A very warm welcome to you all this morning. Please come through to the Lounge after the service for a cuppa and a time to talk.

Meditation Group: Every Tuesday a group meets here from 7.00-7.45pm to meditate together.  We are learners who are following an ancient Christian practice of being still with God.  For 20 minutes we sit in silence.  In silence you soon discover your mind is far from still, and is dancing all over the place.  However we use a mantra to keep gently refocusing.  In the stillness God is at work transforming us and helping us become more authentically ourselves. 

If you would like to try Christian meditation, join us over the next four weeks on Tuesday evening when we will give some introductory teaching.  Meditation is not only good for your soul, but helps relieve stress and anxiety, and has been shown to be very beneficial for your health.

Elder Care Group resumes this Tuesday 21^st January. This is a day care programme for seniors each Tuesday 10am-2pm with a lunch provided.

Session meets this Wednesday 22^nd January 7.30pm in the foyer.

Singing Group will meet again at 9.15am on Sundays 2^nd & 16^th February.

“Unofficial” Wednesday walk 22^nd January: Meet 9.30am at South Library for a stroll around Beckenham. Coffee at Novel Café. All are welcome. Sonya 339 7038.

Crafty Crafters resumes this Thursday 23^rd January 10am – 12 noon. $3 per session. New faces very welcome. Lyndsey 388 1264.

From Waltham Cottage: Thank you all very much for the wonderful Christmas presents you donated. Cheryl & I had lots of fun sorting the gifts for families and individuals. The delight on the faces of the recipients was a pleasure to behold! I would also like to thank you all for the weekly donations of food, brought by Irene to the Cottage every Monday. This food is a huge help to the community at financially difficult times. Adrienne.

CWS Christmas Appeal Envelopes need to be returned to the church offering by next Sunday January 26^th. Thank you.

St Martins Fund Raiser: Handmade greeting cards for sale in foyer every Sunday. $3 each. Special cards made to order. See Janette. All proceeds to St Martins.

Cleaning Roster: Your help cleaning the church plant is appreciated. Please add your name to the list in the foyer.

A note from our Finance Review Team:

Our recent request for people to review giving has resulted in increased pledges of nearly $13,000 per year.  We are very encouraged by this response and say a very big THANK YOU to you all.  If you are still considering the request please put your response in the silver box to keep us informed of any changes.

Next week after worship we’ll have a forum to discern ideas for fundraising in the year ahead.  Start asking others, thinking, and talking now of creative ideas (big and small) to raise funds.  We are especially keen to find projects that will involve the wider community.   

Please start planning to donate you Charitable Giving Tax rebate back to your church.  More detail on this will come in March from the Board of Managers.

Do you know someone looking to hire an auditorium or lounge space for meetings or for an exercise class.  Tell them about our spaces and direct them to our website where they can find more details.  

Menzshed Update:

We still do not have a consent to begin work to upgrade the classroom we have shifted on site.

Currently we are negotiating about the need to provide a 20m ramp to allow disabled access to the workshop. Once consent is issued the building will be placed on piles and Menzshed volunteers will undertake necessary work to install extra fire protection and ramp if required. In the meantime a large amount of gear and tools has been donated.

We wish you all a very happy Christmas, and best wishes for 2020.

Christmas & New Year at St Martins

Christmas Eve 7.00pm

Christmas Day 9.30am

Combined services with Beckenham Methodist Church, Malcolm Ave:

Sunday 29 Dec 10am at BMC

Sunday 5 Jan   10am HERE

Sunday 12 Jan 10am at BMC

Sunday 19 Jan 10am HERE

A Christmas Blessing:

Know your life is a treasured gift of God.

Know our human journey matters to God because God has joined us on that journey

Know that in Jesus is the light that can guide us and lead us in our darkness

May you know the light and love of God that has come to us in the gift of Jesus, and may this light and love guide you and be in you.

