Mt Herbert Parish Magazine JuneMt Herbert Parish Magazine June——July 2017July 2017

DIAMOND HARBOUR GEBBIES VALLEY GOVERNORS BAY KAITUNA LITTLE RIVER PORT LEVY TEDDINGTON

St Andrews Church of the Epiphany St Cuthberts St Kentigerns St Andrews St Pauls St Peters

Mt Herbert Parish

Striving to be a united, Christ-centered, community – serving Parish

Vicar Rev Dr Meg Harvey Telephone: 0274065392 Email: meganharvey@clear.net.nz

PARISH OFFICE 85 Marine Drive, Diamond Harbour RD 1, Lyttelton 8971 Telephone: 03 329 4790 email: mt.herbertparish@xtra.co.nz

WEBSITE mountherbertparish.wordpress.com

The Sabbath as individuals.

We know God wants us to have a day of rest during our week. It is very clear in Genesis 1-2 that God models a way of being where we work for six days and rest on the seventh. As we are made in the image of God it follows that He would want us to have a week that images His. Of course, our

working week efforts will never rival those of God’s first seven days! There are commandments in Exodus, Leviti-cus and Deuteronomy that we observe a Sabbath day – a day that is of solemn rest and holy to the Lord as well as mentions in the New Testament. It is even one of the ten commandments right up there with murder and adul-tery.

I often admire Orthodox Jews for their strict observance of the Sabbath and the way it is woven in with commu-nity worship and family time. Friday is a great day of preparation so that when the sun sets and the Sabbath (in the Jewish faith) begins all work is done and time solely for the Lord begins. Traditionally their Sabbath day is spent only in reading the Torah and prayer. I think it can go a little far sometimes – I remember hearing a story of an American Senator whose colleague would walk back with him to his apartment in Washington DC on a Friday night to switch the light on for this orthodox Jew who regarded such action as work.

But let’s face it, modern societal and family life are not designed to have a traditional, Old Testament Sabbath and neither should it be. For Christians, our Sabbath – Sunday – is now a day we rejoice and remember our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His resurrection on the third day. This is why we gather and celebrate the Eucharist in remembrance of Jesus on as many Sundays as we can. Even what we would regard as solemn rest has changed over time. While for some it may remain

time with scripture and in prayer for others it will also include the gathering of family to rejoice in a shared faith. And today family goes well beyond bloodlines and includes friends and members of our community.

Still though to have an entire day we devote as holy to the Lord can be a hard call when our lives are so cluttered with activities, recreation, hobbies and other pursuits. We live in a frantic and a frenetic world and very often when we finally get our day of rest we just want to collapse and “vege out” with modern luxuries like iPads, computer games, Netflix and other mind numbing inventions. Not that I have anything against these mind numbing inven-tions – I partake heartily of a few of them. I think our lives have become so busy it only makes sense that we have developed ways that truly counteract the busyness in helping us to switch off.

In the long run, how-ever, I think – and God clearly believes and commands – that find-ing a time of Sabbath in our week is very im-portant, renewing and life giving. I am strug-gling at the moment

on how to incorporate more of a Sabbath in my week. If I’m being honest being in a vocation where I think and breathe spirituality, scripture and Father, Son and Holy Spirit every day it can be really tempting to think that what I need is a day or half a day where I don’t think about faith or religion at all (hello Netflix binging!!). But that is not the answer and nor is it what God is calling me to do. God is calling me to rest with Him and in Him on my Sabbath day. I’m still working out what that looks like. Maybe it is relaxing with my guitar working on my chords so that I can play worship music. Maybe it is reading a theological book just for me and not for my ministry. I don’t know.

It will take you time too, if you don’t already have a Sabbath day, to work out when and where and how you have a solemn day that is holy to the Lord. Maybe you expand on going to church on a Sunday morning in some way to make the whole of Sunday a day of rest and restoration of the soul.

