FIRST CHURCH OF OTAGO - WHAT’S ON DURING AUGUST 2015 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF OTAGO 415 Moray Place, Dunedin SERVICES SUNDAY AUGUST 2 WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays 1.30pm Mah Jong - McLean Room NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 2015 10.00am –Morning Worship Rev Dr Tokerau Joseph Thursdays 7.30pm Bells Practice 10am DUTIES: Ian Mitchell (471 0335) Margaret Mitchell, June Evans , FIRST CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT Jean Kirk Finance Margaret Mitchell “We are striving to become a truly multi-cultural community, providing a warm, creative and affirming home base, enabling TEA/COFFEE: Loraine Denniston and June Hastie WHAT’S ON DURING August us to reach out with the Good News to those working and living in the inner-city and beyond.” TUES 11 4.30pm Property Committee 12noon - Cook Islands Maria Rouvi WED 12 6.00pm SESSION Message from The Reverend Dr Tokerau Joseph 2.00pm - Samoan Service Rev Dr Tokerau Joseph Mon 17 4.00pm Finance Committee WED 19 7.30pm DEACONS COURT Mission as our response to God’s calling is central to our life as SERVICES SUNDAY AUGUST 9 FIRST CHURCH YOUTH 10.00am –Morning Worship the church. This week I was blessed to have had an opportunity this month Saturday 10am Door Duties: Glenn Marshall ( 481 7157) Morva Marshall, Shirley APW MEETING to chat with Fairley Sim who is the new Dunedin-based worker Brown, Tony Stevely. Finance: Tony Stevely TUESDAY AUGUST 18th 2pm in 22 August – Moana Pool – for SIM (Serving in Mission). SIM is an inter-denominational 10am TEA/COFFEE: Ian and Margaret Mitchell McLean Room guest Speaker Rev meet at 12 noon at the pool – evangelical organization that encourages congregations and 12noon - Cook Islands John Sinclair “Poison from Vanuatu” bring a picnic lunch. individual members to be involved with both global and local 2.00pm - Samoan Service Rev Alofa Lale to other treasured items recently For more information, talk to missions. Involvement may include serving directly in mission donated to the Heritage Centre— Tokerau or Angel areas or supporting existing churches or mission agencies in their SERVICES SUNDAY AUGUST 16 Welcome to all . Usual Sales Table work. What was clear in the course of our conversations was the 10.00am –Morning Worship Rev Dr Tokerau Joseph view that all of us in the church, regardless of age or (in)ability, 10am DUTIES: DUTIES:Foalima Lemalu ( 453 4210), Loraine Denniston, NIGHT SHELTER STREET APPEAL 28 July 1 August - can be involved with reaching out to others with the good news Liz Knife, Nan Rickard, Finance: Nan Rickard Needs collectors - please ring Jean 472 7456, 027 of Jesus Christ. TEA/COFFEE: Isobel Napper and John Takacs 3382 757 if you wish to help out. 12noon - Cook Islands ` Tengaru Paniora More challenging, however, was the idea of mission involving people being sent out. Often FAITH THINKING – short courses for continuing education 2.00pm - Samoan Service Rev Dr T Joseph there can be a big gap between what we aspire to about mission and the reality of that. The Protestant Reformation and the Breaking of the Western SERVICES SUNDAY AUGUST 23 Church Associate Professor Tim Cooper, Department of Theology Thinking and talking about mission seems easier than putting them into action. Instead of 10.00am –Morning Worship Tengaru Paniora and Religion. Friday July 31st, 7-9pm and Saturday August 1st, 9- being sent out to serve in mission activities, it might seem more comfortable and reasonable 12.30 Burns 5 (Albany Street), University of Otago Tuesday 4 August – Dunedin to reserve such activities to a mental and verbal exercise with other Christians. Serving in 10am DUTIES:Brian Williscroft ( 453 1257) Noeleen Williscroft , Isobel North Otago Resource Group Napper Finance: Joyce Dyer A Closer Look at Christian Leadership—Pastor Peter Tate, Senior mission is also costly to people in more ways than one. The reality is that although mission is Pastor at Nations Christian Church 6pm: Meal @ $10 each; 7pm: TEA/COFFEE: Jean Kirk and Chitra Kumarasinghe integral to our life as Christians and as a congregation, it is not easy. 7.00-9.00pm on three Mondays: August 17, 24 and 31. Devotions & Speaker 12noon - Cook Islands ` K Rouvi Nations Christian Church, 334 King Edward Street, South Dunedin Synod Youth Worker, First Church of Otago is a worshipping and missional congregation. We have strong historical 