Coming Up…
Friday 14th at 11am - Memorial service for Murray Fowler at the Tasman community hall
Sunday (after the 10am service) 11.30am LOSING IT - play as we struggle with dementia
Wednesday 19th – tree is erected
Sunday evening 23rd – carols under the tree.
Don’t forget:
Every Thursday morning Selwyn Centre – for those over 65 – come and have fun
Every Friday morning – Cuppa and fellowship open to EVERYONE!
If you would like to begin a financial contribution please let Diane know or simply go in line and set up a direct debit with your name as reference. Bank account is St Matthews Church 02 0368 0027228 00.
If you would like communion brought to your home please let Val know – we have a number of people willing to bring communion to people in their homes. Please don’t be shy to ask.
Our Church NO longer has a rubbish collection. If you have any Council Bags (pink or black) the church would love to have them as we have to transport all the rubbish to the dump. If you have room in your bins – please contact the Parish Office on Tuesday mornings and we would really appreciate being able to add some to your bin 😊
Vicar: Val Riches 078880878 or 0274448286, Lance 0275553286 Email [email protected]
The newsletter can be opened as a PDF from the Weekly Service Sheets page and can be requested to arrive in your email box by filling in the form in the Subscribe to Newsletter page.
Loaves and Fishes can be opened on the Loaves and Fishes page.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Val Writes: Although the fair is the main fund raiser for the parish, it is also a great connecting time. Working together under the relaxed, warm leadership of Melanie makes the fair a great day of fellowship. As well people who can no longer attend church regularly, came and it was great catchup time.
At the fair one of the stall holders had a bad turn and the ambulance had to be called. It made us realise how important it is to have a contact person for each of us –if this is something you would like to opt into – please give us the information and we can keep it filed in the office, ready to be used if necessary. Please reply to this email with name and contact details – or complete form available at the back of the church. In this case she rallied enough to tell us where her granddaughter lived and we could go and contact her physically as we had no phone number. She is now recovering, staying with her daughter who lives in Whitianga.
This week some people acknowledged Guy Fawkes. On Wednesday I happened to be on a zoom call to Australia – I learnt that NO states in Australia have Guy Fawkes!!!! Why are we still celebrating the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, an attempt by a group of Catholic conspirators to assassinate King James I and the Protestant aristocracy by blowing up the Houses of Parliament!?!?
Meanwhile NZ could recognize Parihaka on Nov 5th. The principles of the leaders of Parihaka - Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi, believed in passive resistance not violence. The British army invaded on a Sunday morning Nov 5th 1881 and met the people worshipping and having given fresh bread to soldiers that morning. No mercy was shown by the attackers as they imprisoned many of the men in SI prisons. Hundreds of men from Parihaka and surrounding areas were held in various South Island prisons for extended periods, some for as long as 16 months without trial. While many of the women were raped and the village destroyed.
However it was the passive resistance demonstrated at Parihaka that later inspired Ghandi in his actions of passive resistance in India. And can I suggest initially inspired by Christ!! Peace is not a soft option, passive resistance can be a courageous stand.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
At the fair one of the stall holders had a bad turn and the ambulance had to be called. It made us realise how important it is to have a contact person for each of us –if this is something you would like to opt into – please give us the information and we can keep it filed in the office, ready to be used if necessary. Please reply to this email with name and contact details – or complete form available at the back of the church. In this case she rallied enough to tell us where her granddaughter lived and we could go and contact her physically as we had no phone number. She is now recovering, staying with her daughter who lives in Whitianga.
This week some people acknowledged Guy Fawkes. On Wednesday I happened to be on a zoom call to Australia – I learnt that NO states in Australia have Guy Fawkes!!!! Why are we still celebrating the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, an attempt by a group of Catholic conspirators to assassinate King James I and the Protestant aristocracy by blowing up the Houses of Parliament!?!?
Meanwhile NZ could recognize Parihaka on Nov 5th. The principles of the leaders of Parihaka - Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi, believed in passive resistance not violence. The British army invaded on a Sunday morning Nov 5th 1881 and met the people worshipping and having given fresh bread to soldiers that morning. No mercy was shown by the attackers as they imprisoned many of the men in SI prisons. Hundreds of men from Parihaka and surrounding areas were held in various South Island prisons for extended periods, some for as long as 16 months without trial. While many of the women were raped and the village destroyed.
However it was the passive resistance demonstrated at Parihaka that later inspired Ghandi in his actions of passive resistance in India. And can I suggest initially inspired by Christ!! Peace is not a soft option, passive resistance can be a courageous stand.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The original St. Matthew's was dedicated 31st May, 1895. It was replaced by the new building in 1959.
Read more on the About us page.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Read more on the About us page.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
November 9th, 2025
Readings: Joel 2:22-32 Psalm 65 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Luke 18:9-14
Sentence: And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions
Collect: Jesus our Lord, you have taught us that judgement begins at the house of God; save us from our self-satisfaction, rigidity and corruption, so that we may stand ready to do your will; for the glory of your holy name. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Readings: Joel 2:22-32 Psalm 65 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Luke 18:9-14
Sentence: And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions
Collect: Jesus our Lord, you have taught us that judgement begins at the house of God; save us from our self-satisfaction, rigidity and corruption, so that we may stand ready to do your will; for the glory of your holy name. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
PREPARATION FOR SUNDAY.
Haggai 1:15b–2:9
Question: Reflecting on your lowest point in your life, how did you or would you see God is present with you?
Prayer: O God, may the presence of your Holy Spirit accompany us whenever we go.
Psalm 145:1-5,16-20
Question: Let’s reflect on how God has been with you. What are the gracious and merciful works of God in your life?
Prayer: Ever-present God, may you dwell in us and may our life be a life-giving presence for others.
Thess 2:1-5,13-17
Question: How do you discern the voice of the Spirit amid temptations that occur in life?
Prayer: O Lord, give us strength to endure any evil temptation and wisdom to discern your true teachings.
Luke 20-38
Question: What does it mean to say that God is the God of the living?
Prayer: O Christ, just as you have defeated the death, help us to be a life-bringer in whatever we do and wherever we are.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Haggai 1:15b–2:9
Question: Reflecting on your lowest point in your life, how did you or would you see God is present with you?
Prayer: O God, may the presence of your Holy Spirit accompany us whenever we go.
Psalm 145:1-5,16-20
Question: Let’s reflect on how God has been with you. What are the gracious and merciful works of God in your life?
Prayer: Ever-present God, may you dwell in us and may our life be a life-giving presence for others.
Thess 2:1-5,13-17
Question: How do you discern the voice of the Spirit amid temptations that occur in life?
Prayer: O Lord, give us strength to endure any evil temptation and wisdom to discern your true teachings.
Luke 20-38
Question: What does it mean to say that God is the God of the living?
Prayer: O Christ, just as you have defeated the death, help us to be a life-bringer in whatever we do and wherever we are.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
SPECIFIC PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK
PRAY FOR...
PRAY FOR...
- Growing peace in areas of violence and wisdom for those who hold power
- People facing unemployment in NZ and the implications to their families.
- Those who aren’t well, especially Junne, Peter and Joy, Neville, Janice and those known specifically to us.
- Family and friends mourning the death of Murray Fowler and Harcourt Downs.
- We give thanks for all those who helped at the fair, and for such a lovely sunny day.
- Our sports people are the entertainment they offer with rugby, cricket, netball, etc
- Te Hahi and the supportive relationship it builds with the police and the community
- The sunny days after all the rain and the wind
- Sandra and Herman and family over seas
Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise. Mature prayer always breaks into gratitude. —Richard Rohr
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