     Amen

Many thanks to Rev Nancy-Jean Whitehead for leading today’s worship. Dugald is in Wellington officiating at his niece’s wedding.

2020 Dates:

Meditation Group resumes 14^th January.

The Parish Office re-opens on 16^th January.

Elder Care Group resumes on 21^st January.

Crafty Crafters resumes 23^rd January.

Waltham Cottage… Adrienne picked up a wonderful carload of gifts this week. Thank you for all the generous support.

Christian World Service Christmas Appeal: Envelopes can be returned to the church offering any Sunday until January 26^th. Your donation will go towards projects like building rain water tanks that will enable others to have a supply of water for drinking and irrigation. Amidst our plenty we are invited to give to others to honour the birth of Jesus who came to bring justice and equality for all.

St Martins Fund Raiser: Handmade greeting cards for sale in foyer every Sunday. $3 each. Special cards made to order. See Janette. All proceeds to St Martins.

Cleaning Roster: Your help cleaning the church plant is appreciated. Please add your name to the list in the foyer.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. Please come through to the Lounge after the service for a cuppa and a time to talk.

THE PARISH OFFICE closes on Friday 20^th December 2019 and will re-open on Thursday 16^th January 2020.

Community Carols at Opawa Community Church, Aynsley Tce TONIGHT 6pm. All are welcome.

Singing Group resumes in February.

Meditation Group meets this Tuesday 7.00pm in the Lounge, then takes a break until 14^th January.

Christmas & New Year at St Martins

Christmas Eve 7.00pm

Christmas Day 9.30am

Combined services with Beckenham Methodist Church:

Sunday 29 Dec 10am at BMC

Sunday 5 Jan   10am HERE

Sunday 12 Jan 10am at BMC

Sunday 19 Jan 10am HERE

Lawn Mowing volunteers required for January & March  – add your name to the list in the foyer if you can help. Thank You.

St Martins Fund Raiser: Handmade greeting cards for sale in foyer every Sunday. $3 each. Special cards made to order. See Janette. All proceeds to St Martins.

Christmas Gifts for Waltham Community Cottage: Thank you to everyone who has donated gifts, wrapping paper, cards and edible goodies.

Giving Review..Recently Dugald outlined our current financial situation.  We currently employ a minister 2/3rds time, but would like to increase this to a full time position. 

With Dugald’s retirement we have to advise the Ministry Settlement Board what level of ordained ministry we are able to sustain.   A Giving Review Team is currently looking at a range of options we have to increase income, but a key area is our regular offerings which need to increase by at least $15,000 per annum to meet projected costs. 

You will have received a letter asking you to review your giving and respond with your pledge to increase giving to your church, which needs to be returned to the silver box in the foyer or directly to our Treasurer by NEXT Sunday 22^nd December.

Managers’ Report from Meeting 11^th December

Gates are being erected to finish the enclosure behind the church. Thank you to Keith, David, Rob.

Menzshed have erected spouting on the office and are currently building shelving units for the upstairs store. 

The consent for the Menzshed workshop is currently before the CCC.  We hope to hear whether we can proceed before Christmas.

Corrugated iron roof over the kitchen will be replaced in January.

Managers have decided not to paint the church roof in the near future, but will monitor the roof.

Next Working Bee 9.00am Saturday  Feb 15th

Finances…. Our accounts for payment for the last 2 months have totalled $26,000 with $4,300 spent on the Menzshed establishment.   Our income was $40,400 but this includes the grant from the Alpine Mission Fund to establish the St Martins Menzshed of $22,000.  Offerings totalled $10,100 for the period.

Financial Review Team reported the minister has offered teaching on giving and the need to invite others to church, presentations have been given on our current situation and the need to raise offerings by $15,000, and a letter sent to all members asking them to review their giving.  Responses to the letter are asked for by December 22^nd and we will then meet to assess what messages we give the Ministry Settlement Board.

