12th February 2025
With Bishop Steve, Melissa Wills, and Temiah, Channing and Emily-Rose Cyster at their confirmation on 2nd February.
Dear St Christopher’s Family
It has been a full and blessed few weeks since my return from annual leave, and I want to take a moment to share with you some of what has transpired in our church community.
On 30th January, I had the privilege of leading the graveside service for David Nicoll in Havelock. While he was not a parishioner, this was an opportunity to minister the love and hope of Christ to all who attended. At the afternoon tea, I had a meaningful conversation with an elderly couple from Blenheim who are not Christians but were open to discussing faith and the church. I shared my faith in Christ with them and warmly invited them to visit St Christopher’s, particularly our Eldercare programs.
Confirmation Service & Combined Worship
The highlight of 2nd February was our first combined service of the year, where we celebrated the confirmation of Melissa Wills, Temiah Cyster, Channing Cyster, and Emily-Rose Cyster. It was a joyful and Spirit-filled occasion attended by 139 people, and we were honoured to have our Bishop, along with Watiri and their friends, the Rev Paul and Rita Nzimbi, visiting from Kenya. Paul was later inducted as vicar of Victory Church in Nelson. Congratulations to our confirmands and their families! The shared luncheon that followed the service was a wonderful time of fellowship.
Midweek Communion – New Format
Our Wednesday 10 AM Communion Service has resumed with a new format: morning tea at 10 AM in the church lounge, followed by a shortened communion service at 10:30 AM. This has been well received, and we pray that more people will be drawn to this welcoming space.
Haere Mai Project (Christianity Explored)
We have begun planning for the Haere Mai Project, which will run from April to early June. This initiative aims to create welcoming spaces where people can explore the Christian faith through personal invitation, hospitality, and community. Christianity Explored will be hosted in home groups, introducing non-Christians to the hope in Christ while strengthening believers. I will share more about this in church this Sunday.
Messy Church Planning & Exciting Developments
Last Saturday, I chaired a planning retreat for the Messy Church Team. We reaffirmed its core values – Christ-centred, Hospitality, All Ages, Celebration, and Creativity. While we currently run Messy Church once per term due to limited resources, we are excited to announce a pilot Messy Church gathering during the upcoming school holidays! More details will follow soon.
Youth Ministry & Other Resuming Ministries
I also met with the Elevate Youth Leadership Team (Jonathan Tweeddale, Mark Rolston, and Mary Griffiths) to plan for the term ahead. Many other ministries have resumed, including home groups, fellowship groups, intercessory prayer, Jitterbugs, Chinese Bible Study, and Sunday School (starting this Sunday). We continue to pray for the right person to fill our Children and Families Worker vacancy.
New Sermon Series: “What is the Church?”
This past Sunday, we began a new teaching series on this vital question. From Ephesians 1:3-4, we saw that the church is a chosen people – sovereignly chosen, chosen in Christ, and chosen to be holy and blameless. Over the coming weeks, we will explore more of God's plan for His church.
Opportunities to Serve in Worship and Pastoral Care
At our 11 AM service last Sunday, Christie Rentoul spoke about the need for new singers, musicians, and sound and data operators to join our worship team. Please pray about this opportunity and consider getting involved. Ellen Anderson also shared plans to establish a pastoral care team for the 11 AM congregation. If you feel called to this ministry, please reach out to her.
Pam Brown’s Memorial Service
On Monday, we honoured the life of Pam Brown, who went home to be with the Lord last December at 96. Many from our church attended, making it a fitting and moving farewell for a beloved member.
Upcoming Events – Save the Dates!
Order of St Luke – 18th February, 1.15 PM (Church Lounge)
Corporate Prayer Meeting – 22nd February, 3-4 PM
Older Persons Seminar – 27th February
Men’s Breakfast – 1st March, 9 AM (Church Hall)
Messy Church – 2nd March, 4-6 PM (Church Hall)
World Day of Prayer – 7th March (Hosted at St Christopher’s)
Church AGM – 30th March (Nominations for People’s Warden & Vestry Members are open until 12th March. Forms are available at the back of the church.)
