Parish Activities - Anglican Parish of Pauatahanui

This informal group meets on Tuesday afternoons at 3.30pm in the Parish Centre, to discuss with the Vicar and others the readings for the following Sunday and to have input into the sermon that will be preached. Everyone is welcome.

Explorations

The objective of the group is to explore connections between faith, spirituality and current social issues.

It is an informal discussion group, meeting monthly (in the Parish Centre on the 4th Monday) looking at current issues from a Christian perspective. Recent topics have been as diverse as Fundamentalism and Green Christianity. The group has also investigated familiar Christian and Anglican rituals and writings to establish their relevance to us in New Zealand in the 21st century.

To find out more please contact the Parish Office.

The Geoh Connection (God’s earth our home)

God's Earth Our Home

Geoh is a meeting of environmental novices seeking to learn how to care more for God's Earth.
The group meet on the first Sunday of the month to discover and reflect on what it means to care for God's Earth which is our home. To assist us we are using material prepared by the Dunedin Diocese. Topics we have coming up include: Giving the Earth a rest - using resources sustainably; Distribution of resources - the role of social justice; Being wealthy - moving beyond material measures.

As well we plan to have at least one practical project over the year. As it is election year we plan to facilitate political debate on environmental issues with a community meeting with the candidates.

We have a social time 6:30 -7:00pm where we meet over a simple meal. The Geoh time lasts an hour starting at 7.00pm.

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Study Groups

Living The Questions

Living The Questions is a short term weekly programme where participants are invited to explore the questions they are asking about:
How do we live in today’s world as Christians?
Is Christianity a way forward in the 21st Century?
Does Christianity have relevance in the complex world we live in?

This series of Living The Questions has been bought by the Parish to support those wanting to explore their faith more deeply, wanting to meet others and discuss issues of importance beyond materialism, consumerism, and the impact of capitalism. It is also for people whose faith can be nurtured more when in dialogue with others.
The format and process offered can have reliance for those who have ‘lost their way’ in their journey of life and desire to know ‘if there is a God’; or asking the serious questions such as, ‘How is God working in today’s world?’ and, ‘Is there a heaven and hell?’
It is for all who desire community and soul talk. Although most of contributors and presenters on the DVD presentations are American it may be helpful for participants to appreciate that discussions will assist us ground our theology in Aotearoa/NZ, in our daily lives and in our communities, in our places of work and in our homes. The academics and the theologians provide the current thinking and insights for ordinary folk like you and me. They say..
‘The more I learn the less I know’….
‘The more I live the more questions I have’ and
‘I now don’t mind saying, ‘I don’t know’
There are admissions of doubt and an openness to say, ‘I used to be so sure.. now I am not!’

To join a group, register by leaving your name and phone number at the Parish Office 233 9781 or pauanglican@xtra.co.nz

A Study Group meets following the 10.00am service on Thursdays at St Andrew's. We enjoy fellowship over morning tea and the study lasts for about an hour. The subjects range from Bible studies and religions of the world to change in the church in the 21st century. The subjects generate plenty of comment and sharing from the group.

Check the Pauatahanui News for up-to-date information about Study Groups.

Meditation Group

The Meditation group meet in Jenny’s room, next to the office at the Parish Centre. The session is from 7.00 -8.0 pm on Mondays, every second month recommencing in February 2008.

There is a long tradition of Christian meditation going back to the monks, both men and women, who followed a simple prayer style in the North African desert in the fourth century.

We follow a simple format of gathering, an inspirational reading or teaching and then silence for 20-30 minutes. Many people find meditation in a small group very supportive in deepening their prayer.

Check the Pauatahanui News for up-to-date information about the Meditation Group.

Shared Lunch

An open and welcoming group of people who meet in the Parish Centre, on the third Tuesday of the month at 12.30pm, to eat and talk together.

Divine Caterers

The Divine Catering team provides high quality services for anniversaries, 'special' birthdays, funerals, book launches or for whatever event you require catering. New helpers are welcomed to our high standard catering team!

Please contact the Parish Office for more information.

Mission Support

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full. Proverbs 19:17

Our Church horizons go beyond the parish boundaries. We are committed to the world-wide mission of God's Church.

