Weekly Notices - 8th February 2026
What a wonderful reminder Jesus gives us this week. And he does this, referring to texts of the Old Testament.
Salt is a symbol of permanence and purity, of covenant fidelity and fellowship. It was found in every offering, representing the eternal nature of the covenant. It also pointed to the worshiper’s need to persevere in faithfulness, resist impurity and idolatry, and preserve fellowship with God.
Salt was something that could not be destroyed by fire or time or any other means in antiquity. To add salt to the offering was a reminder that the worshiper was in an eternal covenant relationship with his God. This meant that God would never forsake him, and also that the worshiper had a perpetual duty to uphold and keep the covenant law.
My prayer for the months ahead, is that each one of us here at St Aug's will always be salt of the community in which we live. As his followers we are challenged to live “right-side up in an upside-down world,” as his people live as citizens of heaven.
Let us walk together in this challenge and find support in each other.
May God bless St Aug's
Your Friend and Vicar, Kofe.
Vicar Kofe
This Sunday’s Service (8th February)
Theme: Let your light shine before others.
Sentence: ‘Is not this the fast that I choose,’ says the Lord: ‘to loose the bonds of injustice, and to let the oppressed go free?’. Isaiah 58:6
Collect:
We praise you, God,
that the light of Christ shines in our darkness
and is never overcome;
show us the way we must go to eternal day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Readings: Isaiah 58: 1 – 9a & Matthew 5: 13 – 20
We will resume with our two morning services on Sunday February 8th
Our mid-week (Wednesday 10am Service) will resume on February 11th.
This year, we will be heading for an earlier than usual Easter.
This means that our holy season of Lent will be starting at a much earlier date also: Ash Wednesday on the 18th Feb.
In light of this, if your Home Group would be interested in studying the diocesan Lent Journey for this year, please let the Vicar know so that orders can be placed with Theology House.
“In the Spirit of Lent—Year A. This study centres around the Gospel readings from the Lectionary, with a series of striking artworks by Sarah West, and a written reflection for each week. Including prompts for deeper discussion and simple prayers, this is an ideal resource for small groups.
From Bishop Peter
This Friday is Waitangi Day.
Let's continue to pray for our nation, that we will grow more deeply in being a diversity-in-unity people. From a Tiriti perspective we are the diversity of two peoples signing the one covenant for our life together. From a contemporary perspective we are the diversity of people from many nations arriving on these shores through intervals of time, with multiple cultures being expressed through a diversity of customs, religious practices and everyday aspirations for a better life. On Waitangi Day we have an opportunity as a whole nation to ensure that we truly, deeply "love one another" (even if that phrase sourced from Jesus
himself is never used by any of our political leaders).
Messy Church
We are aiming to run one sometime in Term 1 next year.
See the photos below to see what our previous ‘Messy Church’ session looked like!
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
The church is currently being opened to the public each Thursday afternoon between 1 - 3pm.
This is a great opportunity for you or others you may know to walk through our beautiful doors and sit in the quiet holiness of our space.
Everyone is welcome, and we thank Kristine & Mick McKey for this ministry.
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)
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.