Parish Newsletter June-July 2024

Anglican Parish

newsletter

Prayerful steps to growth

I was heartened by the positive vibe at the AGM held at the end of April. Without wishing to minimise the difficulties that we face, I have a quiet confidence that we are not alone in this work and that God will honour our faithfulness. As Vicar’s Warden, Paul Sagar, reminds us, “At Hugh’s induction service, Bishop Peter challenged us to be more open, inviting and welcoming and to get to know Jesus better.” We have begun to accept this challenge, as Paul also reports, “The Church is its people, and I am heartened by the quiet feeling of renewal and growth.”

We owe a big thank you to Susanne West as she steps down as People’s Warden. In her term on vestry, she initiated a great number of events and projects. Thank you for your energy and enthusiasm. Susanne and Simon are building a house and have reached a stage where her input is needed - all the very best with this project. Many thanks to Audrey Butts and Victoria Thatcher who have both stepped down from vestry after years of service.

Your church officers are Paul Sagar, who has agreed to serve another year as my warden, bringing much-needed continuity, and People’s Warden Jan Hill, who has previously served in this capacity. Synod’s reps are Barbara Cassidy, who continues in the role, and Cecil Hood, who will bring much knowledge and experience to the task. Other vestry members are Lisa Felder, Ron Smith, Chris Longson, and Mary Holmes, all serving for the first time.

We look forward to renewed energy and ideas as they get to grips with the task. Thank you, and God bless you for your service.

There is much that lies ahead of us. One clear focus I have is spiritual renewalfor me, for a start, and for our congregation. Our renewal prayer includes a petition to the God of mission that we “grow in spiritual commitment to you.” A spiritual director once said to me, “pray how you can, not how you can’t”. There are all sorts of things we can do: a regular time of silence sitting with the mantra “Jesus is Lord” (set your timer for 10 minutes so you don’t have to keep checking the clock). Or we can use the prayers in our prayer book from page 58 on, or the shorter prayers from page 104 on, with the readings we are given in the Mustard Seed. Or take a moment to quietly say the prayer for renewal every day.

A word about prayer: we may experience a sense of sweetness and rest as we sit in stillness or find ourselves distracted, fidgety and irritable. Any spiritual director worth their salt will tell you not to judge which is better or more pleasing to God. We may be nearer to God’s heart when we experience spiritual dryness. Even Jesus on the cross cried out that he felt forsaken, yet that is where our salvation was worked out.

May God bless us all as we seek God’s will and attempt to follow it.

Rev Hugh McCafferty

VICAR, PARISH OF GERALDINE

what’s new, what’s happening, what’s up where you are

Best birthday present ever

Some of you may have been following the exploits of our cat, Mr Fox, in the Geraldine News. In a nutshell, he has moved outwe know he’s still in the neighbourhood, it’s just we have no idea where. So, a while back, I started hoping, then praying, that, at the very least he might pay me a visit on my birthday so I would know he was okay.

As the days, went on, and as we spent more time with Julian of Norwich, the way I was praying changed. One of the things Julian says is that “God is in us and we are in God” and that there is nothing that God does not know or care about.

Instead of praying outwardly or upwards, I focussed inwards (remember we are like the Tardis so there’s plenty of room for God in there), and rather than asking for God to bring Mr Fox home, I simply believed he could, and would.

Even so, imagine my surprise when, on the morning of my birthday, Mr Fox casually strolled into the kitchen. We hadn’t seen him for six weeks, and there he was, just as I had asked. In that moment my heart was filled with absolute joy, and my mind absolutely blown by the power of prayer. Fox is off on his adventures again now, but the joy I experienced that day and the excitement about what God can do will never leave. Amen. FI

THE MODERN SAINTS

Portraits and reflections on the saints

Ancient icons of saints portray everyone as old, white, expressionless, and hard to tell apart.

Gracie Morbitzer believes these pieces of Church imagery can turn modernthinking people away from the influences of the saints, and even the Church itself.

Gracie’s goal was to re-imagine these extraordinary people as modern, everyday humans... because that is exactly what they were, and they remind us of ourselves. They show us that we can all be saints just like them. See Gracie’s icons at themodernsaints.com

Opportunities for prayer and meditation

Jesus said, “Come with me to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).

Even for those of us who are professionals in the God business, prayer has a way of being squeezed out. So many worthy tasks take our attention - people to see, sermons to write, even newsletters to write - that our core business of spending time with God can get neglected.

A few months ago, I set myself the goal of spending the first Friday of every month as a retreat day, time out with God. I’m often to be found at Holy Innocents’ or one of our outlying churches hanging out with God. What do I do? I read, pray, think, and, yes, rest, too.

I want to offer the opportunity of a day with God. I’m thinking of maybe Saturday 19 October at St Stephen’s (if we can access the café toilets) or St Thomas’ from 9.30/10am to 3/3.30pm with a short teaching, time for prayer, reading, and just being. The weather should be better in October. In the meantime, please pray about it.

For those that want to deepen their prayer life I will run six sessions “Learning to Pray with Julian of Norwich.” Saturday mornings at 10am starting 29 June. We will see where we go with that towards the end.

REV HUGH

Julian of Norwich re-imagined by Gracie Morbitzer. To see more of her work, and in glorious colour, visit themodernsaints.com.