2.00pm - Samoan Service S Faatoese Wrestling with Romans: Part 1 – the Impact and Importance of Brad Kellerman speaking on roots of these aspects in our city and region. Yet times have changed. Today we may feel SERVICES SUNDAY AUGUST 30 Romans 1-8 for the church of the 21st Century 'Keeping our Youth safe' Dr Chris Caradus 7.00-9.00pm on three Wednesdays: September confident of ourselves as being a worshipping community, but how would we describe our- 10.00am –Service celebrating 150th anniversary of the first Dunedin City 9, 16 and 23 Burns 5 (Albany Street), University of Otago Mosgiel Presbyterian Church, 9 selves as a missional church? Perhaps we could argue that our worship and other activities Corporation’s first meeting in August 1865 Church St, Mosgiel (such as through our Heritage Centre) are our missional activities to visitors. I would agree 10am DUTIES:Russell Duff ( 476 3494) Heather McFarlane, Opara Rich- Suffering and Evil as a Challenge to Faith: Philosophical, Theologi- cal and Pastoral Responses For Ministers, Presbytery Elders with this. But what about mission activities in terms of being sent out to engage with others ard , Ma’ara Williams Finance: Russell Duff Professor Murray Rae, Department of Theology and Religion. and other in the Resource Group with the good news of Christ beyond the familiarity of our premises and comfort zones? How TEA/COFFEE: Shirley Brown and Liz Knight 7.00-9.00pm on three Wednesdays: October 7, 14 and 21 Area. RSVP: for meal by 31st July are we do this as followers of Jesus and as a faith community? 12noon - Cook Islands Burns 5 (Albany Street), University of Otago to Joan Ayson Home (03) 489 2.00pm - Samoan Service Each Course costs $20. For further information go to: http://www.otago.ac.nz/theology/news/otago055227.html 4884; Mobile: 027 221 0338 In reflecting on the lectionary for the last few weeks, I cannot help but recognize the challenge PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE AT www.otago.ac.nz/ E-mail:
Page 4 News From Tengaru Paniora, First Church Intern MESSAGE FROM THE REVEREND ANNE THOMSON Greetings to you all and I hope that everything is going well for you this winter. As for me, last Saturday night was my first experience of what it is like to drive on icy roads, as I was on my way to pick up my daughter at work (Cadburys). Luckily there Dear First Church folk, was no accident but I had to call off the trip. This was the reason why you didn’t see me at the morning service on Sunday This year marks two significant anniversaries within our church – 60 years since women were first because I didn’t want to take the risk. ordained as elders within the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and 50 years since women were ordained to the ministry of word and sacrament. Over 80 people gathered at Knox Church on 19 July to Last month was Geoff New’s induction as Dean of Studies for KCML held at Knox College. A great number attended which mark these anniversaries. A number of First Church elders were there, including Joyce Dyer. While Joyce included, Ministers, Presbytery (Southland) members, KCML staff, and students. Also present were Andrew Norton Moderator of was perhaps not the longest ordained (since 1969), I am fairly confident that she was the oldest woman the Presbyterian church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Rose Luxford, Moderator of Otago Presbytery who both played an elder present. important role in the service for the induction of Geoff New. It was a great evening and everyone enjoyed each other’s company. - Finally, the last block course was Graham Redding’s final lecture at Knox college. Students were saddened by this All women elders and ministers were invited to sit at the front, and together shared the blessings at the news, but offered their gratitude to Graham for his gifts and knowledge that he had contributed to their learning and training. end of the service. Rev Rose Luxford, moderator of the Southern Presbytery, preached. That’s all from me, do take good care and may the good Lord continue to bless you in everything you do. Stories were told. Rev. Iris Woods, who had first been ordained as a deaconess, was ordained as minister of word and sacrament and served in Tahunanui, the Maniototo and Lyttleton parishes. Mrs Joan Sinclair was ordained as A Plea from KOREA an elder in the Caversham parish and served not only in the parish but also nationally and at Presbytery - Joan was Clerk of When Korea was liberated from the Japanese occupation in 1945 the United States seized control of the Southern area South of the 38th parallel while Dunedin Presbytery for a number of years. the North fell under the control of the Soviet Union/Chines forces. As with other post war division of territories there was little consideration of the