These days we work funny hours and some people can’t get to church on a Sunday. Maybe you make a day when you can get to a house church the day you regard as your Sabbath. Maybe your life is so full you need to start small and carve out for yourself and your family just a half day of Sabbath. Who knows?

What I do know is that God has placed great emphasis within His commandments on our seeking a day of rest and a day of spiritual restoration. I also know that we as a community of faith are going through massive changes and growth at the moment and need the sus-tenance individually and as a community that the Sab-bath offers. I know that some – many – of you are really great at doing this in a modern way, much better than I am. But for the rest of us it is a hard call. It is a com-mandment that calls us to examine our entire week, every single day we wake and rise, and wonder if or

where we are making time for our Sabbath. Because a Sabbath is vital to our lives as disciples. In many ways it is the outer shell of our discipling lives because others we are trying to share the Good News with will look to us and how we spend our time to understand how God calls us to live our lives. Incorporating a Sabbath into our lives is what will sustain us through the many years of our lives as we live as children of God and disciples of Jesus.

Next magazine – the Sabbath as a community.

Rev.Dr. Meg Harvey

A cold Friday night in June, found the Church Hall at Diamond Har-

bour full or people playing games, some quietly, some very noisily!

Over 45 people came and joined in a fun evening of enjoying hot

chocolates, delicious treats, and games that varied from serious and

quite competitive games of Rummikub, Connect 4, Spot it – to rather

more energetic games that involved pillows and balloons (all games

were optional—so surprisingly it was mainly the younger contingent

that wanted to get hit over the head by a pillow!).

The following Sunday again saw creative chaos as we explored the

story of the Forgiving Father and Runaway Son together during

a family service. Through making pig biscuits, building towers, and

song, we reflected on what it means to come to God our Father,

who loves us and wants the best for us.

Treasurers Report

Someone recently sent me the following:

A pastor got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good-news is, we have enough money to pay for our building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your

pockets."

Actually, as a parish are blessed by those who do empty their pockets in giving to God and the parish. In the last 2 months we have had unusually large income and expenses with work being done and purchases being made for the re-opening of St Cuthbert’s Church. Therefore to avoid a confusing graph, I have taken out these extra monies and what is shown is the income we get and expenses made for the day-to-day running of the parish. It shows our usual experience of fluctuating income and expense month to month but on the whole we are ‘holding our own” and still have the $10000 + interest in a general expense savings account. Our adjusted income for the first 6 months of the year has been $64218 while expense has been $65052. Indeed income will be ahead of expense (contrary to budget) when we recover the GST paid on the large St Cuthbert’s expenses so God is good!! I would like to also give thanks to Tony Eastwood in the hugely important role he has played in fundraising to complete St Cuthbert’s rebuild so attractively and for the enormous hours of work and project management he has done.

2016 Parish return to Chari-ties Services

As a “stand-alone” charity , for the first time we need to upload our 2016 Parish accounts and “performance report” to the Chari-ties website where it is available to any interested party to view. I think the transparency that comes about is a good thing. I still do not have fully balanced and signed off set of financial records back from the auditor- but these have been prom-

ised and meantime the Charities service has given an extra 2 months deadline extension.

Xero Accounting

For 2017, getting accurately balanced reports will be easier as we are now putting our financial data through the very good Xero financial software package. In the long run it will also be quicker as information is directly transferred electronically from our bank accounts into the parish Xero accounts. I have been very grateful to Lynda Alexander the Diocesan accountant and Rowena Jackson for help in getting this system up and running.

Internet Banking

We need two signatures to authorise each expenses for the parish. You may wonder what happens when one of us is on holiday. With internet banking, location is not a problem as long as there is an internet con-nection available. However it is nice to have a holiday from setting up payments and authorising transac-tions and it is great that we now have 3 authorised signatories for transactions so that a holiday from treas-urer duties is now possible for the signatory who is “out-of-station”!

I have come to very much appreciate the generosity of NZ governments in giving one third tax credits on do-nations/offerings to Charities such as Mt Herbert Parish. However as has been said before, we can only give a tax donation receipt to individuals whose each gift has been identified. Cash giving is fine, but it does not generate a tax credit.

