E-NEWS 16 FEBRUARY 2024
This coming Sunday 18 February we have a special guest who will be preaching. But first some context. Cast your minds back four years. We were hearing more and more reports about the mysterious new virus found in China, which the World Health Organisation soon named COVID-19 (but possibly not soon enough). The first case was reported in New Zealand on 28 February 2020. A few weeks later, on 19 March the border was closed to all but NZ citizens and permanent residents and on 25 March the entire country went into lockdown. The first death in the country was reported on 29 March. Amid the turmoil, I recall being somewhat pre-occupied with the question of how on earth we could hold Sunday worship in these circumstances. Somehow, we managed with the invaluable assistance of many volunteers, especially our Associate Ministers, as well as some guests, and our technical volunteer Thomas Gray. Thomas created coherent videos out of recorded fragments that members of our community could watch in our own homes at 10 am on Sunday morning – or anytime thanks to YouTube. That was the beginning of the COVID years.
It wouldn’t be right to refer to the COVID years without mentioning that there were some sad consequences of the illness for a few members of our community, those who felt isolated and anxious, and those who became ill with the virus. We remember especially Graham Howell and John Morgan with much affection.
So how does our guest fit in? February and March 2020 also happened to be the time when we were arranging for Rev David Brown of San Francisco to spend a few weeks with us beginning at Easter to do supply (you’ll recall we were in a vacancy at the time). Both Jim Cunningham and I met David and his wife Diane during this time. We were looking forward on behalf of the Parish to having him lead Sunday worship for several weeks. However, once the border was closed, David decided that they needed to return home to the US, which was in hindsight a wise call. He kindly recorded an insightful Easter reflection for us from his home base, the Noe Valley Ministry Presbyterian Church. You can find it here: https://www.standrews.org.nz/archives/sunday-gatherings/sunday-gathering-easter-sunday-12-april-2020
I am delighted to report that David is back in New Zealand and he will be giving the reflection at St Andrew’s on The Terrace this coming Sunday 18 February. It will be wonderful to meet him and hear more about what he has been doing since February 2020. Jim Cunningham will welcome him on behalf of Fei, who is still on leave. Please do come to hear and give David a joyful welcome on Sunday. David was quite accidentally part of our COVID story in 2020.
In other news Jennifer Bush has been in touch this week. Jennifer, a long-standing member of our community, returned to the UK last September after a decades-long absence, to re-settle there. She reports that has found a faith community in Walton which is southwest of London, also called St Andrew’s, and is in the process of buying a flat in the nearby town of Shepperton. Jennifer loves to keep up with St Andrew’s on The Terrace through the weekly Enews. Jennifer, we send you our aroha and very best wishes for the finalisation of the sale and happy moving day.
Next week on 25 February, Fei will be back from Samoa. She will lead morning worship at the usual time of 10 am. At 2 pm Fei will lead a commemoration service jointly with Rev Te Tokaia from Te Kakano on the Petone foreshore. We will remember the Rev John Macfarlane of Scotland and his followers who arrived on the Bengal Merchant in Pito-one harbour on 21 February 1840 and who two days later, on 23 February, held their first service on that sandy beach. I have no doubt they gave thanks to God for their safe arrival and prayed for courage as they faced their new life. These men and women, who established the Scotch Kirk on Lambton Quay, were the founding community of St Andrew’s on The Terrace. It is fitting to remember and honour them 184 years after this event, alongside our friends in Te Kakano.
Arohanui
Lynne
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/abafd1f13419/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9437592
