29 January 2025

Dear Church Family

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! I trust that this letter finds you well and refreshed as we begin a new season together in the life of our church. 

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your prayers and support during my recent holiday break with my family. It was a time of much-needed rest and renewal, and we have returned energised and excited for the year ahead. It is a privilege to be back among our church family, ready to serve the Lord together. 

I am excited to invite you to our special combined service this Sunday, the 2nd of February, at 10.30AM. This will be a joyous occasion as we celebrate the confirmation of Melissa Wills, Temiah Cyster, Channing Cyster and Emily-Rose Cyster. We are honoured to have Bishop Steve joining us for this service. He will perform the confirmations, as well preach and lead us in Communion. It is always a blessing to have him with us, and I know this will be a memorable and uplifting time for our church family. Following the service we will gather for a shared celebratory luncheon. If you are able, please bring a plate of finger food to share as we continue the fellowship and rejoice together in this special moment for our confirmands and their families. 

Please keep Rev Pam Holdgate and her family in your prayers. Pam’s grandson Xeno in Australia, who was only 24 years old, was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident last week. Pam will travel to Australia tomorrow to attend Xeno’s service on Friday. This is a time of deep sorrow for their family, and we pray that God’s comforting presence will surround them, granting them strength, peace and the assurance of His love in their grief.

I ask for your prayers as I lead the graveside service for David Nicoll in Havelock tomorrow. Though David was not a member of our church, this is an opportunity to minister to those who mourn. May God grant me wisdom and grace to bring words of comfort and hope to his family and friends.

Our Adult Baptism Course is set to begin on the 9th of February and will run for a total of six sessions. Please pray for me as I teach this class, and for all those who will be participating. May the Lord guide us all in this journey of faith, deepening our understanding and commitment to Christ. 

We continue our search for a Children and Families Worker, a crucial role in our ministry. The deadline for applications has now been extended to the 23rd of February. Let us ask the Lord to lead the right person to this role, someone with a heart children and families and a passion for nurturing faith in the next generation. 

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. I look forward to gathering with you this Sunday for worship, celebration, and community.

With every blessing

Deo

Rev Dr Deo Vistar
Vicar

What is Confirmation?

Confirmation is the rite at which those who have been baptised seek the blessing of the Holy Spirit for their growth as Christians. The confirmation candidates first confirm the promises of their baptism. Then the Bishop lays hands on them, praying that God’s Spirit will confirm, strengthen and guide them to live out their faith in their everyday lives. Confirmation is grounded in Scripture: the Apostles prayed for, and laid their hands on, those who had already been baptised (2 Timothy 1:6–7; Acts 8:14–17; 19:6).

What happens at Confirmation?

The candidates renew their baptismal vows before the Bishop and, as in Baptism, the congregation is asked to support the candidates in their life of faith. The Bishop then asks each candidate by name, ‘Do you … believe and accept the Christian faith into which you are baptised?’

The candidates then affirm their faith, together with the congregation, in the words of the Apostles’ Creed. After this, they kneel before the Bishop, who lays hands on each one, praying:

‘Confirm … O Lord, with Your heavenly grace, that N may continue to be Yours for ever, and daily increase in Your Holy Spirit more and more until he/she comes to Your eternal Kingdom. Amen.’

What happens after Confirmation?

By making a public affirmation of faith the candidates take responsibility for themselves as members of Christ’s Church. When the Bishop asks, ‘Will you proclaim by word and deed the good news of God in Christ?’ and ‘Will you seek and serve Christ in all people, loving your neighbour as yourself?’, the candidates respond, ‘With the help of God, I will.’ This demonstrates both their commitment and their recognition of their dependence on God to live in discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Considering Confirmation? 

If you are considering confirmation and would like to learn more, please feel free to speak with the Vicar, who will gladly answer any questions you may have. 

Deo Vistar