Within the service, opportunity was given to remember women elders and ministers who had influenced our common people of the area and families were separated along this arbitrary boundary. Attempts by the Northern administration to reunite the two areas by force led to the Korean was in which New Zealand forces found themselves involved, own lives. A bare branch was standing at the front of the church. We each had a piece of coloured card on The war has never ended. A truce was signed but there is no peace agreement. The North struggles to feed its people while expending huge sums on which to write the names of the women we wanted to remember, and these were hung on the branch. munitions- including possibly nuclear armaments -while the South has been subject to dictatorship leaderships that fail to recognise the general desire Suddenly it was transformed! for true democracy. The New Zealand Presbyterian Church has family links with the Korean Presbyterian Church as we have observed and the hopes for a real peace become I am aware that it has been seven years since I was ordained at First Church and have been your minister. part of our desire. For many of you, I was your first woman minister – yet you have never made me feel that there was anything particularly different While the policies of the governments of the two parts are unable to agree the people of the North suffer serious food shortfalls and the people of the of difficult about that. That, I think, is a good thing, and testimony to how far we have come in the past 50 years. south suffer the dictatorship. The United States cannot release its responsibility for the South and the Sino-Soviet government of the North rejects the prospect of a democratic reconciliation. And the people of Korea suffer the pain. For the next two months I will be overseas with Ian, partly holiday, but half of the time will be study leave. I am looking forward to Thinking Christians recognise that any reunification must be prepared to recognise the tensions that would strain any simple reunification but the de- seeing how churches in Britain engage with tourists and to bring back some ideas that we could try here at First and in other structive state imposed on both parts of Korea can not be allowed to continue to cripple its people in the way of the past 50 years. places in NZ. I look forward to being back with you all in October. - God bless you all, Anne A possible solution may be a agreement that while linking the two areas also recognises the two forms of administration. Clearly the Korean Christians pray for such a solution. Speaking in First Church on Sunday 19 July Dr Lee said: NEWS FROM SESSION CLERK– NAN RICKARD “It is evident that to achieve reunification is going to be very hard. But we live in a world where apartheid ended, a world in which the Berlin Wall was dismantled, a world where dry bones on the floor of the valley can come to life. I believe God said to us "join the two Koreas together into one so that they Greetings. We were forced to hold the Session Meeting a week later due to the snowy conditions on the 8th will become one in your hand". In South Korea are there many peoples and civic organization devoted to paving various ways to recover good inter- Korean relationships and to achieve peaceful reunification. July, and we met on 15th July at 5.30 pm before the Deacons’ Court Meeting. In June 2015, Rt Rev Andrew Jesus broke down the dividing wall of hostility between us and created a new being. He reconciliated us to God in one body through the cross. Korean Norton, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand compiled a ‘White Paper’ entitled Christianity should carry the cross of reunification and follow the way of Jesus' peace. The peaceful unification of Korea is needed for peace in Asia, for “A Matter of Faith” which was to be discussed by Parish Councils throughout the country. The theme of this peace in our world. I invite you to pray for our country's reunification as you pray for peace in our world. We are one body in