Weekly Notices - 14th September 2025
We are now moving through our Parish Mision Month, and the anticipation is growing as to what our invited speakers will share with us over the next four Sundays.
It would serve us well to remember that in the context of our journey this year, we will be looking at personal missional journeys together with focused corporative journeys. At the heart of the mission of the church is our call to reach out to those who are lost. Jesus emphasized the importance of seeking the lost as a priority for His followers. In our own journey, we understand that this mission goes beyond our church walls. It is about extending love and hope to everyone around us, breaking barriers, and welcoming all into the arms of Christ. By sharing the message of salvation, we play an essential role in God’s kingdom, embodying grace and acceptance. Let’s remember that reaching the lost is done through our words and actions, and every small act can make a big difference.
This week, we will be hearing from Sharron Martel, a member of our 11am congregation and keen upholder of better practises. Sharron has been part of a group of gynaecological experts who have recently spent a huge amount of time in various countries of the Pacific, providing training in the fields of pre- and post- natal care and the support of new mothers. St Aug’s has been involved in the financial support of this wonderful group.
We welcome Sharron and the opportunity for us to learn more about our Pacific neighbours.
May God always St Aug’s
Your Friend and Vicar, Kofe.
Vicar Kofe
This Sunday’s Service (14th September)
Theme: God's Mission in our Hearts.
Sentence: ‘I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents’. Luke 15:10
Collect:
Loving God,
in Jesus you gather us into your family;
confidently we call you Father;
may your Spirit bring us to share
the glorious liberty of your children.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.
Readings: 1 Timothy 1: 12 - 17 & Luke 15: 1 - 10
This week we continue our St Aug's Mission Month, and we have invited different speakers to address our Combined 10am Services.
The speakers will take the place of our sermons each Sunday, so come and be with us as we support the personal and corporate stories of individuals serving our Lord.
Date Speaker
September 14th Sharron Martel
September 21st CMS & Maori Mission, Bruce White (see Bruce’s ‘intro’ below)
September 28th Geoff King
October 5th Alistair Philips
Our Diocesan 5 Marks of Mission, adopted to guide us as a church walking into the future:
· To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
· To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
· To respond to human need by loving service
· To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation
· To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth
These priorities need not just be corporate or international ideologies; they can be worked into our individual lives as we strive to grow God’s Kingdom here on earth.
Bruce White partners with his wife Carolyn to look after our Mission Partners. Together they support, equip and encourage our people serving overseas. Bruce pastored at a Baptist church for ten years before he and his wife served with the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society in south Asia for seven years. They then returned to New Zealand to pastor again for another seven years before God opened the door for Bruce to join our team.
Bruce is also part of the Te Pihopatanga o Te Waipounamu.
We are down to our last Organ Recital with Jeremy Woodside.
The first two concerts (Sea-am Thompson & Martin Setchell) were very popular, get in quick for the last one!
Vestry has agreed to the recommendations from our Mission Motivators (Lerks & Joan) to support NZCMS Māori evangelists with our missions giving. Joan & Lerks have heard Keri-Anne preach and she had shown Lerks around South Auckland, describing her work there.
We think that Māori evangelists will not only bring the gospel to Māori, but could also re-awaken Christian spirituality with everyone that they encounter. We see this in our younger generation who want to partner with Māori in their future together.
Please click here for more information about Māori Evangelists.
Messy Church at St Augs!
On Saturday 28th June, we held a very successful ‘Messy Church’ activity day for Pre-School & Primary aged children in the Hall.
Many grateful thanks from Rowena, Thelma and the team to all those that contributed to the success of this day. We hope to hold another session before the end of the 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
Please be warned that with the commencement of our roof repairs we have LOTS of scaffolding around the place to be aware of. In particular this affects parking near the Hannan Centre ramp.
Be careful out there!
(And here are a couple of shots of the team in the skyline recently.)
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.
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.