Weekly Notices - 19th April 2026
Remember that on Sunday, following our annual AGM on the Saturday, Christchurch soprano Courtney Hickmott will be joining the 9:30am service to contribute in our worship with her beautiful voice. We are privileged to be able to host such remarkable talent, and I hope many of you will join me on Sunday in welcoming Courtney to our beautiful church.
Again, recognised with the J.M.W. Speirs Memorial Prize in Choral Conducting during time in Dunedin, she directed the Southern Youth Choir and the Selwyn College Choirs and served as Director of Music at All Saints’. Courtney is an adept violinist and composer and is also a sought-after relief teacher, tutors music theory and ensemble at the University of Canterbury, and is an adjudicator at local vocal and arts competitions.
We are extremely grateful to organist Loki Kristianson for his endeavours to enhance our earlier service with such a variety of talent over the last few of years! Long may he last!
Let’s come together on Sunday morning to bask in the beautiful singing of this talented young lady, and at the same time, celebrate the accomplishment of our Annual General Meeting on Saturday. It will a great opportunity as well, to share your feelings on how the meeting went, with those around you. As our Gospel text this week reminds us, we are on our own “Road to Emmaus” and there is still a lot of work to be done in building God’s Kingdom here on the hills of Cashmere.
May God always bless St Aug’s,
Your Friend & Vicar, Kofe.
Vicar Kofe
This Sunday’s Service (19th April)
Theme: The person of Christ, our guide and pathway, and recognising Jesus in the breaking of bread.
Sentence: Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38–39
Collect:
Jesus, we believe you;
all we heard is true.
You break the bread, we recognise you,
you are the fire that burns within us;
use us to light the world.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen
Readings: Acts 2: 14a; 36 – 41 & Luke 24: 13 – 35
Our AGM is THIS COMING Saturday, 18th April. Please pray over this most important meeting, and let the Vicar know if you're interested in being a part of our Vestry: no age barriers; we are looking for strong voices who be a part of our decision making group.
Come and join us at our 9.30am service this Sunday, and experience the beautiful voice of Courtney Hickmott, singing for us and with us!
See her ‘bio’ below for more details.
MONTHLY PRAYER TOPICS - APRIL
PRAYER CHANGES THINGS
Do you find yourself wistfully thinking about those years when your children and other family members went to church with you – but now they’re just not interested in anything to do with church life?
Have you recently observed your much-loved family confronting life’s challenges, and longed that they would invite God to change things for the better?
Or is it that you’re so very grateful that they are following God as they work their way through tough times, but you’d like more prayer support from your fellow parishioners to pray them through?
April is the month when we, as a parish, pray together for our families: spouses, partners, siblings, children, grandchildren…..
Next to the Prayer Table with the candles and Prayer Box is a brown board where, at any time in the month of April, you are invited to place the names of your family members whom you would like us all to pray for. You can either write their first name(s), or simply put their initials. No need for full names. No need to state their needs.
Then each member of the parish is invited to glance at these names from time to time, pray for these people as you read their names, then continue the prayer during the week right throughout the month. The Sunday Intercessors will also pray for this group of people (but without stating individual names)
We invite you to think of ways to develop this focus during the last weeks of the month of April in addition to your own prayer time e.g. through your Home Group, by getting together with one or two other people to pray especially for your families, arriving early to church to sit quietly and remember the names on the Board in prayer….
(In addition, the Prayer Box is still there for you to use. If you choose to put someone’s name in the Prayer Box, this will be sent out to the Email Prayer Team where that person will be prayed for confidentially)
Do you have best intentions on Sundays of writing names on the Board near the Prayer Table but simply forget as you chat to all your lovely friends?? Then just email their names through to Christine at cdesenna@gmail.com - and she’ll take it from there.
Why not do it right now…
Lunchtime Concert: "Intermezzo" Piano Quartet
Beethoven Bridge Brahms
Monday 20th April. 1.10pm-2pm here at St Augustine's
Featuring: Katherine Jones - Piano, Jenny Davey - Cello
Jennie Goldstein - Violin, Clare Corban-Banks - Viola
Katherine Jones is currently President of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers of NZ. She is a sought-after adjudicator, teacher, and collaborative pianist.
Violinist Jennie Goldstein and violist Clare Corban-Banks first met while performing with the NZSO over twenty years ago. Since then, both have built extensive international teaching and performance careers before reuniting in Christchurch last year.
Jenny Davey earned her music degree at Victoria University and has given solo and chamber recitals throughout New Zealand and England.
“Intermezzo" was formed when these four talented musicians came together amid the many diverse movements of their lives.
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