Hello everyone!
Happy New Year. Welcome to 2018
The year has started with auspicious signs, a heatwave, an almost-cyclone and a super, blue, blood moon! The latter is a real problem as all those things you think you will do once the blue moon is here are now due! (smile). More seriously, any illusions I might have held that climate change would be a slow, steady, orderly rise in temperatures are shattered. Weather extremes are causing pain, suffering and dislocation. Can we stem the tide? Can you make at least one new year’s resolution for alleviating climate change. Look at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/10-solutions-for-climate-change/ or https://www.greenpeace.org/archive-international/en/campaigns/climate-change/Solutions/What-you-can-do/
There’s a great year shaping up for St Andrew’s. Here are some of the highlights:
The Pride Festival runs from February 24 to March 10. Look for the events provided.
Lloyd Geering, our Theologian in Residence, turns 100 at the end of February. He will preach in the March 4 Gathering. We’ll celebrate with a “good morning tea” afterwards.
Lent begins on St Valentine’s Day! Plan for the Ash Wednesday Gathering at 6.15pm that day.
Transgender Day of Visibility is Easter Saturday, March 31. Events TBC.
Easter Day is on April Fool’s Day (now there’s an irony!)
On Sunday April 29 we will celebrate the Wellington signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Te Kakano will join us for the occasion.
As well, all our other usual events will resume – Centering Prayer (Thurs, 12.30pm), Cuppa and Chat (Wed, 10.30am), congregation brunches and conversations, Exploring Faith study group and the Social Justice Education group will all happen after church. Parish Council, Organ Restoration Group, Health and Safety Committee, Facilities and Finance Management Group, Pastoral Convenors, and St Andrew’s Study Trust all continue their work this month. Lunchtime concerts restart Feb 14. Planning re-commences for Spirited Conversations to start in May and for the Progressive Christianity Conference, Sept 5-7.
This is what we do and how we do it. Have you really pondered lately why we do all this ‘how’ and ‘what’? We will ponder that this Sunday when we acknowledge the Treaty and what covenants are all about. The blog I’ll write today is on this too. https://www.standrews.org.nz/news-and-blog/ See you Sunday!
Susan
To view the full e-news click on this link: http://mailchi.mp/81f68d9a6b2b/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-1363877