If you have any comments or need help with financial things related to your giving, please talk to Margaret Somerville (Ph. 329-4713) or Russell Lienert (Ph. 329-4066)

Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can -John Wesley

In preparation for running the Alpha course in Diamond Harbour from this September (see details elsewhere) we are asking the parish to pray for the course and offering the Alpha Prayer Course. This is a six week course to be run on Sunday afternoons at 5pm from July 30. It involves watching a short video followed by

discussion and prayer. The aim is to increase our prayer for the Alpha course general and to take a look at our prayer lives and see how they are going and ways we might want to improve them. The topics covered are adoration, petition, intercession, disappointment, perception and spiritual warfare.

Please do think about joining us, it would be

great to see you!!

Contact Meg Harvey for further details.

From Tuesday September 12, we are excited to be

hosting an Alpha course. The course is designed

both to introduce newcomers to the Christian

faith and also to refresh existing Christians. The

idea is for anyone to come along to further your

faith journey with God. Alpha is a hugely popular

course and is run all over the world. People are

coming along for the first time as well the fifth!

The course will run for 12 weeks starting at 7pm each Tuesday and each session starts with a shared meal followed by a video presentation and discussion in small groups. A safe and friendly environment is assured. So come along yourself and invite some friends

and family – we’d love to see you all!!

Contact Meg Harvey for further details or to

volunteer to be part of the team running the course.

Orton Bradley Park Fair

Sunday 22nd October

Orton Bradley Spring Fair is taking place this year on Sunday October 22nd from 10am to 4pm. Once again, the Parish will be supporting the fair by put-ting on a sausage sizzle, and potentially, other ac-tivities. This is an excellent opportunity for our church to be a presence at this much loved commu-nity event, so please put the date in your diaries. We will be in touch with further information nearer the time, but please contact Dave Cobby (davemcobby@gmail.com) if you have any early queries.

As a community of faith it is great if

we can support each other in prayer.

Let us know if there are things hap-

pening in your communities that we

can pray for. Here are some events or

happenings that would benefit from

your prayer over the coming months:

Every other Friday at 1:20pm, Fiona Waghorn

goes into Little River School to take Bible in

Schools lessons—pray for her as she takes faith

into the wider community.

Prayer for St. Cuthbert’s congregation as they

meet together in their Church again. We ask that

members of the community would join the con-

gregation there.

Prayer for the Alpha Prayer Sessions on Sundays

and for people to be receptive to invitations to

join the Alpha course in September and for Meg

as she leads these.

Prayer for the children’s work in the parish and

for the schools in the parish.

Prayer for those community members who are

frail or ill and for those who visit.

Prayer for Rainbow Music and Baby and

Toddler’s group at St. Andrew’s, DH. Prayer that

good relationships will continue to be formed.

Pray for the home groups that meet in the Par-

ish, that people would grow in God.

St. Cuthbert’s is Now Open! On Sunday 25 June parishioners, former parishioners and community members gathered to

celebrate the restoration of St Cuthbert’s Church in Governor’s Bay. Luke Ross rung the bell to

call us to worship for the first time since September 2010 and, despite bad weather, the church

was full to capacity, about 120 people celebrating the restoration of this beautiful old church. It

is like a new beginning for the congregation.

The original church, built in 1860, was severely damaged in the September 2010 earth-

quake. The sod and stone walls were cracked and no longer structurally safe, and masonry

surrounding the east window had crashed through the altar. The stained glass window, while

almost fully intact, was bowed and at of risk of being crushed by its crumbling frame.

It was an empty shell in a muddy wasteland that was handed

back to the parish and so that was when the work began locally.

There’s a saying that “many hands make light work”, and whilst

the restoration work may not have been light, many hands were

involved! St Cuthbert’s congregation member Tony Eastwood

took on all the organisation and also undertook an enormous

amount of the physical work himself and we certainly couldn’t

have done it without him and thank him for his hard work and

leadership. The community also got behind the project and

people were unstinting in their donations and help in complet-

ing, furnishing and landscaping round the church. The Church

Property Trust worked hard to get grants and in administering

the building restoration.

