managers.

A very warm welcome to all who worship here today. Please stay for a cuppa and the congregational meeting after the service.

ANOTHER VERY BRIEF CONGREGATIONAL MEETING will also be held next Sunday 13^th December to approve the formation of a Parish Council.

From the Session minutes 18^th November 2020: ‘That the Session approves the idea of moving to a Parish Council at St Martins and should the Board of Managers agree, that we take it to a congregation meeting…’

From the Council: There will be NO on-street parking available in St Martins Rd between 8^th – 12^th December due to road resurfacing works. Traffic management will be in place, with no vehicle entry possible from Burnbrae St. Clouston St will be closed.

Wednesday Walkers 9^th December: Meet 9.30am at the Bus Exchange to hunt for penguins throughout the city- contact Sonya 027 2533397 for details. Coffee will be at either Child Sister or Foundation Café at Turanga. All Welcome.

What’s On This Week:

Tuesday 10am – 2pm South Elder Care. Jeannette 332 9869.

Tuesday 7.15pm Christian Meditation Group. Contact Dugald 380 5024.

Wednesday 9.30am Walking Group: Penguin hunt. Sonya 027 2533397.

Wednesday 7.30pm BOM meeting & supper. Peter 332 1846.

Thursday 12noon Crafty Crafters End of Year Lunch. Jeannette 332 9869.

Thursday 1.30 – 2.30pm Sit & Keep Fit. See Anneke for more information.

Thursday 5-7pm Familial Trust. Graeme 021 365 433.

Pastoral Team meeting Monday 7^th December 9.30am in the foyer. Please keep us informed of any changes, special birthdays, illness, anniversaries. Lyndsey McKay 388 1264.

Earthing or Grounding: have a look at the website

https://heartmdinstitute.com/alternative-medicine/what-is-earthing-or-ground
ing/ to explore this or chat to Ken Austin.

Gifts for Waltham Cottage: We will be collecting these until 13^th December. Buy the sort of things you would buy for your own family – items MUST be NEW.

Donations of food welcome also very welcome – please bring these to Church next Sunday. Wrapping paper also appreciated.

CHRISTMAS & JANUARY @ ST MARTINS

Christmas Eve Service 7.30pm Thursday 24^th December

Christmas Day Service 9.30am  Friday 25^th December

Sunday 27^th December & Sunday 3^rd January 10am ~ combined with our Beckenham Methodist friends HERE

Sunday 10^th & 17^th January 10am ~ combinedworship at Beckenham Methodist Church, Malcolm Ave.

The Parish Office will close at 12 noon on Thursday 24^th December and re-open at 9am on Thursday 21^st January 2021.

Community Carol Singing

Join the Stedfast Brass 6pm Friday 18^th December

at Opawa Community Church, wet or fine

cnr Aynsley Tce and Opawa Rd

Sausage sizzle and drinks for sale from 5.30pm

The new duties roster for 2021 is now available – please make sure you pick up your copy.