Other revenue streams are being promoted.  These include:

• Rental from use of buildings…. We need more weekly users and aim to lift this stream to $15,000 by June 2020.  Our website has been upgraded to advertise ourselves.
• Special Appeals…. Members are encouraged to donate their charitable tax rebates to their church.  There will be a ‘top up appeal’ in June. 
• Bequests…Members are asked to consider leaving a bequest to their church.  Without bequests in the past our complex could not have been strengthened.
• Outside Fundraising….we will have a forum after worship on January 26^th to discuss other forms of fundraising.  Put your creative thinking caps on!
• Increasing our numbers….

Meeting Night…Managers will shift their meeting night to the second Wednesday of the month and welcome Peter Mechaelis as the new chairperson.   We expressed our thanks to Wayne Barton our outgoing chair.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. Please come through to the Lounge after the service for a cuppa and a time to talk.

Giving Review..Recently Dugald outlined our current financial situation.  We currently employ a minister 2/3rds time, but would like to increase this to a full time position. 

With Dugald’s retirement we have to advise the Ministry Settlement Board what level of ordained ministry we are able to sustain.   A Giving Review Team is currently looking at a range of options we have to increase income, but a key area is our regular offerings which need to increase by at least $15,000 per annum to meet projected costs. 

You will have received a letter asking you to review your giving and respond with your pledge to increase giving to your church.  The Giving Review Team will give more information today to guide you in your decision making. 

To enable us to advise the Ministry Settlement Board we are asking for responses to be returned to the silver box in the foyer or directly to our Treasurer by Sunday 22^nd December.

Community Carols at Opawa Community Church, Aynsley Tce, Sunday 15^th December 6pm. All are welcome

Foot Clinic TOMORROW 1-4pm in the Lounge.

Board of Managers’ meeting Wednesday 11^th December 7.30pm in the foyer.

Singing Group…. meets 9.15am sharp on the first and third Sundays.

Meditation Group meets in the lounge every Tuesday 6.45pm.

Christmas & New Year at St Martins

Christmas Eve 7.00pm

Christmas Day 9.30am

Combined services with Beckenham Methodist Church:

Sunday 29 Dec 10am at BMC

Sunday 5 Jan   10am HERE

Sunday 12 Jan 10am at BMC

Sunday 19 Jan 10am HERE

Wednesday Walkers 11^th Dec: Meet 9.30am at Hillsborough Park playground on Bishopsworth St for a walk through the park and along the Heathcote River. Morning tea at 34 Alderson Ave, where we will be raising money for the village in Borneo that Alexandria will be helping for a few days during her April 2020 trip. Rob 384 4320.

St Martins Fund Raiser: Handmade greeting cards for sale in foyer every Sunday. $3 each. Special cards made to order. See Janette. All proceeds to St Martins.

Carboot Sale: THIS Saturday 14^th December 9-11am at St Mark’s Church, Opawa Rd.

Crafty Crafters every Thursday

10am-12noon in the lounge. $3 per session. Bring along an unfinished item, or try a new one. All are welcome. Lyndsey 388 1264.

Christmas Gifts for Waltham Community Cottage: Next Sunday is your final opportunity to donate gifts for Waltham Cottage. Wrapping paper, cards and edible items also appreciated.

THANK YOU to everyone who came along to help at last week’s Working Bee.

South Brighton Voices concert TODAY 2pm,  St John’s Woolston.

What are you eating this Christmas?

Have you ever thought where some of our food comes from?  There are foods that are produced with slave labour.  The three foods at highest risk are  fish, cocoa and sugar.   One local supermarket is doing well –  Countdown. If you’re doing baking this Christmas, consider using their own brand sugar which is certified through Bonsucro to be slave free. Countdown’s own brand Cocoa is also certified. 

Often farmed fish products are produced with slave labour.  Countdown salmon is fed on slave free fish meal as are Regal and Southern ocean brands.  Farmed prawns are often fed on food procured through slave labour, and peeled by slave labour.  Buy wild caught Australian or Argentinian prawns or the Kingfisher brand. 