Gone are the old tin “dunny” and all the rough vegetation and banks. The grounds have been

transformed, the carpark reinstated ready to be planted out in white Mauguerite Daisies, carpet

chosen and laid, new chairs sourced and the pews and church furniture

put back. There is a new wider path to the West replaces the puddles

we used to walk through. The new sinuous drystone wall retains what

will be the only formal garden. Even our hundred-year-old oak has had

a much-needed prune.

And so the opening service (that had great coverage from TV1) was a

celebration of all that had been done and all that the Church, as God’s

people, still had to do. Our ‘old church made new’ was blessed by

Bishop Victoria to be once again a place of worship and a home for

God’s people in Governors Bay.

By Tony Eastwood and Vivienne Jackson

LITTLE RIVER YOUTH GROUP

Meets in the St Andrews Little River

Church Lounge on Wed evenings

during term time.

CARE, SHARE AND PRAYER GROUP Meets every Tuesday at 10am. Locations vary, for details please call Ann Watson 741 2210

LITTLE RIVER HOME GROUP

Meets every Wed evening.

Please call Mark & Rose Fitzgerald for details Ph: 325 1176

St Andrew’s, Little River @ 5pm

All are invited to come and join us

1st and 3rd Sundays

each month for worship and fellowship.

What’s On in Little River

Revival Clothing is open to the

public every Tuesday at 10:30am. We are ONLY taking clothing due to size/space limi-

tations.

Further information please ring

Fiona 3290171 waggie@xtra.co.nz

The theme for Beca Heri-

tage Week 2017 is ‘Plains,

Port Hills & Peninsula –

Finding our Way’ and as

part of this event our par-

ish is hosting a Mt

Herbert Parish Heritage

Trail. It will feature St

Cuthbert’s, Governors Bay; St Peter’s, Ted-

dington; The Church of the Epiphany, Geb-

bies Valley; St Kentigern’s, Kaituna Valley;

and St Andrew’s, Little River. Each church will

have a small presentation on its history and another

feature display.

At this stage we are looking for historical photos

of each church for the historical displays - these will

be copied and the originals returned to the owners.

We also require paintings, drawings or prints

of any of the churches in the parish to feature in

one of the displays.

Volunteer hosts for each venue will also be needed

to welcome guests and ensure the safety of guests

and exhibits.

If you can help in any way please contact Vivienne

Jackson on 027 3999 139, 3299 930 or vivienne@thejacksons.net.nz

What’s On in Diamond Harbour?

BABY & TODDLERS GROUP 8th & 22nd Aug, 5th & 19th Sept, 17th Oct

Fortnightly on a TUESDAY, a coffee and support group for parents and caregivers of babies and infants 0-36 months is held at the Diamond Harbour Church Hall. For more details, call Wendy Coles on329 4483.

CITY SHOPPING VAN 9th & 23rd Aug, 6th & 20th Sept 4th Oct The van does pick-ups from Diamond Harbour fortnightly on Wednesdays around 9:00am and drops people back home about 1:30pm. Bookings are essential as the van seats 8 people. A $10 donation towards fuel per trip is invited. To book a seat, please call Nicky ph:329 4341 or Wendy ph: 329 4483.

MONDAY NIGHT STUDY GROUP

AT CHARTERIS BAY

Meets Monday fortnightly in a warm and friendly home. Please call Margaret Somerville for details on ph:329 4713.

S e r v i c e R e a d i n g s f o r A u g — S e p t

We want to know what’s going on—

Please contact the Parish Office on ph:329 4790 or mt.herbertparish@xtra.co.nz with any news CUT OFF FOR THE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ISSUE IS 20TH SEPTEMBER

PRAYER CHAIN

The Prayer Chain is available to pray for you

personally or for any other prayer needs you may have.