Five Mission Challenges

To pray
To give
To go
To support
To hear the stories from missionaries

The Anglican Missions Board in relationship with agencies such as the Church Missionary Society and Christian World Service enables the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, in a spirit of partnership, to share in the global dimension to Christ's mission of proclaiming the Gospel, nurturing believers, responding to human need, transforming society, and caring for creation. It achieves this by:

Challenging Christians constantly to enlarge their sense of mission
Raising funds for global missions
Resourcing associated Anglican mission agencies

We have set ourselves an Annual Target for giving to the Anglican Mission Board. There are different ways for people to give towards this target;

To have a Mission Box - available from our churches
To fill in the slip which comes with the Parish Giving envelope and so give regularly in your envelope along with your parish giving.
By Direct Debit to the parish specifying how much is to go to Missions

Jesus said, Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. Mark 16:15

Find out more: www.cws.org.nz www.nzcms.org.nz www.rangatahi.org.nz/angmissions

Music

Music! Our vision, to be 'Church of choice, church with choice, church for community', means we encourage diversity of music which reflects the diverse flavours of our eleven different congregations. The choir or the music group lead the worship and singing at various services throughout the Parish. The Youth Choir is called Pauas. Each of these expressions of music would appreciate new members!

Together in Song is our parish hymn book and is used in most of our services.

See further details in the Music & Choir section.

Prayers & Squares - The Prayer Quilt Ministry

Our Parish is privileged to be the first New Zealand Chapter of the Prayer Quilt Ministry.

Can you touch a prayer?
Can you pull it close and feel its comfort?
You can if it is part of a Prayer Quilt.

What is a Prayer Quilt?

It is a statement of our faith and belief in God's power to comfort, strengthen and heal. Prayer Quilts are lap-sized comforters with prayers knotted into them. As each knot is tied prayers are offered for the person who is to receive the Prayer Quilt. When fully tied the Prayer Quilt is given as a gift of love and prayer. Anyone who is facing a special need for prayer - be it physical, emotional or spiritual - may receive a prayer quilt provided they accept the gift of prayer in this form.

"It's not about the quilt; it's all about the prayers." Living the Questions

Our Chapter meet in the Parish Centre each Wednesdays, 9am-noon (except the 1st Wednesday of the month). Please come and join us. We need people to help with sewing, sorting fabrics, making morning tea and a host of other tasks, or just pop in and join us for coffee and/or a chat - we will be delighted to see you.

Read more about Prayers & Squares or alternatively contact the Parish Office.

Good Neighbours

This group meets in the Parish Centre to compile and distribute the monthly magazine, Pauatahanui Messenger. New helpers are always welcomed.

To find out more please contact the Parish Office.

Friendship Group at St. Mark's

The Friendship Group meets in Pukerua Bay in St Mark's Lounge on the first Wednesday in the month at 10.30am. You are welcome to join us for Holy Communion at 9.45am. All residents of the Bay and the Parish are welcome to attend.

Our programme is varied and compiled from members’ suggestions at the February meeting. We have had various speakers, quizzes, outings to places of interest in the Wellington area, and sometimes we just have a chat session. Always popular is the picnic at Aotea Lagoon . Community outreach is what it's all about. We join together for movie outings and are open to suggestions for other activities. We are very happy to provide transport.

To find out more please contact the Parish Office.

Women's Fellowship (AAW)

A friendly group of women linked to the New Zealand Association of Anglican Women. We meet on the 4th Tuesday of each month from February to November.

The primary function of the group is to provide friendship and support for each other as needed. We also support and fundraise for Overseas and Outreach Projects and social concerns.

The meetings comprise a short prayer service followed by a business meeting and speaker, concluding with supper.

To find out more please contact the Parish Office. See also the Wellington AAW website.

Men's Group

An occasional evening of fellowship, food and an absorbing after-dinner address.

Check the Pauatahanui News or Messenger for the date of the next dinner.

To find out more please contact the Parish Office.

Fundraising

Fundraising projects in the parish are times of great fellowship. Working together on these activities has forged deep and lasting friendships. We have had garage sales, theatre nights, art exhibitions, fairs, galas, cake stalls, and Harvest Fairs … Two on-going projects support the Parish.

The Firewood Project is an excellent fundraiser. This team of keen people turn out on Saturday mornings to saw, split, stack and sell firewood. Generally it is light work and there are several women in the team. Heavier work is done by the younger, sturdier members.

The team works on a Saturday morning from 9am until 12 noon. Usually the venue is a parishioner's farm off Paekakariki Hill Road, but sometimes at other places. It is all good fun and fellowship and everyone enjoys a cool beer or a lemonade at the end of the morning's work. We welcome anyone interested in joining the team.

To join the Firewood Project,please contact the Parish Office.