Don’t forget to ask staff in supermarkets about whether slave labour has been used in the production of the food you buy.  The message will be passed up the chain.

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. Please come through to the Lounge after the service for a cuppa and a time to talk.

Giving Review..Last week Dugald outlined our current financial situation.  We currently employ a minister 2/3rds time, but would like to increase this to a full time position. 

With Dugald’s retirement we have to advise the Ministry Settlement Board what level of ordained ministry we are able to sustain.   A Giving Review Team is currently looking at a range of options we have to increase income, but a key area is our regular offerings which need to increase by at least $15,000 per annum to meet projected costs. 

You will receive a letter today asking you to review your giving and respond with your pledge to increase giving to your church.  The Giving Review Team will give more information next Sunday (8th Dec) to guide you in your decision making. 

To enable us to advise the Ministry Settlement Board we are asking for responses to be returned to the silver box in the foyer or directly to our Treasurer by Sunday 22^nd December.

Singing Group…. meets 9.15am sharp on the first and third Sundays.

Meditation Group meets in the lounge every Tuesday 6.45pm.

Wednesday Walkers 4^th Dec: Trip to Leithfield. See Sonya for details.

St Martins Fund Raiser: Handmade greeting cards for sale in foyer every Sunday. $3 each. Special cards made to order. See Janette. All proceeds to St Martins.

Carboot Sale: Saturday 14^th December 9-11am at St Mark’s Church, Opawa Rd. Come and do some early Christmas shopping!

Crafty Crafters every Thursday 10am-12noon in the lounge. $3 per session. Bring along an unfinished item, or try a new one. All are welcome. Lyndsey 388 1264.

Christmas Gifts for Waltham Community Cottage: Sundays 8 & 15 December. Please bring the kind of gifts you would like to receive or you would give to your loved ones. Gifts are required for  men, women, teenagers, boys and girls. The staff choose the gift for the client from what is given by our congregation. Wrapping paper and cards also appreciated. Edible items are very welcome (bring these on the 15^th  only).

Jam Stall…check out the jam stall today – there might be something you haven’t tried! Sue 960 7657.

South Brighton Voices concert next Sunday 8^th December 2pm at St John’s Church, Ferry Rd, Woolston. Tickets $20, available from Lyndsey McKay.

The Plainsmen Barbershop Chorus present “A Christmas Celebration” at the Transitional Cathedral Saturday 7^th December 7.30pm. Door sales available. Adults $20, seniors $15.

Te Whare Koopu o Oterepo – Waltham Community Cottage.

20^th Anniversary at 201 Hastings St East.

On Wednesday 13^th November 65 people gathered together for a luncheon to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Cottage. There were people from the Community Board, past staff and people from the community who had been there when it first opened its doors.

The 20^th anniversary of service to the community was also acknowledged in Parliament through a notice of motion put by Dr Duncan Webb MP.

The cottage was purchased by the Christchurch City Council and was officially opened at the end of July 1999. It moved from a home on the corner of Waltham Rd & Austin St, where the project had previously operated for the past ten years.

The Cottage is a 100 year old property that has managed to withstand the test of time especially through the earthquakes.

The Cottage continues to be a hub of activity where people come together from the community; be it young or old from all walks of life; the homeless, people from different cultures eg India, Pakistan, China.

St Martins Presbyterian Church has supported the Cottage right from the beginning nearly 30 years ago. Each week food has been collected to fill the food bank and more recently gifts have been given to be distributed to those in need at Christmas. There have been individuals within the church who have given in many and various ways.

On behalf of the Executive of the Cottage, I want to express our grateful thanks for the compassion shown and the support given over these past 20 or more years. Long may it continue.

Lyndsey McKay

Convenor, Executive Committee

Te Whare Koopu o Oteropo – Waltham Community Cottage.