The Prayer Chain is totally confidential

Phone Frances Thompson — 0273439322

PRAYER FOR THE PARISH

Tues—Fri 8:15am in the Library at St Andrew’s, Diamond Harbour. This is to specifically pray for God’s presence in all our lives and His spirit to move in our Parish. All are welcome. If you are unable to join us, please pray wherever you are.

RAINBOW

MUSIC 1st, 15th & 29th Aug

12th & 16th Sept, 24th Oct

This fun time is held fortnightly on TUESDAYS during term time alternating with the

Baby & Toddlers Group, at St. Andrews Community Church Hall. Come along at 10am to join in with the music and fun and then

for cuppa at 10:45am. All are welcome Contact Helen for details. Ph.3294790 or

mt.herbertparish@xtra.co.nz

All preschoolers welcome (Bring a parent tho’)

Wednesday Night Homegroup

We meet Wednesday nights at 7:30pm at a

home in Church Bay. We pray, read and

discuss the Bible and work out together

what it means to be followers of Christ. For

more information contact Karen Steedman

on 021895316

6th Aug 13th Aug 20th Aug 27th Aug 3rd Sept 10th Sept

2 Peter 1:16-19

Luke 9: 28b-36

Rom 10:5-15

Matt 14:22-33

Rom 11:1-2a,

29-32

Matt 15:21-28

Rom 12:1-8

Matt 16:13-20

Rom 12:9-21

Matt 16:21-28

Rom 13:8-14

Matt 18:15-20

17th Sept 24th Sept 1st Oct

Rom 14:1-12

Matt 18:21-35

Phil 1:21-30

Matt 13: 24-30, 36-43

Phil 2:1-13

Matt 21:23-32

STANDARD SERVICE TIMES

DIAMOND HARBOUR St. Andrews, 85 Marine Drive, Diamond Harbour Sunday weekly at 10:30am Wednesday Quiet/Reflective Communion Service weekly at 9.00 a.m.

GEBBIES VALLEY Church of the Epiphany, Gebbies Pass Rd, Gebbies Valley 1st Sunday of the month at 9am

GOVERNORS BAY St. Cuthbert's, 8 Governors Bay Teddington Rd, Governors Bay Sunday weekly at 9am The first Sunday of the month is in the form of either Methodist or Presbyterian to fulfill the 1996 Covenant

KAITUNA VALLEY St. Kentigerns, Kaituna Valley Rd, Kaituna Please contact the office for information. Baptisms, weddings & funerals by arrangement.

LITTLE RIVER St. Andrews, Church Road, Little River We gather as a community of churches 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 5pm.

PORT LEVY St. Pauls, Port Levy Road, Port Levy Easter & Christmas, and for baptisms, weddings & funerals by arrangement.

TEDDINGTON St. Peters, Gebbie Pass Road, Teddington Third Sunday of the month at 9am.

We look forward to seeing you and celebrating together.

MOUNT HERBERT PARISH CONTACTS

PARISH OFFICE: ph: 329 4790 email: mt.herbertparish@xtra.co.nz.

Vicar : Rev Dr Meg Harvey 0274065392

WARDENS: Vivienne Jackson ph: 329 9930

David Cobby ph:329 4601

PASTORAL CARE: Rev Dr Meg Harvey

Gebbies Valley: Karen Reid ph: 329 7923

Governors Bay Karen Stenhouse ph: 329 9055

Little River: Fiona Waghorn ph: 329 0171

CHURCH CONTACTS: Diamond Harbour: David Cobby

Gebbies Valley: Karen Reid

Governors Bay: Gail Weaver, Vivienne Jackson.

Little River: Fiona Waghorn,

Teddington: David Dean, Kelvin Duncan.

PARISH TREASURERS: Margaret Somerville, Russell Lienert

St. Andrews Church, Diamond Harbour will be open for people to

use for quiet prayer and reflection on Monday, Wednesday and

Fridays from 9am—4:30pm.