february
Anglican Parish GERALDINE
newsletter march FEBRUARY | MARCH 2024
Time for a new adventure Nga mihi nui kia koutou. Thank you for all the words of support you offered personally and liturgically at my induction service. Our parish enters a new chapter with my unusual appointment as your vicar. I say unusual because, normally, an interim Priest-in-Charge is not considered for the permanent appointment. And normally, such an appointment is not offered to somebody in his tenth year of holding a gold card. These, of course, are not normal times. We are in the midst of a paradigm shift as our church adjusts to cope with the postmodern and, some say, post-Christian world. Christianity is guaranteed by Jesus Christ himself. However, our particular branch of Churchianity has to do some re-thinking. Ecclesia semper reformanda as the Latin tag has it. We all made some big commitments at the induction service: • We agreed to search the Scriptures to reveal the way of Jesus to all people. We agreed to be faithful in our witness and service in Christ’s name. As members of the baptised we acknowledged that we are called to worship and serve God and to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. • We all agreed, brothers and sisters in Christ, to share the life of prayer, to continue in the breaking of bread, and to forgive others as we are forgiven. • You also agreed, brothers and sisters in Christ, to offer me your insights and advice on the good running of this parish. In the days and weeks ahead, our worshipping community will have time to
unpack what that will look like as we live these commitments day by day, week by week. God’s spirit is afoot - I believe that we are in for an adventure. It begins with prayer. On the weekend of 1-3 March, I commend to you the diocesan prayer pilgrimage (see noticeboard page 6 for details). Morning by morning, unless other things intervene (as they will), I will pray at our churches at around 9am Tuesday at St Mary’s, Wednesday at St Thomas’, Thursday at St Anne’s and Friday at St Stephen’s and sometimes up to Holy Innocents. Our Prayer for Renewal sessions continue, now at St Anne’s at 9.15am on Thursday mornings. I also need help from those of you who are on the edges of our church community, those who attend only at Christmas and Easter, or even not at all. Many of you have not only congratulated me on my appointment but have also said that you are pleased by it. Our church and ministry are potentially important to you, but somehow, we are not quite making contact. I would welcome the chance to meet with you and be advised by you on how our church can meet the needs of those on the edges. Generations X and Z are getting on, and even Millennials are now busy raising families. This baby boomer needs help reaching all of these generations. If you have advice for me, I will gladly swap it for a coffee. Thank you for all your good wishes and offers of support. May God bless us all richly.
Rev Hugh McCafferty VICAR, PARISH OF GERALDINE