Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3

MINISTER'S REFLECTION:

Report to Parish Council 25 January 2017
Devotion: Continuing the theme of 'restoration' with Jeremiah 29:11-12 and 33:3, with the focus on prayer.
December 2016 was a busy, but fruitful time of ministry:
Thurs. 01 - Final Faith-Link South breakfast meeting for 2016, with Mayor Tim Shadbolt in attendance.
Thurs. 01 - Final E-SOUL mtg for the year with Ian & Jen Richardson.
Sun. 04 - Holy Communion.
Tues. 06 - Candlelight Service @ J Fraser & Sons.
Wed. 07 - Final PSS Board meeting for 2016.
Frid. 09 - TAY MUSIC TRUST Christmas Variety Concert
Sun. 11 - Sunday School Break-Up Service
Wed. 14 - Last SYNOD-PRESBYTERY Dialogue Mtg for 2016 in Dunedin
Thurs. 15 - SYNOD-OFTB (Otago Foundation Trust Board)
Meeting in Dunedin.
Sat. 24 Dec. - 9pm Christmas Eve Carol Service
Sun. 25 Dec. - Christmas Morning Holy Communion 10 am - 50 people
Sun. 25 Dec. - Attended the Mayoral Christmas luncheon @ the former Grand Hotel 12-2pm where I told a joke and said the grace!
Sun. 01 January 2017 - Combined Service @ St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, witnessed a pleasing turnout from First Church folk.

N.B. I'm feeling refreshed after a three week break over January,
inspite of the inclement weather.
Like you I'm looking forward to the long awaited 'restoration' of the First Church Sanctuary as our regular place of worship. See front page.
On the 29th of January we held a 'Covenant Sunday' Service which will afford us all the opportunity to renew our commitment to God and the work of Christ here at First Church.
I was heartened by the positive feedback @ our last Parish Council Meeting on the draft Mission Statement for 2017 - 2020, and hope to have the revised copy to the next Parish Council Meeting on Wednesday 22 March.
Coming Up in February - March 2017
Tues. 31 Jan. - First Church Prayer meeting, for those who can make it, in the Seminar Room from 10 - 10:30 am.
Wed. 01 Feb. - Southern Presbytery Council meeting at Windsor Church, plus the weekly Lectionary Reading Group continues to meet here in either the Seminar Room or Central Hall.
Thurs. 02 Feb. - Synod Executive meeting in Dunedin
Wed. 08 Feb. - Tay Music Trust meeting 7:30 pm.
Thurs. 09 Feb. Synod Executive meeting in Dunedin
Thurs. 16 Feb. - Faith-Link South Luncheon @ I.C.B.C.
(free for up to 3 leaders/elders per church)
Thurs. 23 - Sun. 26 Feb. I'll be attending the National Assessment Weekend planning meeting in Auckland along with Dr Norman MacLean, and then conducting a wedding on the Queenstown waterfront.
Tues. 07 March - EQUIP SOUTH meeting in Te Anau 6 -10 pm featuring the proposed induction of Craig Alan as the new minister at Lakeside Church. Followed by the unveiling of the proposed re-organisation of Synod and the Southern Presbytery by the Rev Peter Dunn (Moderator of Synod 2016-17). See details in the weekly bulletin.
Sun. March 08 - Easter Sunday 16 April -
Lenten Studies will be held weekly at 222 Spey Street commencing with a 'pot luck' tea. The focus for 2017
will be the Psalms - The Prayer Book of the Bible by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. All welcome.
Wed. 22 March - Parish Council meets again in the Seminar Room @ 7:30pm.