God.” paper was to set out the current position of the Presbyterian Church in numbers, its presence in the A copy of the full text of Dr Lee’s address is available at the First Church office. community and the spiritual vitality of the Church. He states that while some will look at statistics or the condition of our buildings to assess our health, he believes we need to take a deep look into the spiritual vitality of congregations and members. He also believes that as Presbyterians we have lost an understanding of ‘we’ as congregationalism has become our default NOT A SECRET SOCIETY! - When the decision was taken recently to replace the ailing organ at First Church the Deacon’s system for operation. Once we saw ourselves as a national movement, now we are a loose collection of congregations. We Court of First Church- which includes the Finance Committee- initially wondered how we could afford the replacement. gather together every two years and wave the ‘Presbyterian’ flat, yet return home to do our own thing. But only briefly. A request to the Society of the Friends of First Church yielded an immediate offer of $10,000.—The rest is mu- First Church Session discussed these two questions, raising the following points:- sic!!! But what is this Society that can come up with instant finance for such a project? Declining church attendance will mean more merges of congregations, especially in the cities. The Society of the Friends of First Church was established on the initiative of Mr S.G.McDonald in 1957 the following We should be listening to each other. objectives: Should we be like the disciples and be ‘sent out’ to engage with the community? 1. To care for the church and its preservation for posterity. More discussion will take place at the next Session Meeting where we also have to look at decisions made at the General 2, The adornment and furnishing of the Church. Assembly held in October 2014. 3. The safeguarding of the amenity of the Church and the beautifying of its surroundings, And of all glad words of prose or rhyme, 4. The encouragement of research into the history of the Church and the publication of suitable literature. The gladdest are, “Act while there yet is time.” (Franklin P Adams) Membership of the Society is not limited to members of the congregation of the Church or indeed to a particular faith or denomination and a small annual subscription is the only cost. A committee is elected at the Annual Meeting and it deals with requests and suggestions for projects and reports annually to the RADIO CHURCH – Sunday 8.30-9.00am - OAR FM 105.4FM Presbyterian Support Food Bank Despite the tremendous response to the congregation or otherwise as is appropriate.—Recent projects include the new pew cushions in the church Each Sunday morning a pre-recorded service of worship is offered to our Octa-Can appeal last month, the shelves at wider community by members of the Dunedin Inner City Ministers’ Associ- The next Annual Meeting of the Society will take place on the food bank are now looking ‘back to ation. Shut-in folk, people in rest-homes, in hospital, travellers and anyone normal’. Plenty of baked beans, spaghetti and Thursday, 8th October at 2 pm in the Burn’s Hall vestibule. else who cannot attend church services can tune in to: fruit were donated, but there is a need for The guest speaker at that meeting will be Mr Phil Somerville. Afternoon tea will follow. Otago Access Radio 105.4 FM more tinned vegetables (corn, tomatoes) and tinned fish. Come and join us. Annual subscription is $10 Life Membership is $100 or worship with us online via www.oar.org.nz Pasta sauce and spreads are also in demand, and the food The Present Committee is : Rev Anne Thomson: Chair, Rev Brian Williscroft: Sec. Jean Kirk, Treasurer, Mrs Jenny each Sunday morning from 8.30 am – 9.00 am. bank can never have too much toilet paper. Otago Access Radio FM's annual Music Quiz is one of Dunedin's best nights Alloo, Mrs Patricia LeonardTough, Fred Bridger, Rev John Sinclair. Each Sunday, goods for the Food Bank are included in the out. Register your team of 4-6 people now and come along to the Leith Bowl- offering at 10am, supporting this vital work of Presbyterian ing Club, 2 Duke St, Woodhaugh on Thursday 13 August at 6.30pm (email Support in our city. After floods and bitter cold, the needs seen [email protected] or phone the station on 471 6161). at the Food Bank remain urgent.
Page 2 Page 3