Weekly Notices - 16th March 2025
How is your Lenten journey faring, and what directions are you being led through? Just over a week into our Walk, it is good to pause and embrace the good we have found in drawing closer to God in the wilderness He has placed us in!
It is easy for us to grow complacent. It is easy to forget the reason of our Holy Season. It is easy to let go of the things in our inner beings that we wanted to clutch and hold on to as we joined together on Ash Wednesday.
So let’s just pause and remember….
We arrived at Ash Wednesday, and we already knew the usual answers to the question, “What are you giving up for Lent?”—chocolate, alcohol, takeaways, and so on.
There is nothing wrong with making sacrifices, but if that becomes the extent of our reflection, we risk missing the true invitation of Lent. Let us remember that this season is not simply about what we give up, but about how we journey—with God and with one another. It is a time where we are called to leave behind what holds us back and step forward in faith, trusting in the hope that Christ offers us.
Lent is a pilgrimage of hope. It calls us to support one another, to renew our trust in God’s mercy, and to recognise that He is not asking us to prove our strength, but to open our hearts to His grace.
May God bless your journey through Lent.
Your Friend and Vicar, Kofe.
Vicar Kofe
This Sunday’s service (16th March)
Theme: “Faithfulness and Trust under the wing of God.”
Sentence: ‘Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Philippians 3:20
Collect:
God of life and glory,
your Son was revealed in splendour
before he suffered death upon the cross;
grant that we, beholding his majesty,
may be strengthened to follow him
and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory;
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever. Amen.
Readings: Philippians 3: 17 – 4: 1 and Luke 13: 31 – 35
Parish News
Our restored church items which were badly damaged in the recent burglary will be returned to us to be blessed for use on Sun 30th March at a Combined 10am Service.
· A.G.M! Our 2025 A.G.M is on Saturday April 12th @ 10am. So if you head up an area/ministry - now is the time to start gathering your thoughts together regarding compiling your report for the A.G.M.
· Holy Week this year begins on Monday 14th April and again this year, we will be working with our Cashmere Presbyterian brothers and sisters as mark Maundy Thursday together in their beautiful church. The Good Friday Walk of the Cross will again start at the Presbyterian Church and end in our carpark with morning tea in the Hannan Centre, followed by our Good Friday Service at 10am here at St Aug’s. More details will
follow soon, together with a request for Readers for Thurs evening and Friday morning.· Please note there will not be a 10am midweek service next Wednesday, due to unforeseen circumstances. Our apologies for this.
Please remember to use our Diocesan Prayer for Regeneration: As the kotuku gently rests upon the tree, come and rest upon us Holy Spirit as we pray for the regeneration of our Diocese… Ever living God, through your Spirit you constantly renew the whole creation; bring regeneration to your Diocese of Christchurch, grant us courage to grow disciples of Jesus, give us vision to reach young people and their families, and strengthen us to create vibrant communities of faith. All this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Messy Church at St Augs!!
We are hoping very much to get ‘Messy Church’ up and running sometime in the next (school) term. Initially we aim to run a messy church session twice/year.
What is ‘Messy Church’? Messy Church is a church for everyone who may not feel comfortable attending a ‘normal’ church service and who don’t yet belong to a church. It typically includes a meal, hands-on activities such as arts, crafts, meeting God in the outdoors, science activities and more, which are suitable for all ages. Check out the NZ ‘Messy Church’ website! www.messychurch.nz
If this sounds like something you would like to know more about, please contact Rowena Pottinger: rowbillpotty@gmail.com
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.
Helpful info
Giving
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.