All Saints Church
|
Kia ora All Saints.
Guy here this week. Welcome to the beginning of Advent. (well actually we are starting Advent a week early). The reason for the jump start on Advent is because Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. Advent is a part of the year that I really love and look forward to. Firstly it's a time in the year when we all come back together from our house churches for the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Where we can celebrate the year and journey all together toward Christmas. Secondly, it is also a wonderful season of preparation as we walk together toward the Birth of Jesus. This week I will be preaching at both 9am and 10:30 as we launch into Advent, I look forward to sharing with you about how Scripture and Culture can weave together as we begin preparing to celebrate the hope and saviour of the world. This is just a reminder that we have 9am and 10:30am services for the next 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. There are a mix of people bringing a message this Advent season. Christmas at All Saints is shaping up to be a wonderful time of celebration and expectation. We have Nine Lessons and Carols, two Christmas Eve services a 10am service which is aimed at young families short sharp and full of fun and rocking carols, cake, sausage sizzle and a message of hope; there is an 11pm Christmas Eve service which will include communion and of course lets not forget Christmas Day 9am. There is so much to get involved in. I want to point your attention to a couple of things firstly the notice about a number of refugee families moving into Wellington and the need for items to house them. Please take note of the things that need purchasing and help out where you can. Let us welcome them with open arms. Secondly, this week's remembrance service is on Sunday at 3pm here at All Saints. A chance for people to come and remember those they have lost recently or in the past. Looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday as we journey and celebrate together. Much Love, Guy Kia Ora All Saints,
Our combined service and AGM last week were a source of joy for me. They showed me that our parish is in good heart, with a clear future and some people who are dedicated to seeing Christ’s kingdom work succeed in this place. What a joy it is to gather together and celebrate all that has been done in the past year. As I said in my sermon last week I believe that the Grace and love shown by the gospel has so much meaning and potential to do good in this world. People are struggling and there is no grace in the real world so when we play out and live out grace as Christian’s we continue to show the God who sought us out and forgave! In the midst of all this, we are a growing church and one that needs to now put some structure around some elements to help us receive and continue to grow. We have asked in the midst of all this that there may be some people out there willing to pour into our younger generations by helping us employ a children’s worker. 8 hours costs $13,000, 16 hours costs $25,000. That’s only $16 a week for 40 people. If you are willing to help us out in this regard please let us know so we can make plans for next year. This week we are in our last house church time for the year. So I hope you have a great time connecting with each other, planning those end of year bbqs and other events over summer to continue to connect. May it be also a source of joy! From here on out we are doing central gatherings till Christmas. Then we will resume our combined services till the end of January. May you be blessed this week in our love and grace you show to your neighbours and in the love and grace you show yourself! Ka kite, Andrew Spence Kia ora All Saints whānau.
Guy here this week, I want to start with a message of celebration! We are so proud of you all as we run up to the end of the year, but this week in particular, as we run up towards the end of the year AGM. This year has been full of huge markers. This year is our first full year of having House Churches in rotation; there have been some great conversations and action points put down regarding missional communities and ways to onramp people into faith conversations. God has been faithful in adding to our numbers, no more evident than last Sunday, with over 100 people in the room for our combined All Saints Day celebration with the Bishop. Something powerful to watch is how I have seen an increase in the boldness and confidence of the Gospel! This is something that is not just good advice but Good News!! As we head towards summer and 2024, let us walk towards it with confidence and courage as we look to push forward amongst those who yet don't know Jesus. A reminder that this week we are gathering together in the All Saints Centre at 10am; following the service, we will have a potluck lunch, so please bring something to share, and while we are eating lunch, we will start the AGM. You can find them Here if you haven't yet read the AGM documents. There are several nominations and motions to read through. Nov 19th is our last House Church Sunday for the year. Nov 26th is when we begin our season of preparation for Advent. Each week throughout Advent, we will have both 9 and 10:30 Central Gatherings up until Christmas. For Christmas this year, We have several events coming down the line: 9 Lessons and Carols, Beach Carols in collaboration with Lyall Bay Community Church, Family Christmas Eve, traditional Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day; watch our e-news for more information in the coming weeks. It's still possible to help with the Kilbirnie Primary School fair tonight (Friday). I will be there with a group from All Saints serving alongside our local community. Email me to let me know if you can help. Much Love, Guy Kia Ora All Saints,
Happy All Saints week! 10am this Sunday we celebrate at our combined service. And well done on a mammoth combined effort for the Light Party last Sunday. My estimate is that we had 300-400 people come along, although it could have been more as the place was packed for quite some time. Many of the parents I spoke to were amazed at the generosity of the event - many fun activities and treats for both children and adults at no cost to them. Generosity is important to us as the church. We often talk about manaakitanga as it encompasses a fuller/deeper understanding of what God did for us. Manaakitanga is generosity, kindness, and hospitality, all with the idea of enhancing one another’s mana. My prayer is that we are able to show manaaki to those around us more and more as we learn to accept the manaaki shown to us by God more and more. Advent is coming up and is the ultimate expression of generosity; God gave fully of himself so we could be reconciled to him through Jesus. I’m looking forward to delving deeper into this, come December. Take care, see you all at 10am this week! Emily Spence Dear friends, greetings from damp and dreary Greenwich in SE London
It's All Saints Day, which always prompts me to give thanks for our time as part of the All Saints family and also the joy of living in the Hataitai and Kilbirnie community for nine years. This week, by my calculation, is the 10th anniversary of us opening and dedicating the All Saints Centre on that memorable weekend in 2013. What a journey that was, which as Vicar I only joined towards the end. But I remember with gratitude the part so many of you took and the sacrificial giving of time, talents and money in helping realise our vision and get it 'over the line'. And not forgetting our late friend Basil Wakelin, who was so involved in the building and commissioning phase. I hope the building is bearing the test of time and continues to be a blessing to many, as I'm sure All Saints people are as well. Do greet the 'saints' on behalf of Lizzi and me. We are both busy in our respective work and these days a lot more involved in supporting our remaining elderly parents - it's good to be in the same country as them for this season of their and our lives. Blessings in Christ and grace and peace to you all Simon |
Past News
September 2024
|
contact90 Hamilton Road, Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
You can phone the office on: (04) 971 2142 General enquiries: [email protected] Enquiries about hiring the centre: [email protected] Sign up to our weekly news © 2021 Anglican-Methodist Parish of Hataitai-Kilbirnie
|
|
