Sunday services happen weekly at 9.30am.
Christmas Schedule:
Op Shop operating as per details on Home page. Enquiries: please contact the numbers on the Home page for current information.
Interested donors, financial contributors and tithe-givers, our bank account number is 03-1577-0435222-00 (Westpac Bank), thank you. Mention your donation’s purpose in the reference field.
Comin’ up
Men’s Breakfast. This is a monthly event which we do on the last Saturday of each month. In recess now until the end of January.
Meditation group. At St Francis House every Wednesday morning, 8 – 9am. All are welcome to join with this group.
New to meditation? Introduction sessions are available. Contact Joan 0211392875 for more information.
Past Tense
Rev Sharon and Lindsay lead last Sunday’s (June 8th) ‘Pentecost Sunday’ celebration:
Christmas/New Year Installation and poetic description:
Something oldish, ideas new,
Something borrowed, a little blue.
Commercial tradition, foundational truth;
A local icon, like a conical roof.
I see it one way,
Maybe not so, you.
Reflect and observe, and open your heart –
Tis the season to listen to
What He may impart.
[If you’re not a local, know that we have a local volcanic geo-feature called Mt Paku]
Remembering Bishop Bruce
Beloved friend, mentor and long time St Francis Church stalwart, Bishop Bruce Gilberd, who passed away 19th December 2023, was remembered in a simple ceremony a year later – 15 Dec 2024 – with the unveiling of a plaque in the church’s seating area just outside the main entrance.
Last Easter
On Easter Friday we did out customary ‘walk of witness’ carrying our customary wooden cross up and down the main street of town; followed by an Easter Friday service attended by about thirty people – a suitably sombre service reflecting on the more tragic aspects of the Easter events.
Easter Sunday was a more joyous affair: an ebullient service, one might say, with more than sixty present; led first in an energetic and constructive presentation/talk by Jackie Francis … we built a large wall (to represent the tomb Jesus was buried in) and then – once Jackie had pointed out that despite the apparent impregnability of the wall, amazing things were going on behind it – we knocked it down.
Followed by an equally ebullient perspective on the joyful implications of the resurrection, by Rev Sharon Marr.
A memorable service.
Birthday Celebration
A great family occasion, celebrating the tenth birthday of Rakshitha (aka Aruca) Charles: great for the Charles family, great for the church family; great food and fellowship!
Baptisms
In December, Bishop Bruce Gilberd conducted his last official calling – baptising two youngsters:
Back in August – a joyous occasion at the Pepe inlet, as five young people were presented for baptism. Lovely occasion, followed by communion, and food ‘n’ drink at the church.
Here’s a pretty good rendering of what it means to be Anglican, for anyone interested:
Who wants to be an Anglican?
by John Bluck
Although, …
In July 2024 a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care released its report into abuse in communities in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950-1999. In response to the report’s findings, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand released a statement, posted here for Anglicans and others to digest: Statement for Anglican Churches on Royal Commission Report, July 2024.
Oh, and, if you’d like a real Kiwi blessing, check this out: The Blessing
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