Sacred music packs church

Around 80 people, including 30 or so choristers, and three pīwakawaka packed into Mount Peel’s Holy Innocents church on a Sunday afternoon back in April for sung evensong led by Catherine Anderson and the St Mary’s Timaru choir. Rev Hugh says, “The church and the uplifting music gave a sense of the sacred, with feedback from the congregation laden with appreciation. We think it may be the only time a choir has sung at Holy Innocents.” Rev Hugh hopes to make it an annual event.

ABC of Music concert supports Anglican Care

On Sunday, 25 May, the Rhythmix Singers, led by Glenys Carson, performed to a full house at St Mary’s. The afternoon concert featured the ABCs of musicABBA, the Bee Gees, Burt Bacharach and more. Concertgoers enjoyed afternoon tea in the Guild Room after the show. The concert raised $1,900 for the Anglican Care Oceans grief programme.

To celebrate Easter, Alison Longson led the Messy Church kids in our messiest session yet - hand-dying boiled eggs! The results were outstanding, and the kids really enjoyed going home with multi-coloured fingers. Some of them also excelled at folding palm crosses.

Despite a chilly start to the morning, on Good Friday around 50 Christians of all denominations gathered outside the Church of the Immaculate Conception for the annual Good Friday Walk of Witness.

As the group moved through town, others joined them, with around 70 people eventually arriving at the last stop, St Mary’s Church, for a well-earned cup of tea and a hot cross bun.

Yep, it’s that time again! Time to start thinking about your skills and talents and what you might offer in our grand parish fundraiser.

Baking, gardening, childminding, stays at your bach, piano playing, golf lessons, and let’s not forget the ubiquitous batch of Afghans (thanks in advance, Noeline) are just some of the things traditionally up for grabs. Fi McCafferty is organising the event - please contact her with a description of talents offered asap.

noticeboard

services, events, reports, updates, bible studies, notices et cetera

SUNDAY 9 JUNE

SUNDAY 7 JULY

4pm @ St Mary’s

Families exploring faith through science, craft, play, music, and food.

Learning to Pray with Julian of Norwich

The vicar will lead six sessions Saturdays 10-11am starting 29 June.

Julian of Norwich (c1343-1416) was an English mystic whose work emerged from obscurity in the last hundred years having been almost lost for about 600 years. She was well ahead of her time and, some say, even of ours. Thomas Merton says, “Julian is a mighty theologian in all her simplicity and love.”

We will learn about her life and writings and spend some time learning to meditate.

Mission Matters

Sandra King visit

Back in March we were privileged to host Sandra King at the St Mary’s service and Mission Lunch where we heard inspiring stories of her three orphanages and the many Chinese babies rescued, with over 600 children finding ‘forever homes’ through adoption. A story of unwavering faith and adventure serving an amazing God. Several of us have her three books The Call to China, The Mission in China, and The Blessings from China. If you would like to put your name down to read them email janhazelhill@gmail.com

Uganda appeal for pregnant mothers

Here is Minh Hill (my grandson) with his Rwenzori Special Needs (Uganda) collecting box. He found a few coins and a cup hook to put in it. We are grateful to the rest of you who raised $428 for the appeal. A focus this year on nutritional support for pregnant mothers will mean fewer disabled children being born and then abandoned. JAN

Mphatikizo update

It struck me recently that many of our community only know life with Mphatikizo in it. It has affected many children’s lives and we are an integral part of the community. Many thanks for your continued love and support.

• We now have about 40 students for each class and have employed another teacher bringing the number of paid staff to four.

• Dry weather and the state of the economy means that prices have spiralled

• Esther’s house was finished in five weeks and the keys handed over

• The damaged borehole and pump has been inspected; it has been decided to repair the existing well casing and pump. We have begun by making a new well cap; an open well is dangerous and clean water is important. We are still some way from completing the borehole. We do not have all the funds yet but people have been very generous.

BOB

Sandra King has been working with orphans in China for over 30 years.

PrayerPraise and

Sunday

CONTACTS

VICAR

Rev Hugh McCafferty | 027 920 8751 hugh@anglicansingeraldine.co.nz

CLERGY

Rev Bob Moore | 022 533 1969 reachfar@xtra.co.nz

BISHOP’S WARDEN

Paul Sagar | 03 693 8176 paul.joy.nz@gmail.com

PEOPLE’S WARDEN

Jan Hill | 03 693 7573 janhazelhill@gmail.com

HEALTH & SAFETY

Barbara Cassidy | 027 262 4233 cassidyob@xtra.co.nz

OFFICE HOURS

TUESDAY-FRIDAY Rev Hugh | by appointment

FRIDAY 9am-12pm | Audrey Butts OFFICE PHONE 03 693 8380

OFFICE EMAIL admin@anglicansingeraldine.co.nz

SERVICES & OTHER INFORMATION WEBSITE geraldineanglicans.com

FACEBOOK Anglican Parish of Geraldine DONATIONS

Westpac account: Geraldine Parish 03-0839-0011581-000

DEADLINES

NEWSLETTER - FRIDAY 19 JULY fi@hislopstreet.co.nz

MUSTARD SEED - THURSDAY BY 12NOON audreybutts@xtra.co.nz

ST MARY’S CHURCH | 77 TALBOT STREET | GERALDINE

PRAYER OF RENEWAL

God of Mission who alone brings growth to your Church, send your Holy Spirit to give vision to our planning, wisdom to our actions, joy to our worship and power to our witness. Help our church to grow in numbers, in spiritual commitment to you, and in service to our local community, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.