Weekly Notices - 6th Oct 2024
Our Gospel forces us this week to confront texts that we would most probably prefer to ignore.
What a timely set of readings offered to the Church today, in the midst of a Western cultural breakdown and international wars.
I invite you to listen to the little story at the end of this week’s passage from St. Mark which seems to be tacked on with duct tape. But that’s not correct.
Just as the Lord, at the creation, was divinely concerned His human creatures bear and bring up new generations to honour and praise Him, to live as He commanded, so the Lord Jesus valued those new generations.
One of the two principal ends of marriage is the procreation of offspring. They are to be treasured. That was kind of radical for the first century, but as Western populations start to collapse in this century, as people either don’t marry or intentionally plan never to have children, we are re-evaluating our twentieth century worry about exploding populations.
We wrestle with the difficult questions and provide comfort when things are hard. And it’s in those moments, at those times when we’re there for one another and support one another as a family, that we receive and enter the kingdom of God—a kingdom where love, mercy, and grace reign supreme.
God bless St Aug’s
Your Friend and Vicar, Kofe
Vicar Kofe
This Sunday’s service (Oct 6th)
Theme: Family - we are part of God's creation and family
Sentence: Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. Mark 10:15
Collect:
God, the mother and father of us all,
you have created families and love of every kind.
Give us courage to listen to each other and to learn,
and grant us the gentle blessing
which a home can give.
Praise to you our God; you answer prayer.
Amen.
Readings: Job 1: 1; 2: 1-10 and Mark 10: 2 – 16
Parish News
!! CENTENARY WEEKEND !! - 12th & 13th October 2024
Please note: Our Centennial Lunch (Sunday 1pm) is now taking place at The Old Stone House (30 Shalamar Drive).
AND that this is NOW a BYO drinks luncheon.
Our Open Day (Saturday Oct.12th) will include Music & Church Heritage as follows:
1.00pm-1.30pm Pipe Organ Ensemble (Loki Kristainson & friends)
1.30pm-1.45pm History Tour/Talk
1.45pm-2.10pm Celtic Harp & Flute & Piano (Helen Webby & Friends)
2.10pm-2.20pm History Tour/Talk
2.20pm-3.00pm Jazz Trio (Tom Rainey & friends)
On Sunday morning, 13th Oct, we will be holding a Combined 10am Service to celebrate our centennial as a parish.
We can call it our St Aug’s Independence Day(!), when we moved away from under St Saviours Beckenham and became a parish in our own right.
To mark this special occasion, we will be hosting Bishop Peter who will preach and preside over our Eucharist. Do come and hear what Peter has to share with us!
If you can, please bring a plate to share for the morning tea following the service on Sunday.
We look forward very much to sharing all or part of this very special occasion with you!
Please mark Sat 5th Oct in your dairies, and join us here at St Aug’s for a working bee to spruce up our spiritual home in preparation for our Centennial.
Bring your dusters, your window cleaning gear, your brooms and you energy for a 9.30am start.
Remember that many hands make light work!!!
Our organist Loki and friends (on trumpets) play a short snippet of the Grand March from the opera Aida by Verdi on 18 August 2024
Diocesan Prayer Community - Reminder
The Diocesan Prayer Community has been operating since March this year. This Community identifies the issues which challenge our Diocese (and parish!) and join each other in praying for those issues.
Do consider signing up to pray with others from other parishes. You will receive regular updates and forms of encouragement from our Archdeacon of Regeneration & Mission, and it only takes a few minutes of our time each day or week.
Please let the Vicar know if you’re interested.
Our People, Our Place
Do keep those wonderful “Our People, Our Place” profiles rolling in!
St Aug’s & Beyond…
Youth Hub Trust ‘INVITATION’
On behalf of the Youth Hub Trust, you are warmly invited to come and see the Youth Hub before it officially opens to the public.
The Hub has everything young people need to improve and maintain their mental health, from supported housing and health and support services to opportunities for recreation and creativity and we can’t wait to share it with you!
You are welcome to drop in between 4-6pm on Tuesday 12 November.
The Hub is located at 109 Salisbury Street in the CBD.
Please note no parking is available on site or on Gracefield Ave.
The nearest paid parking option is the Casino.
Light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!
If you are interested in going, please contact Lerks: lerkshih@gmail.com
If you have any questions, please email fundraising@youthhubchch.org.nz
Living Faith Conference
PRAY DISCIPLE INSPIRE - Bring your parish team and join us for the 2024 Living Faith Diocesan Conference! With Guest Speakers: Elanor SANDERSON, Dallas HAREMA, Grant NORSTWORTHY
This will be a great opportunity for spiritual growth and encouragement as we hear from inspirational leaders who canhelp us grow in confidence in our faith and get better at making new disciples. There will also be a Q & A discussion panel to address your questions.
This conference is for everyone - younger, older, exploring faith, new to faith and the seasoned Christian.
So bring a friend, join a group and register!
Tickets $40/pp, see Jo Ashton Martyn for these, or, scan the bar code on the poster below for this event at the back of the Church, or visit www.bit.ly/LivingFaithConference
Helpful info
Giving
Online Giving - “Green” Tokens (trial) for the Offertory Plate
Hey lovely people, now that the majority of you donate ‘on-line’ we have created green tokens for you to place (if you wish) into the offertory plate. These tokens will then be blessed at the front of the Church along with any other cash/envelopes. If you would like to join those who give regularly online, you can find all the details you’ll need on the Giving Page.
Groups
It’s easy to connect and get involved with some great social and faith-focused groups that meet regularly across the parish. You can find out about all our regular groups on our Groups page. If you have any questions, just click the contact button to connect with the group’s organiser.
Need prayer?
We’d love to pray for you. See the ‘Prayer Support’ section on the Help & Support page for more information on how we can help with your prayer needs. There are confidential and anonymous options available.